How to view saved Wifi passwords in OSX Snow Leopard

November 16, 2009 in Technology with 10 Comments

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Sometimes, you will have several Wifi networks set up on your Mac, and in some cases, you might need to see what the password is for a particular network saved on it. In previous versions of OSX, it was as simple as looking at your networks in “Network Preferences” and clicking on “Show Password”. It seems that Apple has changed that in its most recent version of OSX. Now, if you click on “show password”, it makes the entered password disappear.

I have found another way of getting that password in the event you ever need to. Here’s how:

1. Go to Username –> Applications –> Utilities, and click on “Keychain Access”

2. In the window that opens up, first click on “System” in the top-left box, then click on “Passwords” in the lower-left box. It will show you all of the saved Wifi networks on your Mac. Double-click on the one for which you are trying to get the saved password.

3. In the next window that opens, you will need to check the box in the lower-left corner that says “show password”. When you do that, you will be prompted for your password. Enter it.

4. Voila! Now you can see the password for the Wifi network you selected.

This is really helpful if you have a Wifi password stored on your computer from a network that you didn’t set up on your computer.

For you Widows folks out there, you will need to download a free little app called WirelessKeyView. Google it, you’ll find it.

10 Responses to “How to view saved Wifi passwords in OSX Snow Leopard”

zputnik November 26, 2009 at 7:12 am #

Thank you very much. It is very useful article. I did not know that it is so easy to get the password, which I dialed to my mac. Thanks again.

Reply
zputnik November 26, 2009 at 12:12 pm #

Thank you very much. It is very useful article. I did not know that it is so easy to get the password, which I dialed to my mac. Thanks again.

Reply
Jason Sanders February 15, 2010 at 1:31 pm #

Wonderful. Thanks for posting this; I was going crazy!

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Adam February 15, 2010 at 1:52 pm #

I'm glad you could use the info!

Reply
Jason Sanders February 15, 2010 at 6:31 pm #

Wonderful. Thanks for posting this; I was going crazy!

Reply
Adam February 15, 2010 at 6:52 pm #

I'm glad you could use the info!

Reply
Geoffrey Keezer May 23, 2010 at 12:31 pm #

THANK YOU Adam! You help make the world a better place by relieving Mac frustration.

Reply
- adamriggins May 23, 2010 at 4:02 pm #
  
  haha, glad I could help!
  
  Reply
MJSA July 4, 2010 at 7:12 pm #

Thanks sooooo much dude, keep your blog going!

Reply
- adamriggins July 4, 2010 at 11:33 pm #
  
  you’re welcome!
  
  Reply