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
- Option Two: To Restore a Wireless Network Profile
1 Open a command prompt.
2 Copy and paste thenetsh 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.
3 Do step 4, step 5, step 6, or step 7 below for what you would like to back up.
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"
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"
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"
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"
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.
1 Open a command prompt, and do step 2 or step 3 below for what command you would like to use.
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
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
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
Related Tutorials
- How to Add a Wireless Network Profile in Windows 10
- How to Connect To a Wireless Network in Windows 10
- How to See List of Wireless Network Profiles in Windows 10
- How to Delete a Wireless Network Profile in Windows 10
- How to Change a Network Profile Name in Windows 10
- How to See Your Wireless Network Security Key Password in Windows 10