How to Find Your WiFi Password on a Mac

How to Find Your WiFi Password on a Mac

You’re connected to WiFi but have no idea what the password actually is — maybe someone needs to join a new device, or the router is out of reach. This guide shows you two ways to find your Wi-Fi password on a Mac without touching the router.

Before you start

• You must already be connected to the Wi-Fi network you want the password for.
• You will need your Mac’s admin username and password — the one you use to install software or make system changes. If you do not have admin rights, you will not be able to complete either method below.

Method 1: Find your WiFi password using Keychain Access

Keychain Access is a built-in Mac app that stores saved passwords, including Wi-Fi ones. This is the easiest route for most people.

1. Click the Go menu in the menu bar at the top of your screen.
2. Select Utilities from the dropdown.
3. Open the Keychain Access app.
4. In the left-hand panel, click System under the Keychains section.
5. Click the Passwords tab at the top of the main window.
6. Find your Wi-Fi network name in the list and double-click it.
7. A new window opens showing details about that network. Tick the Show Password box.
8. A prompt will appear asking for your Mac admin username and password. Enter them and click Allow.
9. The Wi-Fi password will appear in the Show Password field.

Write it down somewhere safe before you close the window.

Method 2: Find your WiFi password using Terminal

Terminal is a command-line tool — it lets you type instructions directly to your Mac. It sounds more technical than it is. This method is useful if Keychain Access is not showing your network.

1. Click the magnifying glass icon (Spotlight) in the top-right corner of your screen, or press Command + Space.
2. Type Terminal and press Return to open it.
3. In the Terminal window, type the following command — replacing wifiname with the exact name of your Wi-Fi network (it is case-sensitive):

   security find-generic-password -wa "wifiname"
   

4. Press Return.
5. A prompt will appear asking for your Mac admin credentials. Enter them.
6. Your Wi-Fi password will be displayed on the next line in the Terminal window.

If the network name contains spaces, keep the speech marks exactly as shown.

If that didn’t work

• Wrong admin password: If the credential prompt keeps failing, your account may not have admin rights. Ask whoever manages your IT setup to check.
• Network not listed in Keychain: Your Mac may not have saved the password if someone connected using a different method. Try Method 2 instead, or check the router directly.
• Terminal returns a blank line or an error: Double-check the network name — it must match exactly, including any capital letters or spaces.

When to ask us

If you are seeing repeated authentication failures, if the same issue is affecting several people on your network, or if you suspect a network security problem, that is worth a proper look rather than a quick fix. Computer Care customers can raise a support ticket and we will pick it up from there.

Screenshots