How to view WiFi's password or forget this network in Windows 8.1

Question

In Windows 8.1, when I right click a WiFi connection, nothing happens. In Windows 8, there is a menu and I can view its properties by clicking the "View Properties" menu item, and then I can see the password for that WiFi connection.

How to do the exact same thing in Windows 8.1? And also how do I tell the OS to forget certain WiFi connection?

score 95 · Answer 1 · edited Jul 28 '15 at 05:55

95

I found this on YouTube and it worked for me.

Hover mouse over Windows icon and right-click
Open up "Command Prompt (Admin)". Click Yes for the prompt box that pops up.

Type the command line below:

netsh wlan show profile name="INSERT SSID HERE" key=clear

Note: if you don't know your SSID, you can list all Wi-Fi profiles you have connected in the past with following command:

netsh wlan show profile

The first version of the command may dump out tens of lines of output (commonly between 30 and 40 lines). If you want to see only the password (Key Content), you can pipe the command through findstr Key. Note that the K in Key must be capitalized.

Example command line will therefore look like:

netsh wlan show profile name="Sales Dept Network" key=clear | findstr Key

You can leave out the "name=":

netsh wlan show profile "Sales Dept Network" key=clear | findstr Key

edited Jul 28 '15 at 05:55

G-Man Says 'Reinstate Monica'

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answered Jan 31 '14 at 10:16

Will

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nice, what does the key=clear do ? – Devid May 24 '14 at 20:54
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@Devid `key=clear` is the argument that forces the actual password to be shown – Jago Sep 15 '14 at 10:50
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This answer does not work for me. Under the heading "Security settings" in the output I get "Security key: absent". [Apparently](http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/37571-wireless-network-security-key-find-windows-8-a.html) it should say "Key content: ", but it does not for me. – Jess Riedel Dec 14 '14 at 20:02
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@JessRiedel make sure to run CMD as adminnistrator – jitbit Jan 30 '15 at 08:23
@jitbit, Weird, for some I can see the password after `Key content` row. But for some the row doesn't even exist. Why is this so? – Pacerier May 04 '15 at 00:25
Awesome answer... exactly what I need because Network And Sharing Center can't open for me (hanging in new Windows 10... oh well). @Pacerier maybe those are unsecured == no password? – Mike M Aug 02 '15 at 19:25
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This answer is more useful than the Accepted answer, as you can query SSID's which you are not currently connected to. – invert Aug 26 '15 at 10:57
In my case, I use PEAP, `Security key` is `Absent` and no user/password information is visible with this command. So not a universal solution, unfortunately. – Irfy Mar 17 '16 at 12:07
netsh wlan show profile didn't work for me pulled message "There is no wireless interface in the system", maybe some one can help? – Viktor Mar 23 '16 at 03:07

score 61 · Accepted Answer · edited Nov 14 '15 at 20:39

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Open Network and Sharing Center.
Click on your wireless connection in the window that opens.
After that, click on button Wireless properties.
Then open tab Security.

edited Nov 14 '15 at 20:39

Matthias M

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answered Jan 29 '14 at 10:37

Ben

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Not valid to recover a password of a WiFi to which you are not connected anymore – Jago Sep 15 '14 at 10:45
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+1 This also works for Windows 10 – user000001 Aug 01 '15 at 21:54
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German: 1. Netzwerk und Freigabecenter 3. Drahtloseigenschaften 4. Sicherheit – Matthias M Nov 14 '15 at 19:38

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 22 '13 at 11:26

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Command line (Manage wireless network profiles) or third party utilities are your options since Microsoft removed the Wireless Profile Manager.

answered Nov 22 '13 at 11:26

Brian

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score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Jan 29 '14 at 11:32

It's not removed actually just do either one of the following:

First:

It's been moved to the Modern PC settings. All the options are there
Go to PC settings( To go PC settings hover your mouse to the right top or bottom corner then click on the Settings icon, there you'll see)
Then click on Network
Again click on Your WiFi name
Give metro a chance

Second:

Right click on the Wifi signal open "Open Network and sharing center"
There you can see you're wifi name.. just click on it you'll get what you've asked.

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Sep 10 '14 at 22:37

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To see the password for the network, as mentioned in the previous answer,just do the following;

Right click command prompt and select to Run as administrator
type the following

netsh wlan show hostednetwork setting=security

(This assumes you are running a hosted network on your system)

Revert if you need more help

answered Sep 10 '14 at 22:37

Lordoasis

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It says " User security key : "? – Pacerier May 03 '15 at 23:41

How to view WiFi's password or forget this network in Windows 8.1

5 Answers5