How to Recover Wi-Fi Password in Windows 7/8/10
As you well know your computer and your mobile devices can automatically log into your Wi-Fi network because they remember the password. However, any time you wish to connect a new device you will have to manually re-enter the password yourself. Unfortunately, you and I are not like machines and we can't remember everything. Sometimes you just forget things like your password.
If you find yourself in a situation where you want to connect a new device but you just can't seem to remember your Wi-Fi password, then you're in luck because you can recover your Wi-Fi password if you're using your Windows computer. In the past we've covered how to reset your Wi-Fi password on iPhone and Android, now we'll talk about how to recover your Wi-Fi password in Windows.
Keep in mind that the default password is written on the back of your Wi-Fi Modem. Just take the modem and look for the password. If you haven't changed the default password you can log in in no time.
Table of Contents
How to find your Wi-Fi password in Network Settings
- Every time you connect your Windows computer to a network, the network password is stored in the network settings of that specific network.
- To access your network connections, simply press "Windows + R" to open the "Run…" dialog window, and type ncpa.cpl in the text field.
- Click "OK" and you will see all your network connections displayed.
- Right-click on the chosen network connection and press "Status" from the context menu.
- Next, you'll see a new window appear, select "Wireless Properties," and you will see the "Security" tab. Under it, you can find "Network security key". Note that it is hidden by default and you must click on "Show characters" below it to reveal the password.
Make sure you don't lose the password this time. Maybe write it down somewhere or store it on your computer, but make sure nobody else can find it.
How to use WirelessKeyView to reset your Wi-Fi Password
The above method should work for all recent version of Windows but if for some reason it doesn't work for you then you can also find your Wi-Fi password in the registry. The Windows registry saves all entries on your machine and it also saves the passwords of all the network connections. From here you can recover the password of your network just like any other online network that you have connected to in the past.
Don't think this will be a walk in the park, though. It's not that simple to find a Wi-Fi password in the registry, and to make matters worse messing with registry can corrupt your Windows, so it's generally recommended that you stay out of there unless you know what you're doing. In this article, I'm going to use a third-party tool named WirelessKeyView to extract the Wi-Fi passwords from the registry so that I don't screw it up. Here's how to use the WirelessKeyView app to find your Wi-Fi password:
First, you need to download WirelessKeyView from the official website and extract the files (it will be in the ZIP format by default). Then you must launch the .exe file. The WirelessKeyView app will automatically scan your Windows registry and extract all the connection names and passwords for you. The password of your network connection will be written next to your connection name under the column "Key (Ascii)." If you want to you can extract the network names and their corresponding passwords to a text for ease of use.
Also, you cannot to the internet on your laptop and you need to download the tool you can simply use an ethernet cable to connect to the internet and then download the WirelessKeyView tool. In the worst-case scenario, you can download it from the computer of a friend or family member and transfer it to your computer via flash drive.
How to change your password from the Router Settings.
You can also reset your Wi-Fi password from the Router Settings. Your network password is also saved in your router's settings in addition to the Windows registry, but your PC must be connected to your Internet connection in order to access it. If it is connected then simply enter your router's settings using your default router IP address and search for the option "Wi-Fi settings" or "Wireless settings". The password is usually located under one of these settings. It may be hidden, however, so you'll have to reveal it.
Change your password by resetting the rooter
If all else fails, you can always just reset the, and in the process change your Wi-Fi password too. This is not generally recommended since it will wipe all of your settings so use it only as a last resort. The reset button can be found on the modem. What it looks like and where it's located depends on the model you're using.
