Need to change your Wi-Fi password? Maybe you didn’t change the default password when you set up your router and want to set it to something more secure. Or perhaps you entered the incorrect Wi-Fi password on your computer when you tried to connect to your network earlier.

Whatever your scenario, we’ll show you how to change your Wi-Fi password in Windows 10.

How to Change Your Wi-Fi Password Using Windows 10

If you’re looking to change your Wi-Fi password in Windows, you probably want to accomplish one of two tasks. One is actually changing your router’s Wi-Fi network password that all devices use to connect. The other is changing the Wi-Fi password that Windows has saved for your network.

We’ll cover these in turn, looking at the former scenario first.

There are several good reasons for changing your Wi-Fi password. Perhaps you’ve used a weak password in the past and want to make it something stronger. Maybe someone you no longer trust has the password and you don’t want them to access your network. Whatever the case, it only takes a few moments to change your Wi-Fi network password.

How to Find Your Router’s IP Address

When you want to change your Wi-Fi password, you’ll need to log into your router and make the adjustment there. To do so, you’ll need to know its IP address.

The easiest way to find this is by right-clicking the Start button and choosing Command Prompt or Windows PowerShell. There, type the ipconfig command, and you’ll see a list of information.

Your router’s IP address is listed next to Default Gateway. It’s usually something like 192.168.100.1 or similar.

How to Change the Wi-Fi Password on Your Router

Now, enter this IP address into the address bar in your browser, then you’ll need to log into your router. This router administrator password is different than what you use to connect devices to your network. If you haven’t changed it, it’s probably something generic like password or admin.

A quick Google search for your router’s model number will help you figure out the default password. Because of this, you should change the router password immediately in order to make your wireless network more secure.

Once you’ve logged in, the exact instructions for changing your Wi-Fi password will depend on your router model. Generally, you can look for a section like Wireless or WLAN. This should have the option to change your network password, among other features.

Note that once you change your Wi-Fi password, you’ll need to enter the new password again on all your devices to reconnect them. Nothing will connect properly until you enter the updated password.

While you’re here, why not choose a new funny Wi-Fi name (called its SSID) to give your neighbors a laugh? You’ll have to reconnect all your devices using the new network name, but it can be fun if you’ve used the generic default name until now.

How to Change the Saved Wi-Fi Password in Windows 10

Now we move to the second scenario: changing the Wi-Fi password that Windows 10 has saved for your device. This lets you fix your Wi-Fi password if you mistyped it earlier. Or if you’ve just changed your Wi-Fi password and need to enter the new one, you can do so by following this method.

One easy way to change your Wi-Fi password for Windows in this way is through the same menu that you use to view your Wi-Fi password. By heading to the Network and Sharing Center and viewing your password, you can change what’s saved as long as you have admin rights on your computer.

As stated in that guide, changing this field updates the password that Windows uses to connect to your Wi-Fi network. After entering your new password here, you should be able to connect properly.

If you don’t want to use this method, you can also change the saved password by removing the network from your computer and reconnecting with the new password. To do this, head to Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi. Click on Manage known networks to show all the Wi-Fi networks that your computer has connected to.

Now, select the network you want to change the password for and click Forget to erase it from your machine. After this, click the network icon in your System Tray, choose your network name again, and reconnect by entering the new password.

If everything works out right, your computer will reconnect to your network with the new password.

Don’t Sweat a Windows Wi-Fi Password Change

Now you know how to change the Wi-Fi password for your entire network, as well as updating the password that your Windows computer uses to connect to your network. It’s not difficult—just make sure that you record your password in a secure location so you don’t lose it.

For more, why not check out some lesser-known Wi-Fi tips for Windows 10?

Image Credit: Ultraskrip/Shutterstock