The fastest way to see your WiFi password on Mac

Open Keychain Access, search for your network name, and the password appears in plain text. Keychain Access is a built-in Mac app that stores passwords for networks you have connected to before — it is the only place on your Mac where the actual WiFi password is visible without resetting the network.

You do not need to know the password beforehand, and you do not need to reset your router. If you have ever connected to that WiFi network on this Mac, the password is already saved in Keychain Access and you can retrieve it in under a minute.

Key Takeaways

  • Keychain Access stores every WiFi password your Mac has ever connected to, and you can view the actual password by opening the app and searching for the network name.
  • You must have administrator access on your Mac to view a saved password — the system will ask for your Mac login password as confirmation.
  • If you cannot find the network in Keychain Access, your Mac has never connected to it, and you will need to ask the network owner or reset the router.
  • The password shown in Keychain Access is the actual WiFi password, not a stored copy — you can use it to connect other devices to the same network.

Open Keychain Access and find your network

Press Command + Space to open Spotlight search. Type "keychain access" and press Enter. The Keychain Access window will open.

In the top left corner, make sure Passwords is selected in the Category list. Then use the search box in the top right corner — type the name of your WiFi network exactly as it appears in your WiFi menu. For example, if your network is called "Guest Network 5G", search for that exact phrase.

When the network appears in the list, double-click it to open the details window.

View the password in plain text

A window titled with your network name will open. Look for the line that says password. The password field will show dots or asterisks instead of the actual characters.

Check the box next to Show password. Your Mac will ask you to enter your Mac login password — this is the password you use to unlock your Mac when you turn it on, not the WiFi password. Type it and click Allow.

The dots will now show the actual WiFi password in plain text. You can now read it, write it down, or copy it to share with someone else.

What to do if the network does not appear in Keychain Access

If you search for your network name and nothing appears, your Mac has never connected to that network before. Keychain Access only stores passwords for networks your Mac has already joined — it cannot retrieve a password for a network you have never used.

In this case, you will need to ask the person who set up the network, check any documentation that came with your router, or reset the router to its factory defaults. Resetting a router erases all settings and returns it to the password printed on the device itself, but it will also disconnect every device currently using that network.

If you are locked out of your Mac account

Viewing a saved password requires your Mac login password. If you do not remember your Mac password, you cannot open Keychain Access or view the WiFi password through this method.

You can reset your Mac password through Apple ID if you set one up when you created your account. Go to the login screen, click the question mark icon, and follow the prompts to reset your password using your Apple ID. Once you can log in again, you can use Keychain Access normally.

Using the password on other devices

Once you have the password from Keychain Access, you can use it to connect any other device — a phone, tablet, laptop, or smart home device — to the same WiFi network. The password is the same regardless of which device you are connecting.

On the device you want to connect, go to WiFi settings, select your network name from the list, and enter the password exactly as it appears in Keychain Access. Passwords are case-sensitive, so uppercase and lowercase letters matter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see the WiFi password if I am not the administrator of this Mac?

No. Viewing a saved password requires your Mac login password, which only the account owner or administrator has. If you are a standard user on a shared Mac, you cannot view passwords without the administrator's password.

What if I see the network in Keychain Access but the password field is empty?

This occasionally happens if the network entry is corrupted. Try deleting the entry from Keychain Access and reconnecting to the network — your Mac will save a fresh copy of the password. Right-click the network in Keychain Access, select Delete, then reconnect to the WiFi normally.

Is it safe to show the password on my screen?

Yes, as long as you are the only person looking at your Mac. The password is your own — you have already connected to this network before. Do not share the password with people you do not trust, just as you would not share any other password.

Can I change my WiFi password from Keychain Access?

No. Keychain Access only shows you the password that is already saved. To change your WiFi password, you must log into your router's settings through a web browser or router app, which is a separate process from viewing the password on your Mac.