What to Do If You Lost or Forgot Your Wi-Fi Password

As much as we all love being online, there’s bound to come a time when you forget the Wi-Fi password. Let’s look at what to do if you lost or forgot your Wi-Fi password and need internet access. 

Recover the Password from Another Device 

The easiest thing to do would be to get the password from your computer. If you’ve connected in the past, then your computer will have a record of it. Windows and Macs both allow you to see your Wi-Fi password when connected. 

For Windows, start up the Control Panel and open the list of wireless networks. Right-click on the network that you want, choose “Status” and then “Wireless Properties”. Open up the Security tab and then click “Show Characters” to view the password saved to the device. You may be prompted for your computer password to do this. 

For Mac, you’ll need the Keychain Access app. Hold Command and press Space and then type “Keychain Access” and hit enter. Choose the “Passwords” category and find your Wi-Fi network. Right-click on the network name and choose to copy the password to the clipboard. You can also get the password directly by clicking “Get Info” and then “Show Password”. As with Windows, you will be asked for your admin password to verify the action. 

Recover the Password With the Router 

You may be able to recover the password through the router. If you aren’t able to connect to the network through Wi-Fi, you can use an ethernet cable to connect to the router directly (or use another computer connected via Ethernet). 

Open the web interface for your router by using the IP address. You’ll need to log in, but most people don’t change the default password and that’s easy enough to find. It’ll be in the user manual, printed on the router itself, or available through a quick Google search. 

Open the Wi-Fi settings in the web interface and find the Wi-Fi password. If you have the option to view the password then you’re good to go. If not, then you may be able to change the password and connect with a new password. Just make sure that everyone knows the new password so they can connect too! 

Final Thoughts 

Don’t fret if you don’t remember your Wi-Fi password. There are options to recover it. It can be as simple as using a computer already connected to the network. In the worst-case scenario, you can force reset your router and the password too but try to recover the password normally first.