Recover Forgotten Wifi Password

Recovering a forgotten Wi-Fi network password may seem complicated, but it's actually a manageable process if you follow a few key steps. There are several ways to recover a Wi-Fi password, depending on the device and operating system being used. Below are various methods to achieve this on Windows, macOS, mobile devices and through the router.

### Recover password in Windows

1. **Using the Control Panel**:

- Open the "Control Panel".

- Go to "Network and Sharing Center".

- Select the Wi-Fi network you want to recover the password for.

- Click "Wireless Properties" and then the "Security" tab.

- Check the "Show characters" box to see the password.

2. **Using the Command Prompt**:

- Open the "Command Prompt" as administrator.

- Type `netsh wlan show profiles` and press Enter to see a list of all the Wi-Fi networks your computer has connected to.

- Type `netsh wlan show profile name="NETWORK NAME" key=clear`, replacing "NETWORK NAME" with the name of your Wi-Fi network.

- Look for the "Key Contents" section in the output to see the password.

### Recover password on macOS

1. **Using Keychain Access**:

- Open the "Keychain Access" application from "Applications" > "Utilities".

- In the "System" section, find the name of your Wi-Fi network.

- Double-click the network, then check the "Show password" box.

- Enter your macOS username and password when prompted.

- The password will appear in the corresponding field.

### Recover password on mobile devices

1. **On Android (root requirements or Android 10 onwards)**:

- If you have Android 10 or higher, go to "Settings" > "Network and Internet" > "Wi-Fi".

- Select the network and tap "Share". You will be asked to authenticate your identity.

- A QR code will appear on the screen. The password will be below the QR code.

- If you have a rooted device, you can use an app like "WiFi Password Viewer".

2. **On iOS**:

- It is not possible to directly view the password on iOS without jailbreak, but you can use another Apple device that is synced with the same Apple ID.

- On a Mac, follow the macOS steps above as passwords are synced via iCloud Keychain.

### Recover password through router

1. **Accessing the router**:

- Connect your computer to the router with an Ethernet cable (if possible).

- Open a web browser and type the router's IP address in the address bar (commonly it is 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1).

- Enter the router username and password (by default they are usually "admin" and "admin", but it may vary).

- Navigate to the “Wireless network” or “Wi-Fi” settings.

- Look for the "Password" or "Security Key" field to see the current password.

2. **Resetting the router**:

- If you cannot access the router because you do not know the administrator password, you can reset the router to its factory settings.

- Look for the reset button on the router (usually a small button that requires a pointed object to press).

- Press and hold the button for about 10-30 seconds until the router lights flash.

- After the reset, use the default credentials to access the router settings and set a new Wi-Fi password.

### Conclusion

Recovering a forgotten Wi-Fi password can be easy if you have access to the right devices and a little patience. Methods vary depending on the operating system and access to the router, but generally involve checking network configurations, using built-in operating system tools, or, in extreme cases, resetting the router. It is advisable to save passwords in a safe place, such as a password manager, to avoid future inconveniences.