The fastest way to see your WiFi password
Open Keychain Access on your Mac — the easiest path is to press Command + Space, type "keychain", and press Enter. Once it opens, search for the name of your WiFi network in the search box at the top right. When you find it, double-click the network name to open its details window.
In the details window, check the box next to "Show password". Your Mac will ask for your user account password — this is the password you use to log into your Mac itself, not your WiFi password. Type it in and click Allow. Your WiFi password will now appear in plain text in the password field.
This method works because your Mac stores every WiFi password you have ever connected to in Keychain, which is Apple's built-in password manager. Once you see the password, you can write it down, copy it, or read it aloud to someone else who needs to join the network.
Key Takeaways
- Keychain Access stores every WiFi password your Mac has connected to, and you can view any of them by searching for the network name and checking "Show password".
- Your Mac will ask for your user account password when you try to reveal a WiFi password — this is a security measure to prevent others from seeing your passwords.
- If you cannot find your network name in Keychain, it means your Mac has never connected to that network before.
- You can also reset your WiFi password through your router's settings if you forget it entirely, though that requires physical access to the router.
What to do if the network does not appear in Keychain
If you search for your network name and nothing comes up, your Mac has never successfully connected to that WiFi before. This happens when you are trying to find a password for a network you just set up, or one you connected to on a different device.
In this case, you will need to access your router directly. Log into your router's admin panel by opening a web browser and typing the router's IP address — usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 — into the address bar. You will be asked for a username and password; these are often printed on a sticker on the back or bottom of the router itself. Once logged in, look for a section called WiFi Settings, Wireless, or Security, where you can see or change your WiFi password.
Finding the password if you are not the network owner
If the network belongs to someone else — a roommate, family member, or workplace — you cannot view the password through Keychain unless you are logged into their Mac account. Keychain is personal to each user on a Mac, so you will only see passwords that your own account has stored.
The only way forward is to ask the network owner for the password directly. If they have forgotten it, they can follow the router method described above, but they will need physical access to the router and the admin credentials.
Viewing passwords for networks you have already forgotten
Even if you have not used a WiFi network in months or years, as long as your Mac connected to it once, the password stays in Keychain. This is useful if you are moving back to an old apartment or reconnecting to a network you used before.
Search Keychain for the network name exactly as it appears — network names are case-sensitive in Keychain's search. If you are not sure of the exact spelling, try searching for part of the name. Once you find it, the process is the same: double-click, check "Show password", enter your Mac password, and the WiFi password appears.
Why your Mac stores these passwords
Keychain keeps WiFi passwords so you do not have to type them in every time you reconnect to a network. When you join a new WiFi network and your Mac asks if you want to save the password, clicking Save stores it in Keychain automatically. This is why you can walk into your home and your Mac connects without any action on your part.
The trade-off is security: anyone with access to your Mac and your user password can see all your stored passwords. This is why Keychain asks for your account password before showing a password — it is a check to make sure the person asking is actually you.
Protecting your WiFi password after you find it
Once you have the password, be careful who you share it with. Each person you give it to can connect to your network and potentially see other devices on it. If you want to change who has access, you can change the WiFi password through your router settings — this will disconnect everyone currently using it and require them to enter the new password to reconnect.
If you suspect someone has your password and should not have it, changing the password is the fastest way to lock them out. You can also create a separate guest network in your router settings, which lets visitors connect without giving them access to your main network or other devices on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I see a password in Keychain but it does not work?
The password stored in Keychain is the one your Mac last used to connect successfully. If it does not work now, your network password has been changed since your Mac last connected. You will need to ask the network owner for the new password, or access the router to change it yourself if it is your network.
Can I see passwords for networks I have never connected to?
No. Keychain only stores passwords for networks your Mac has actually connected to. If you need a password for a network you have never joined, you must ask the network owner or access the router directly if it is your own network.
Is it safe to write down my WiFi password after I find it?
Writing it down is safer than sharing it verbally, since you have a record you can refer to. Keep the written password in a find place — not on a sticky note on your monitor. If you are worried about security, consider changing your password regularly or creating a guest network for visitors instead.
Will changing my WiFi password affect my Mac's connection?
Yes. After you change the password on your router, your Mac will not be able to connect until you update the password in Keychain. Your Mac will usually prompt you to enter the new password the next time it tries to connect. You can also manually update it by finding the network in Keychain, double-clicking it, and changing the password field.