How to find your wifi password

A strong password requires a series of numbers, letters and symbols; and if you’re doing it right, this can be tricky to remember. If you forgot to write it down and need to connect a new device or let a guest access your network, follow these steps to retrieve your password from your computer, phone or service provider. Keep in mind that while these steps can help you recover your password, it’s important to protect it to keep your network safe from unintended users.

Finding your wifi password on computers and laptops

How to find your wifi password on a Mac

Here are the two ways you can find a saved wifi password on your Mac device:

First option: Keychain Access App

Go to “applications”, then the “utilities” folder.
Open “Keychain Access app”.
Select the “system keychain” in the menu bar and click on passwords to view your stored passwords.
Double click on your network name and select “show password”.
Enter your Mac administrator username and password to view.

Second option: Terminal on Mac

Use the spotlight search to launch the Terminal app.
Enter the command: security-find-generic-password-ga <enter WIFI Name> | grep “password”.
The system will then ask for your username and password authentication to view your network password.

How to find your wifi password on Windows

Follow these steps to find your wifi password on your Windows device:

If you have Windows 10, select the start button, then “settings” > “network & internet” > “status” > “network and sharing center”.
If you have Windows 7 or 8.1, search for “network”, then select “network and sharing center” > “connections” > “select your wifi network”.
Select “wifi status” and select “wireless properties” > “security tab” > “show characters”.
Your network password will be displayed in the network security box.

Finding your wifi password on your phone

Every time you connect to a new wifi network using your smartphone, the password automatically gets saved for future use. Here’s how to find your home wifi password on your phone:

How to find your wifi password on an Android Phone

If you have Android 10 or anything newer, you can find the wifi password directly on your phone following these steps:

Go to “settings” on your phone, then “wifi”.
Select “saved networks” and click on your home network.
Choose the share option and enter your password.
A barcode will appear with the wifi password written below.

How to find your wifi password on an iPhone

While iPhones are designed to not reveal any saved passwords on your device, you can still locate your wifi password by finding the IP address for your router on your iPhone. You must also be connected to your wifi network to obtain the password. Once you’ve done so, follow these steps:

Click on “settings” on your iPhone, then “wifi”.
Select the “i” next to your network name.
Scroll down and select “DHCP tab”, there you’ll see an IP address where it says router. Make sure to write the IP address down for the next steps.
Open the Safari browser on your iPhone and type in the IP address.
Enter “admin” for both the username and password.
Select “wireless settings” to find your password next to the security key field.

Finding your wifi password with your Internet provider

How to find your Cox wifi password

If you’re a Cox customer with an internet plan or Panoramic Wifi, you can find your password with these steps:

Check the device's owner's manual.
Find the password on the bottom or side of the physical router.
Check the Cox Welcome Kit booklet.

If you updated your password when your internet was installed, you can:

Open your preferred browser and type your router’s IP address (located on your router) into the address bar.
Enter “admin" for the username and password. Alternatively, the password may be “password" or there may be no password.
Click on “wireless” and locate the password next to the Key 1 field.

How to find your wifi password with other providers

If your router is managed by your internet service provider, they should know your wifi password. However, if you changed the password, you can take the following steps to retrieve it:

Open a web browser and type your router’s IP address (located on your router) into the address bar.
Enter “admin" for the username and password.
Click on “wireless” and locate the password next to the Key 1 field.

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