Forgot your Wi-Fi password? We’ve all been there, but you can find your Wi-Fi password on your Mac if you have it handy. You can simply reset your Wi-Fi password if you want, but if you’d rather just take a look, here’s how to recover your Wi-Fi password on macOS in a few quick steps.
Find your Wi-Fi password using macOS Keychain Access
Macs have a useful app called Keychain Access, which helps securely store passwords you’ve been using on macOS for a while, like this one. The easiest way to find your Wi-Fi password is to check Keychain Access and see what it has to say. Here’s how to find and navigate this app.
Step 1: Select the Magnifying glass at the top right of your macOS home screen to open Spotlight Search. Type in “keychain” and the option to choose Keychain Access should appear. Select it. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Order + Space raise Spotlight Search.
2nd step: When the Keychain Access app opens, look at the menu on the left side. Check that you are in the System section. Now check the tabs at the top and select Passwords continue.
Step 3: You should now see a list of passwords that your system has accumulated over time, mainly the Wi-Fi networks it has connected to in the past. Keep in mind that this list is synced with your other Apple devices like your iPhone, so there’s a good chance you’ll see lots of Wi-Fi network passwords here, including those for your friends’ homes, of your favorite coffees. , recent business trips, etc.
Step 4: Locate the Wi-Fi network you have in mind. If you can’t remember the full name of your current Wi-Fi network, you can go to the WiFi signal in the upper right corner of your macOS screen and select it to see what you’re currently connected to. You can also see when the Wi-Fi connection was last changed. Select the desired network.
As a shortcut, you can use the Keychain Access search bar in the upper right corner to search for the Wi-Fi network in question. If multiple networks appear in your search, especially if you’re looking for your home Wi-Fi network, you may have better luck selecting the one below. Local items * like keychain, rather than * system. However, either option should work.
Step 5: A new window will open, displaying the details of this Wi-Fi network. Look at the bottom of the window and you will see an option to Show password. Check this to enable the feature.
Step 6: You’ll now need to enter your admin login password to see the Wi-Fi password. If this is your personal Mac, this shouldn’t be a problem – your normal connection should work. If you do not have administrator access, you will not be able to see the password, so this method will not work with professional devices.
Step 7: Once administrator access is granted, you will now see the Wi-Fi password of your chosen network. Note that this window also allows you to change the password as you wish and select Save changes After. This is useful if you want to improve the security of your Wi-Fi account or if one of your favorite haunts recently changed its Wi-Fi network and you want to make sure your Apple devices stay up to date to connect automatically.
How to share a Wi-Fi password from your iPhone or iPad
Don’t have your Mac handy or find the above method doesn’t work for you? No difficulty. Just grab your iPhone or iPad and follow our guide on how to share a Wi-Fi password from your iOS device.
How to Find Other Passwords on a Mac
If you need to know more than just your Wi-Fi password, you can find all your Mac and MacBook passwords in macOS. Just follow these steps to recover your Mac passwords.
Remember, if you use a Wi-Fi app to manage your router, you can also find your personal Wi-Fi password there. If you want an alternative to keychain access that will protect your passwords, you may want to choose a password manager to help you keep track of everything.
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