screenrant.com How To View Your Saved Wi-Fi Passwords On A Mac (The Easy Way)

Once a Mac computer has been connected to a Wi-Fi network, there's an easy way to view the Wi-Fi password if needed later on. An average Mac user will connect to multiple Wi-Fi networks, including networks at home, at work, or at a friend or family member's home. There may be instances where the password is needed, either to connect to the Wi-Fi on the user's other devices or share with another person. Most people tend to remember their home Wi-Fi password, but remembering the password for other locations can be tricky.

On macOS, all saved passwords are stored in a handy application called Keychain Access. The app stores all usernames and passwords entered on a Mac so that users don't have to remember the login details. When entering a password for a network, website, or email account, a Mac may prompt users to save the details in Keychain. Since Keychain acts as a password manager, users can set up complicated passwords which are difficult for hackers to crack. Keychain Access is linked with iCloud Keychain. Once a Mac user has signed in to iCloud on their computer, they can access their Keychain passwords on other Apple devices as well.

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If a Mac user wants to view a saved Wi-Fi password, they can do this quite easily via the Keychain app. To begin, open Spotlight by clicking on the search icon in the menu bar or by pressing the Command + Spacebar at the same time. In the search bar, type Keychain Access to open the app. Once the app is open, make sure Login is selected in the menu bar on the left, and Passwords is selected from the tabs on top. In the search bar on the top right corner, type the Wi-Fi network name. The Wi-Fi network will show up in a list. Double click on the network name to view details. Click on the small checkbox labeled Show Password. Enter the administrator password for the Mac. A second prompt might appear asking for the administrator username and password. Enter the details again and the password should now be displayed next to the Show Password checkbox.

Sharing Wi-Fi Passwords From A Mac

While the method described above displays the network password on a Mac, there is another way for Mac users to share a Wi-Fi password with another person's Apple device (iPhone, iPad, or Mac), provided it is nearby. To do this, users will first need to ensure that the other person's Apple ID is saved in their Contacts app. The user's Mac will also need to be signed in to iCloud, connected to the Wi-Fi network, and be unlocked. After this, move the other person's Apple device close to the Mac. Open the Settings app on the other Apple device and choose the Wi-Fi network. A notification will appear on the Mac with an option to share the Wi-Fi password. Click on Share and the other device can now connect to the same Wi-Fi network.

The same Wi-Fi password sharing feature is also available on iPhones, but as expected, it only works with Apple devices. Unfortunately, Apple doesn't allow Wi-Fi network passwords to be displayed in Keychain on an iPhone as it does for Mac devices. This is where password managers like LastPass or 1Password come in handy since they let users access their passwords from any device.

Next: How To Share Wi-Fi Passwords On An iPhone (The Easy Way)

Source: Apple 1, 2

Ketaki is a Tech Editor for Screen Rant based in Bangalore, India. She's been writing on tech since 2009, and has worked for major print and digital media publications over the years. She loves smartphones, smart home devices and wearables, and is always up for testing the latest gadget or app. When she isn't working, you'll probably find her reading fantasy fiction on her Kindle.