How to Get WiFi Password in MacOS GUI and Mac Terminal

Summary of the video (tech concepts / how-to)

This tutorial shows how to retrieve Wi‑Fi details on macOS in two ways: via the GUI (menu bar + Keychain Access) and via the Terminal (command-line tools). It covers getting the Wi‑Fi network name (SSID), IP address, router info, security type, and specifically the Wi‑Fi password.

---

Method 1: macOS GUI (Menu bar + Keychain Access)

1) View Wi‑Fi network information from the menu bar

1. Click the Wi‑Fi icon in the top menu bar.
2. Hold the Option (⌥) key while clicking the Wi‑Fi icon to reveal extra details, including:
   • Interface name
   • IP address
   • Router name
   • Security type (encryption)

This expanded menu shows more connectivity information than the normal Wi‑Fi menu.

2) Get the Wi‑Fi password using Keychain Access

1. Open Keychain Access (via Command + Space search).
2. Look in System keychain (or login keychain if needed).
3. Find the Wi‑Fi entry, then:
   • Open the entry
   • Click “Show password”
   • Authenticate (enter the Mac password)

The Wi‑Fi password is displayed.

---

Method 2: macOS Terminal (command-line retrieval)

The video demonstrates collecting Wi‑Fi details using Terminal commands:

1) List network services and interface device

Run:

• networksetup -listnetworkserviceorder

Identify/capture the Wi‑Fi device name (shown as en0 in the example).

2) Get Wi‑Fi SSID (network name)

Use:

• networksetup -getairportnetwork en0

The output includes the Wi‑Fi network name.

3) Get IP and network configuration

1. Run:
   • networksetup -listallnetworkservices
2. Then run:
   • networksetup -getinfo <WiFi service/device>

The output includes:

• IP address
• Subnet mask
• Router (gateway)

4) Get the Wi‑Fi password

Use the macOS security tool:

• security find-generic-password -ga "<WiFi network name>"

After the required authentication/output, it prints the Wi‑Fi password.

---

Main speakers / sources

• Primary source/speaker: “buddy” (host) and referenced as “Apple ninja” during the tutorial.
• Official source/tools used: macOS GUI components (Wi‑Fi menu, Keychain Access) and Terminal commands: networksetup and security.