Are you connected to Wi-Fi on one device, but need the password to log in on another device?
Struggling to connect to Wi-Fi? Maybe your laptop is connected but your phone isn’t, or you need to share a network with guests but can’t remember the password. There are ways to share passwords wirelessly between devices, but it’s not always an option.
Below, we will outline how to retrieve the Wi-Fi password from a device that is already connected by viewing it as plain text. This way you don't have to reset the network security, or hack the Wi-Fi network, and everyone can get online.
How to View Wi-Fi Password on macOS
Apple's macOS stores Wi-Fi passwords in its Keychain, which you can view by going to:
Launchpad > Other > Keychain Access
More directly, you can tap Command + Space to open Spotlight, then search for "keychain access", and open the app.
Use the search bar in the Keychain Access app to search for the name of any Wi-Fi network you’ve connected to in the past. When you see the network in the list, double-click it to see its password entry. You’ll need to check the Show Password box at the bottom, then enter your Mac’s password, before you can see the password in plain text.