Most public wi-fi connections are guarded by a password, normally you have to ask someone or buy something to get access to the password, which you then enter on your Mac and promptly forget able. But what if you need to find this password again but for some reason arenβt able to ask for it? If you look in your network connections the password you previously entered wonβt be legible, it will just be represented by a series of circles or stars. This guide will show you how to read all the wifi passwords that youβve currently got stored on your Mac using the Keychain app.
The first thing youβll need to do is get keychain opened, you can do this via the Apps and Utilities folder, or just search for the app using Spotlight. Once youβve got Keychain open it will look like this.
Youβll need to select βpasswordsβ from theΒ categoryΒ windows and youβll also need to know at least part of the name of the wi-fi network that you want to recover the password for.
Using the searchΒ windowΒ in the top-right corner of the Keychain app youβll then need to search for and find the details for the network youβve previously accessed Click it and a small pop-up window will appear. This is where youβll find the specific password for this network. By default (and doubtless for security reasons) you wonβt be shown the password until you click the check box next to βShow Passwordβ.
There will then be a security check where youβll be asked for a password. This isnβt a password to do with the Wi-Fi network, but is in fact your admin/login password. Once youβve verified with keychain that you really do have access to its data youβll be returned to the same window.
This time however the password for the network youβve been access will be displayed fully and youβll now be able to make a paper note of it, or pass it on to your friend whoβs also trying to access the same network.
This handy hint works with any network youβve already accessed with the correct password, it wonβt help you if youβve never known or never inputted the password, so make sure youβve actually been on the network at least once before you try to follow this guide.
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