This guide is designed to show you how to find your WiFi password on your Mac. If you’ve ever needed to share your WiFi password with a friend or connect a new device to your network, you know how easy it can be to forget that complex string of characters. Luckily, if you’re using a Mac that’s already connected to the network, you can easily retrieve this password directly from the operating system itself. This article will guide you through the process of finding your WiFi password on a Mac.
Note: This guide assumes that you’re using macOS High Sierra or later and that you have the admin rights to your Mac. Without administrative rights, you will not be able to view saved WiFi passwords.
Keychain Access is a utility that stores all your passwords for applications, servers, and websites, as well as your WiFi passwords. You can find Keychain Access in the Utilities folder, which is inside the Applications folder.
- Click on Finder (the icon looks like a blue and white face, typically located on your dock).
- Go to the Applications folder.
- Open the Utilities folder.
- Double-click on Keychain Access to open it.
Alternatively, you can use the Spotlight Search to find Keychain Access. Just press Command + Spacebar, type “Keychain Access” into the search box, and press Enter.
Step 2: Find Your Network
Now that you have Keychain Access open, you’ll see a long list of entries. These are all the passwords and certificates your Mac has stored.
- On the left-hand side of the Keychain Access window, you’ll see several categories. Click on “Passwords” to narrow down the list.
- In the search bar in the top-right corner, type the name of your WiFi network.
You should see an entry with the name of your network, listed under the “Name” column and with a kind listed as “AirPort network password” or “AirPort base station password”.
Step 3: Retrieve Your Password
Once you’ve found your network:
- Double-click on the network name. This will open a new window.
- In this new window, there is a checkbox labeled “Show password”. Click it.
- You’ll be prompted to enter your Mac’s admin username and password. This is the username and password you use when logging into your Mac, installing new software, or changing settings.
Once you’ve entered your admin username and password, your WiFi password will be displayed in the text box next to the “Show password” checkbox.
Conclusion:
Finding your WiFi password on a Mac might seem intimidating at first, especially if you’re not accustomed to digging through system utilities. However, the process is actually quite straightforward once you know where to look. Just remember to keep your WiFi password secure and consider changing it regularly to maintain a secure network.
Remember that you should only access passwords on a Mac that you own and have administrative rights to. It is illegal and unethical to attempt to retrieve passwords from a device that doesn’t belong to you without the owner’s explicit permission. We hope that you find this guide on how to find your WiFi password on a Mac helpful. If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, please let us know in the comments section below. You can find out more details about managing your WiFi password on your Mac over at Apple’s website.
Image Credit: Jaime Marrero
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