View Your WiFi Password Through Keychain Access
The fastest way to see a WiFi password on your Mac is through Keychain Access, the built-in password manager that stores your network credentials. Your Mac saves every WiFi password you have ever connected to, and you can retrieve any of them in about two minutes without restarting or entering recovery mode.
Open Keychain Access by pressing Command + Space, typing "keychain", and pressing Enter. In the window that opens, click the "Passwords" category on the left side. You will see a list of every saved password on your Mac, including WiFi networks. Search for the network name (called the SSID) by typing it into the search box in the top right corner.
When you find your network name in the list, double-click it to open its details. A small window will appear showing the network name and a checkbox labeled "Show password". Click that checkbox. Your Mac will ask you to enter your user account password — this is the password you use to log into your Mac, not the WiFi password. Type it and click "Allow". The WiFi password will now appear in plain text in the "password" field.
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 and checking the "Show password" box.
- Your Mac will ask for your user account password before revealing the WiFi password — this is a security measure to prevent someone else from viewing your passwords if they have access to your computer.
- If you cannot find the network in Keychain Access, your Mac has never connected to it, or the password was deleted after you disconnected.
- You can also view WiFi passwords through System Settings, though Keychain Access is usually faster if you know the network name.
Find a WiFi Password Through System Settings
If you prefer not to use Keychain Access, you can retrieve a WiFi password through System Settings, which is the main control panel on your Mac. This method works the same way but takes a few more clicks to reach the password field.
Open System Settings by clicking the Apple menu in the top left corner and selecting "System Settings". Click "WiFi" in the left sidebar. You will see a list of networks your Mac has connected to. Find the network you want the password for and click the information icon (a small circle with an "i" inside it) next to the network name. A details panel will slide open on the right side of the screen.
In the details panel, look for a field labeled "Password" or "Security Details". Click the eye icon next to the password field to reveal it. Your Mac will prompt you to enter your user account password. Type it and click "Allow". The WiFi password will now be visible.
What to Do If the Password Does Not Appear
If you search for a network in Keychain Access or System Settings and no password appears, it means your Mac has never saved that network's password. This happens when you have never connected to that network before, or when you deleted the saved password after disconnecting.
If you are trying to reconnect to a network you used before, the password may have been changed by the network owner. Try asking the person who set up the network for the current password. If this is your own network and you have forgotten the password, you will need to reset your router to factory settings or log into your router's admin panel directly — neither of these steps involves your Mac.
If you are certain your Mac has connected to the network before but the password is not showing up, the saved password may have been deleted. This sometimes happens after a Mac update or if you manually removed it from Keychain. In this case, you will need to reconnect to the network and enter the password again, and your Mac will save it.
Understand Why Your Mac Stores These Passwords
Your Mac stores WiFi passwords in Keychain so that you do not have to type them every time you reconnect to a network. When you join a WiFi network for the first time, your Mac asks you to enter the password. Once you do, it saves that password in an encrypted form in Keychain, and the next time you are in range of that network, your Mac connects automatically without asking.
Keychain is encrypted, which means the passwords are scrambled and unreadable without your user account password. This is why your Mac asks for your account password before showing you a saved WiFi password — it is verifying that you are the person who owns the Mac before revealing sensitive information. If someone else has your Mac, they cannot see your passwords without knowing your account password.
Retrieve a Password from a Network You No Longer Use
If you have moved to a new place or switched networks, you may still have the old network's password saved in Keychain. This is useful if you need to reconnect to that network later, or if you want to share the password with someone else.
The process is the same as viewing any other password: open Keychain Access, search for the network name, double-click it, check "Show password", enter your user account password, and the old password will appear. You can then write it down, share it, or use it to reconnect to that network if you return to that location.
If you want to remove an old network password from your Mac so that it no longer connects automatically, you can delete it from Keychain. Right-click the network name in Keychain Access and select "Delete". Your Mac will no longer have that password saved, and the next time you are in range of that network, it will ask you to enter the password again if you want to connect.
Protect Your Saved Passwords
Because Keychain stores all your passwords in one place, it is important to protect your Mac's user account password. Anyone who knows your account password can view all your saved WiFi passwords, email passwords, and other sensitive information stored in Keychain.
Use a strong, unique account password that you do not share with anyone. If you are concerned that someone may have learned your password, you can change it through System Settings by clicking "General", then "Users & Groups", right-clicking your account, and selecting "Change Password". You can also enable two-factor authentication on your Apple ID to add an extra layer of security to your Mac.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see a WiFi password if I am not the one who set up the network?
Only if the network is saved on your Mac. If you have connected to the network before, your Mac saved the password, and you can view it using the steps above. If you have never connected to that network on your Mac, you cannot retrieve the password from your Mac — you would need to ask the network owner for it.
What is the difference between my Mac password and my WiFi password?
Your Mac password is what you use to log into your computer when you turn it on. Your WiFi password is what you use to connect to a wireless network. They are completely separate. Your Mac asks for your account password before showing you a WiFi password as a security measure.
Will viewing my WiFi password in Keychain affect my internet connection?
No. Viewing a saved password does not change anything about your network or your connection. It only shows you what the password is. Your Mac will continue to use that password to stay connected to the network.
Can I view passwords for networks I am not currently connected to?
Yes. Keychain stores passwords for every network your Mac has ever connected to, whether you are currently in range of that network or not. You can view any of them at any time using the steps above.
What happens if I forget my Mac account password?
If you forget your Mac account password, you cannot view your saved WiFi passwords without resetting your account password first. You can reset it through the login screen by clicking "Forgot password?" or by using your Apple ID if you linked your account to one.