Your device asks for a network security key, and you’re stuck at the Wi-Fi connection screen. For ordinary home Wi-Fi, that key is simply your Wi-Fi password. Here’s where to find it on your router, a device with a saved password, or your network’s app.
Start with the router label
If your home Wi-Fi still uses its original password, start with the router label. This also applies to mesh systems and internet-provider gateways that come with default credentials.
Look on the back or underside of the router for the network name and password or network key.
Match the printed network name to the Wi-Fi network you want to join.
Check the setup card, documentation that came with the router, or installer’s information sheet if the label doesn’t have the details. The printed password works only if it hasn’t changed.
If you still need the key, ask the network owner, installer, or internet provider for the current password.
Reveal the password on Windows 11
Windows 11 lets you reveal the password for your current connection or a previously saved network.
- 1.Open Settings.
- 2.Select Network & internet.
- 3.Open Properties for your current connection. For a different saved network, open Wi-Fi > Manage known networks and select the network.
- 4.Beside Wi-Fi network password, select Show. The current connection’s password screen also includes a QR code for sharing access.
Your iPhone or iPad can show saved passwords
On iOS 18 or later and iPadOS 18 or later, open Passwords and authenticate to access saved Wi-Fi passwords. Tap Wi-Fi and select the network. Tap Password to reveal the key.
The Settings route works from iOS 16 and iPadOS 16.1 onward. Open Settings > Wi-Fi and tap the Info button beside the connected network. Tap Password, then authenticate with your passcode, Face ID, or Touch ID.
For a previously connected network, open Settings > Wi-Fi > Edit and authenticate. Tap the Info button beside the saved secured network. Tap Password to see its key.
Find a known network on your Mac
A Mac with a saved Wi-Fi password can reveal or copy it. On macOS Sequoia 15 and macOS Tahoe 26, use the Passwords app.
Open Passwords > Wi-Fi.
Select the network.
Hover over the dots beside Password to reveal it.
Click the dots to copy it.
For the alternative route on macOS Ventura 13 and later, open the Apple menu > System Settings > Network > Wi-Fi > Advanced.
Click More beside the network.
Select Copy Password.
Paste the copied password where you need to see or use it.
Use Android’s QR sharing to connect another device
A connected Pixel or compatible Samsung Galaxy can share Wi-Fi access through a QR code.
- 1.On Pixel, open Settings > Network & internet > Internet. On Galaxy, open Settings > Connections > Wi-Fi.
- 2.Tap the Settings icon beside the connected network.
- 3.On Pixel, tap Share and authenticate when prompted. On Galaxy, tap QR code.
- 4.Have the other device scan the displayed code to join without typing the key.
- 5.If you need the password’s actual characters, use the saved-password instructions for another device above or your router’s management app below. These QR-sharing steps do not provide a universal text-reveal option across Android phones.
When the printed password no longer works
A changed Wi-Fi password leaves the router’s printed default key out of date.
Open your network’s management app using the matching instructions below to find its current password.
For eero, open eero > Settings > Wifi name & password to view the main network’s password.
For Google Wifi or Nest Wifi, open Google Home > Home > Wifi > Share password.
Swipe left if you need the guest network’s password.
Select Copy to copy the displayed password.
For TP-Link Deco, connect your phone to Deco Wi-Fi.
Open Deco > More > Wi-Fi Settings.
Tap Share Wi-Fi to display the network name, password, and QR code.
For a rented Xfinity Gateway, open Xfinity > WiFi > WiFi details > Edit WiFi settings to inspect the password. This requires a Primary, Manager, or Member Xfinity ID.
For a compatible AT&T gateway, sign into Smart Home Manager with the AT&T ID associated with your internet service to view the network information.
For a TP-Link router with the supported browser interface, connect by Ethernet or existing Wi-Fi.
Open tplinkwifi.net or 192.168.0.1 in your browser.
Sign in with the router administrator password. That password is separate from the Wi-Fi key you’re looking for.
Open Wireless > Wireless Settings to view the Wi-Fi password. On other supported firmware, use Basic > Wireless.
To replace an unavailable password on a compatible NETGEAR router, open Nighthawk > WiFi Settings.
Select the network.
Enter a new network password.
Tap Save.
Reconnect your devices using the new key.
Connecting to a hotspot instead
If the network comes from a phone or PC hotspot, use that hotspot’s password. It is separate from your home router’s Wi-Fi password.
On iPhone or a supported cellular iPad, open Settings > Personal Hotspot. The alternative route is Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot.
Read Wi-Fi Password.
On Pixel, open Settings > Network & internet > Hotspot & tethering > Wi-Fi hotspot.
Tap the password setting to inspect the hotspot’s key.
On a compatible Samsung Galaxy, open Settings > Connections > Mobile Hotspot and Tethering > Mobile Hotspot.
Read Password in the Information section.
On Windows 11, open Settings > Network & internet > Mobile hotspot > Properties to find the PC-created hotspot’s password.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a WPS PIN the same as a network security key?
No. A WPS PIN is a separate credential used for WPS connections on compatible equipment. It is not your Wi-Fi password.
Will forgetting the network or resetting the router recover the password?
Forgetting a network does not recover its key. A factory reset erases custom settings instead of revealing the old password, and you must configure the router again. Changing only the Wi-Fi password is less disruptive when you already have administrator access.
Can I connect a Chromebook without typing the key?
Yes. With a compatible Android phone already linked, select the time > Settings > Connected devices > your phone, then turn on Wi-Fi Sync. Chromebooks using the same primary Google Account can also sync eligible saved household networks through Settings > Privacy and security > Sync and Google services > Manage what you sync. These options transfer credentials without displaying the password as text.
Where do I get the key for a hotel, business, or work network?
Check posted signs or information sheets, or ask staff for the current Wi-Fi password. Some public networks also require a browser sign-in. For a managed work network, ask the administrator for the required access details.