The fastest way: Keychain Access
Your Mac stores every WiFi password you have ever connected to in a built-in app called Keychain Access. This is the quickest route if you remember the network name but not the password.
Open Keychain Access by pressing Command + Space, typing "keychain", and pressing Enter. In the window that opens, look for a search box in the top right corner. Type the name of your WiFi network — the exact name you see when you look for networks on your Mac.
When the network name appears in the list, double-click it. A new window will open showing details about that network. At the bottom, you will see a checkbox labeled "Show password". Click that checkbox, and your Mac will ask you to enter your user password (the password you use to log into your Mac itself). Type it in and click "Allow". Your WiFi password will now appear on the screen in plain text.
Key Takeaways
- Keychain Access stores every WiFi password your Mac has ever connected to, and you can view any of them by searching for the network name.
- You will need to enter your Mac user password to see a stored WiFi password — this is a security measure to prevent someone else from viewing your passwords.
- If you cannot find the network in Keychain Access, your Mac has never connected to it before, and the password is not stored anywhere on your computer.
- The network name you search for must match exactly what appears in your WiFi list, including capital letters and spaces.
What to do if the network does not appear in Keychain Access
If you search for your network name and nothing comes up, it means your Mac has never successfully connected to that network before. Keychain only stores passwords for networks you have already joined.
In this case, you will need to find the password another way. If it is your own network, check the router itself — most routers have a sticker on the back or bottom with the default password printed on it. If you changed the password after setup, you can reset the router to factory settings by holding the reset button for 10 seconds, which will restore the default password on the sticker.
If it is someone else's network, you will need to ask them for the password directly. There is no way to recover a password for a network your Mac has never connected to.
Using System Settings instead of Keychain Access
If Keychain Access feels confusing, your Mac also stores WiFi passwords in System Settings, though the process is slightly longer. Click the Apple menu in the top left, then "System Settings". Click "WiFi" in the left sidebar.
Find your network in the list and click the "Details" button next to it. A new window will open. Look for "Security" and click the arrow next to it to expand that section. You will see a field labeled "Password" with dots or asterisks hiding the actual characters. Click "Show" next to that field, enter your Mac user password when prompted, and the password will appear in plain text.
This method works the same way as Keychain Access — you still need your Mac user password to view the stored password — but some people find the System Settings interface more straightforward.
Why your Mac asks for your user password
When you try to view a stored WiFi password, your Mac requires you to enter the password you use to log into your computer. This is a security feature. If someone else gains physical access to your Mac, they cannot straightforward open Keychain or System Settings and read all your passwords without knowing your user password.
If you have forgotten your Mac user password, you cannot view stored WiFi passwords through either method. You would need to reset your Mac user password first through the Apple ID recovery process, which is a separate procedure.
Viewing passwords for networks you are not currently connected to
You can view the password for any network your Mac has ever connected to, even if you are not currently connected to it. The network does not need to be in range or turned on. As long as your Mac has joined it at least once, the password is stored in Keychain and can be retrieved using the steps above.
This is useful if you are trying to help someone else connect to your network but you are not home, or if you want to check a password for a network you have not used in months. The password will be exactly the same as when you first connected.
What to do if you see the wrong password
If you find a password in Keychain but it does not work when you try to connect, it means the network password has been changed since your Mac last connected to it. This happens most often with shared networks — if someone with access to the router changed the password, your Mac still has the old one stored.
Ask whoever manages the network for the current password, or if it is your own network, check your router settings or the sticker on the router itself. Once you have the new password, your Mac will ask you to enter it the next time you try to connect, and it will update the stored password automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see WiFi passwords on my Mac if I forgot my user password?
No. Both Keychain Access and System Settings require your Mac user password before showing any stored WiFi password. If you have forgotten your Mac user password, you will need to reset it through your Apple ID before you can view any passwords.
Will viewing a WiFi password change it or affect the network?
No. Looking at a stored password in Keychain or System Settings does not change the password or affect the network in any way. You are only reading information that is already stored on your Mac.
What if I want to change my WiFi password after finding it?
Viewing the password through your Mac only shows you what it currently is — it does not let you change it. To change your WiFi password, you need to log into your router settings through a web browser or the router's app. The router itself controls the password, not your Mac.
Can I see passwords for networks I have never connected to?
No. Your Mac only stores passwords for networks it has successfully connected to at least once. If you have never joined a network, your Mac has no record of its password.