How to Backup and Restore Wireless Network Profiles in Windows 10  

    How to Backup and Restore Wireless Network Profiles in Windows 10

    How to Backup and Restore Wireless Network Profiles in Windows 10

    Published by Category: Network & Sharing
    06 Feb 2022
    Designer Media Ltd

    How to Backup and Restore Wireless Network Profiles in Windows 10


    When you add or connect to a new wireless network, Windows will create a profile for the wireless network. A wireless (Wi-Fi) network profile contains the SSID (network name), password key, and security information to be able to connect to a wireless network.

    Restoring a backed up wireless network profile can be much easier than to manually set up and connect to a wireless network again.

    This tutorial will show you how to backup and restore a specific or all wireless network profiles in Windows 10.


    Contents







    OPTION ONE

    To Back Up Wireless Network Profiles


    1 Open a command prompt.

    2 Copy and paste the netsh wlan show profiles command into the command prompt, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

    This command will give you a list of all wireless network profiles on each interface on your PC.

    How to Backup and Restore Wireless Network Profiles in Windows 10-show_wireless_network_profiles.jpg

    3 Do step 4, step 5, step 6, or step 7 below for what you would like to back up.


     4. To Back Up All Wireless Network Profiles on All Interfaces

    A) Copy and paste the command below you want to use into the command prompt, press Enter, and go to step 8 below.

    (To not include security key (password))
    netsh wlan export profile folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"

    OR

    (To include security key (password))
    netsh wlan export profile key=clear folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"

    How to Backup and Restore Wireless Network Profiles in Windows 10-backup_wireless_network_profile-1.jpg


     5. To Back Up All Wireless Network Profiles on Specific Interface

    A) Type the command below you want to use into the command prompt, press Enter, and go to step 8 below.

    (To not include security key (password))
    netsh wlan export profile interface="interface name" folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"

    OR

    (To include security key (password))
    netsh wlan export profile key=clear interface="interface name" folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"

    Substitute interface name in the command above with the actual name of the interface from step 2 that the wireless network is on that you want to export as a backup.

    For example: netsh wlan export profile key=clear interface="Wi-Fi" folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"

    How to Backup and Restore Wireless Network Profiles in Windows 10-backup_wireless_network_profile-2.jpg


     6. To Back Up Specific Wireless Network Profile on All Interfaces

    A) Type the command below you want to use into the command prompt, press Enter, and go to step 8 below.

    (To not include security key (password))
    netsh wlan export profile "profile name" folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"

    OR

    (To include security key (password))
    netsh wlan export profile "profile name" key=clear folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"

    Substitute profile name (SSID) in the command with the actual SSID network profile name from step 2 that you want to export as a backup.

    For example: netsh wlan export profile "Brink-Router2" key=clear folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"

    How to Backup and Restore Wireless Network Profiles in Windows 10-backup_wireless_network_profile-3.jpg


     7. To Back Up Specific Wireless Network Profile on Specific Interface

    A) Type the command below you want to use into the command prompt, press Enter, and go to step 8 below.

    (To not include security key (password))
    netsh wlan export profile "profile name" interface="interface name" folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"

    OR

    (To include security key (password))
    netsh wlan export profile "profile name" key=clear interface="interface name" folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"

    Substitute profile name (SSID) in the command with the actual SSID network profile name from step 2 that you want to export as a backup.

    Substitute interface name in the command with the actual name of the interface that the wireless network is on from step 2 that you want to export as a backup.

    For example: netsh wlan export profile "Brink-Router2" key=clear interface="Wi-Fi" folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"

    How to Backup and Restore Wireless Network Profiles in Windows 10-backup_wireless_network_profile-4.jpg


    8 Each .xml file exported to your desktop is a backup of a wireless network profile. Keep them saved someplace safe.

    9 When finished, you can close the command prompt if you like.






    OPTION TWO

    To Restore Wireless Network Profile(s)


    1 Open a command prompt, and do step 2 or step 3 below for what command you would like to use.


     2. To Restore Wireless Network Profile(s) for Only Current User

    A) Type the command below you want to use into the command prompt, press Enter, and go to step 4 below.

    netsh wlan add profile filename="full path of .xml file" user=current


     3. To Restore Wireless Network Profile(s) for All Users

    A) Type the command below you want to use into the command prompt, press Enter, and go to step 4 below.

    netsh wlan add profile filename="full path of .xml file" user=all

    Substitute full path of .xml file in the commands above with the actual full path of where you have the .xml file exported from OPTION ONE above saved at.

    For example: netsh wlan add profile filename="C:\Users\Shawn\Desktop\Wi-Fi-Brink-Router2.xml" user=all

    How to Backup and Restore Wireless Network Profiles in Windows 10-import_wireless_network_profile.jpg


    4 Repeat step 2 or step 3 above if you would like to restore any other wireless network profiles.

    5 When finished, you can close the command prompt if you like.


    That's it,
    Shawn Brink






  1. Posts : 6
    Windows 10x64
       #1

    Hi, Shawn,
    Is there any way to backup WLAN profile from offline windows?
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 68,652
    64-bit Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
    Thread Starter
       #2

    Hello ExaFlop, :)

    I'm not sure about backing up WLAN profiles from offline, but you should be able to do so from Safe Mode if that helps.

    Boot into Safe Mode on Windows 10 Windows 10 Performance Maintenance Tutorials
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 6
    Windows 10x64
       #3

    10x, Brink, for quick answer.
    I need to export from within Windows PE or another Windows installation on the machine.
    Regards
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 3
    windows 10
       #4

    New windows versions and wireless connections


    Thanks for this post which has helped shed a light on what is happening on new windows machines where you get disconnected from wifi as you log out. They are not creating all user profiles for wifi networks any more and only creating current user profiles.

    Is there a GPO or something that can force windows to create all user profiles? Exporting and importing 150+ laptops is not easy.

    I need to see if we can automate these commands using some powershell or something so we can put it as a logoff script.

    It would be easier if we don't have to write code.

    - - - Updated - - -

    How to ensure wireless profiles are All user in a domain setup.

    Ok I found an answer to the question I posed and I sincerely hope someone can tell me the downside of this. You can do this in a GPO in Computer Configuration --> Policies --> windows settings --> security settings --> wireless network (IEEE 802.11) policies.

    If you already have a policy, right click and edit it and go to network permissions tab.

    How to Backup and Restore Wireless Network Profiles in Windows 10-mmc_vlg130oqmi.png
    On that tab, Please see below. You have the option to create all user profiles.
    How to Backup and Restore Wireless Network Profiles in Windows 10-mmc_mkvofvzxvy.png


    Once you have done this apply to a test machine and see if it works.

    It has worked for me but as there are multiple different organisational wireless set ups out there, it may not be the secret sauce for everyone. Your comments and responses are welcome.
      My Computer


 

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