How to view saved Wi-Fi passwords in Windows 10, Android and iOS

So many stores, service stations, coffee shops, pubs and so on offer free Wi-Fi that you probably have countless networks saved on your phone or laptop. Having a password saved on your computer is great, but how can you get the password so you can use it on your phone as well?

Rather than trying to hunt down a member of staff to ask, or hunting high and low for that tiny sign that shares the password, you can instead view the wireless passwords you have saved. Read on to find out how to retrieve these passwords in both Windows 10 and Android.

If you already have the password for a wireless network saved on your laptop and want to retrieve it to use on your phone -- or share with someone else -- things are quite simple. The same method works in Windows 7, Windows 8.x, and Windows 10, but it's important to note that you need to be connected to the network you are trying to retrieve the password for.

• Press the Windows key and R, type ncpa.cpl and press Enter.
• Right click on the wireless network adaptor and select Status.
• Click the Wireless Properties button.
• In the Properties dialog that appears, move to the Security tab.
• Click the Show characters check box, and the network password will be revealed.

If you want to retrieve a saved wireless network password from Android or iOS, you'll have to have a rooted or jailbroken device -- sadly, there is no standard way to pull up security credentials. It's worth noting that there are several apps out there in Google Play that claim to reveal Wi-Fi passwords; while some of these work, there are also numerous malicious tools out there, so it's best to use an alternative method.

If you're using Android, install a copy of the free file browser ES File Explorer.

• Navigate to the data/misc/wifi folder on your device -- it will not be visible on non-rooted phones.
• Open the file called wpa_supplicant.conf and you will see a list of saved Wi-Fi networks complete with their passwords.

To retrieve a Wi-Fi password on a jailbroken iPhone, you can check in the Keychain access app if you have a Mac connected to the same network, but there's another method if you prefer to do it all from your phone.

Grab yourself a copy of WiFi Passwords from Cydia.

Fire up the app, and you'll be presented with a list of all of the passwords your iPhone has for saved wireless networks.

Photo credit: Marynchenko Oleksandr / Shutterstock

~ Mark Wilson

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