Back up saved Wi-Fi networks (and see their passwords) — via Microsoft Learn

Commandmedium riskNeeds adminWindows 11Windows 10

Export every saved Wi-Fi network to XML files you can import on a new PC. Adding key=clear, run as administrator, includes the password in plain text — also the quickest way to recover a forgotten Wi-Fi password.

Takes effect right away

Command

Run in an administrator Command Prompt / Terminal window.

mkdir C:\WiFiBackup
netsh wlan show profiles
netsh wlan export profile folder=C:\WiFiBackup key=clear

Undo

rmdir /s /q C:\WiFiBackup
To restore on another PC: netsh wlan add profile filename="C:\WiFiBackup\Wi-Fi-NAME.xml". Add name="NAME" to export just one network. The files contain passwords in plain text — keep them somewhere private and delete them when finished. Without admin rights or key=clear the key is encrypted in the file.

Sources

Source reviewed
2026-11-02
Link checked
2026-11-02
Tested hands-on
Not by Oddbyte.Me

Oddbyte.Me hasn't tried this on every Windows build, so keep the undo handy.

wi-fi passwordbackupnetsh wlan exportnew pckey=clear

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