This method only works when you’re already connected to the Wi-Fi network for which you’ve forgotten the password. If you instead see an icon of a computer monitor next to a cable here, you are connected to your router via ethernet. You cannot use an ethernet connection to determine your Wi-Fi password.
You don’t have to have an active connection to the Wi-Fi network to find its password on your Mac.
You can sort the Keychain list alphabetically by clicking the Name category near the top of the Keychain window, and/or search for the network by typing its name into the search bar at the top-right corner of the window.
You may have to enter your password to confirm this action.
Depending on your service, your modem (the thing that connects your home to the internet) and router may be a single, dual-function device. If your provider gave you two separate devices, the modem is the one connected to the wall jack—the Wi-Fi router will be the other device. If you (or someone else with access to the router) changed the router’s default password (and this is pretty common), the password on the router sticker won’t work. If the password doesn’t work, continue to the next step.
This step won’t display the Wi-Fi password on the screen. However, once you’re connected, you can easily find the password on Windows or macOS. Not all routers have this feature, so check your model’s included (or online) documentation for a WPS (or Wi-Fi Protected Setup) feature.
If your Mac doesn’t have an ethernet port, try a USB-to-ethernet adapter, or a Thunderbolt-to-gigabit-ethernet adapter. [2] X Research source If ethernet isn’t an option, you can reset the router to its default settings, which will allow you to use the default router password located on the router sticker.
Windows — Open the Windows Start menu, click the Settings gear, click Network & Internet, click View hardware and connection properties, and find the IP address next to “Default gateway”. Mac — Open the Apple menu, click System Preferences, click Network, click Advanced, click the TCP/IP tab, and look for the set of numbers separated by periods to the right of “Router”. On some routers, the IP address is found on the sticker on the side of the router.
You can use any web browser to perform this step.
The default username is usually admin, and the default password is usually admin, password, or blank. Some people change these after configuring the router, however, so if you can’t remember the username and password, you may need to reset the router.
Each router page interface will vary, so you may have to navigate through a couple of different menus. Your router’s password may also be at the top of the main router page.
Restoring the router to factory settings won’t tell you the current password, but it will change the router’s password back to the factory password, which is printed on the bottom or back of the router. Resetting your router will also disconnect every item you have connected to the router—this means all devices connected to it will need to reconnect. For this reason, resetting the router should be your last resort.
The lights on the router should flash or briefly turn off when the router has officially reset.
Network name or SSID — Your network’s factory name that you’ll see in the Wi-Fi menu. Password or Key — Your network’s default password.
