How to Change Your Wi-Fi Password from a Laptop

To change a Wi-Fi password from a laptop, connect to your home router, open its actual administration address, sign in with the router administrator account, and edit the password for the correct wireless network. Save the setting, then reconnect every wireless device with the new password. Menu names differ among routers, so use the labels below as guides rather than exact instructions for every model.

If possible, connect the laptop to the router with an Ethernet cable before making changes. A wired connection can keep the administration session open when the Wi-Fi network restarts.

Laptop connected to a home Wi-Fi router — Change the password from a device connected to the router you control.

Before changing the password

Make sure you are connected to your own router, not a nearby access point or mobile hotspot.
Have the router administrator username and password available. These are not necessarily the same as the Wi-Fi name and password.
Check the router label, setup card, manufacturer's documentation, or your internet provider's app for the management address.
List important devices that will need reconnecting: phones, computers, TVs, printers, cameras, smart speakers, and other smart-home equipment.
If the router has separate main, guest, 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, or 6 GHz networks, identify which SSID you intend to change.

Router label with setup information — The router label may show the management address and factory credentials, unless they were changed during setup.

1. Find the router's correct administration address

Do not assume that every router uses 192.168.1.1. Common private addresses include 192.168.0.1 and 192.168.1.1, but the reliable choice is the default gateway reported by the connected laptop or the address documented for the router.

Find the default gateway in Windows

Open Command Prompt or Windows Terminal.
Run ipconfig.
Find the active Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter.
Copy the address beside Default Gateway. It will usually be a private IPv4 address.

TipsMake's guide to finding the default gateway IP address also covers a graphical Windows method.

Router address entered in a web browser — Enter the gateway address in the browser's address bar, not in a search box.

Default Gateway shown by the ipconfig command — The Default Gateway for the active network adapter is normally the router's local address.

Enter the gateway address in a browser. Some routers instead use a manufacturer-supplied local hostname or a mobile app. Sign in with the router's administrator credentials. The admin password controls router settings; the Wi-Fi password is what phones and other devices use to join the wireless network.

Use the credentials you created during setup. If they have never been changed, check the router label or documentation. Do not repeatedly guess and do not copy a generic username and password from an unrelated router model. If the login page is unexpected, confirm the address and network before entering credentials.

Router administrator login screen — Use the router administrator account, which is separate from the Wi-Fi password on many devices.

3. Open the settings for the correct Wi-Fi network

Look for a section named Wi-Fi, Wireless, WLAN, or Network. Select the intended SSID. A router may use one combined network name for several frequency bands, separate names for each band, or a separate guest network.

Setting	Labels you may see	Meaning
Network name	SSID, Wi-Fi Name, Wireless Name	The name shown when devices scan for Wi-Fi
Security section	Security, Wireless Security, Authentication	Controls encryption and access
Password	Password, Passphrase, Pre-Shared Key, WPA Key	The credential devices enter to join
Security mode	WPA3-Personal, WPA2-Personal, WPA2/WPA3	The protection used by compatible clients

4. Set the new password and security mode

Enter a long, unique passphrase that is not based on a name, address, phone number, or another easily guessed detail. A memorable multi-word phrase is usually easier to type correctly on TVs and smart devices than a short string of substitutions. Store the new password in a trusted password manager or another secure place.

Choose WPA3-Personal when the router and all essential devices support it. A WPA2/WPA3 transition mode can help with mixed devices. Otherwise, use WPA2-Personal with AES. Do not choose WEP, original WPA, or TKIP simply to keep very old hardware connected; those modes provide weaker protection. TipsMake's comparison of WEP, WPA, WPA2, and WPA3 explains the differences.

Wi-Fi password and security settings in a router — The password field may be labeled Passphrase, Pre-Shared Key, or WPA Key.

WPA2 and WPA3 security choices — Use WPA3 when supported, or an appropriate WPA2/WPA3 or WPA2-AES configuration for compatibility.

5. Save the setting and reconnect devices

Select Save or Apply. The wireless network may disappear briefly while the router applies the change. On each device, select the same SSID and enter the new password. If a device keeps submitting the old credential, forget or remove the saved network and join it again.

Saving a new Wi-Fi password — Expect wireless devices to disconnect as soon as the new password is applied.

Reconnect and test a laptop or phone first. Then update devices that are easy to overlook, including printers, security cameras, streaming boxes, smart plugs, and mesh nodes. If the guest network uses a different password, changing the main network does not necessarily change the guest network.

Laptop reconnecting with a new Wi-Fi password — Test the new password on one device before reconnecting the rest of the household.

If the router page will not open

Problem	What to check
The gateway page does not load	Confirm the laptop is connected to the correct router, rerun `ipconfig`, and use the Default Gateway for the active adapter.
A search-results page opens	Type the address directly into the browser address bar, including `http://` or `https://` if needed.
The login is rejected	Use the router admin credential, not the Wi-Fi password. Check the label, setup record, provider app, or model-specific documentation.
The interface loads incorrectly	Try a current browser, disable an interfering browser extension for the local page, or restart the router normally.
The router is managed by an app	Use the official router or internet-provider app and select its Wi-Fi settings.

Restarting a router during troubleshooting — A normal restart can clear a stalled interface without erasing the configuration.

If devices cannot reconnect

Check uppercase and lowercase letters and make sure no unwanted spaces were added.
Forget the saved network on the affected device, then join it again.
Confirm that you changed the password for the correct SSID and frequency band.
If an older device cannot use WPA3, try a supported WPA2/WPA3 compatibility mode or a separate appropriately secured IoT network rather than weakening the main network for every device.
Restart the affected device and router if the new settings have not propagated cleanly.

Troubleshooting a rejected Wi-Fi password — An old saved credential is a common reason a device fails to reconnect.

Avoid a factory reset unless it is truly necessary

A normal restart turns the router off and back on without intentionally erasing settings. A factory reset is different: it can remove the Wi-Fi name, admin password, internet-provider configuration, port forwarding, parental controls, and other custom settings. Use a factory reset only after model-specific instructions or support guidance confirm that it is appropriate and you are prepared to configure the router again.

After the password change, verify internet access, confirm important devices are online, and save the new credential securely. If you changed the password because of suspected unauthorized access, also change the router administrator password and review the connected-device list and remote-management setting.