Windows 10: 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


When you add or 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

OPTION ONE [/i] To Back Up Wireless Network Profiles
1. Open a command prompt, copy and paste the command below, and press Enter. (see screenshot below)

*note This command will give you a list of all wireless network profiles on each interface on your PC.
netsh wlan show profiles




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


3. To Back Up All Wireless Network Profiles on All Interfaces
A) In the command prompt, copy and paste the command below you want to use, press Enter, and go to step 7 below.

*Arrow (To not include security key (password))

netsh wlan export profile folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"

*Arrow (To include security key (password))

netsh wlan export profile key=clear folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"





4. To Back Up All Wireless Network Profiles on Specific Interface
A) In the command prompt, type the command below you want to use, press Enter, and go to step 7 below.

*Arrow (To not include security key (password))

netsh wlan export profile interface="interface name" folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"

*Arrow (To include security key (password))

netsh wlan export profile key=clear interface="interface name" folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"

*note Substitute interface name in the command above with the actual name of the interface from step 1 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"





5. To Back Up Specific Wireless Network Profile on All Interfaces
A) In the command prompt, type the command below you want to use, press Enter, and go to step 7 below.

*Arrow (To not include security key (password))

netsh wlan export profile "profile name" folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"

*Arrow (To include security key (password))

netsh wlan export profile "profile name" key=clear folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"

*note Substitute profile name (SSID) in the command with the actual SSID network profile name from step 1 that you want to export as a backup.

For example:

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





6. To Back Up Specific Wireless Network Profile on Specific Interface
A) In the command prompt, type the command below you want to use, press Enter, and go to step 7 below.

*Arrow (To not include security key (password))

netsh wlan export profile "profile name" interface="interface name" folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"

*Arrow (To include security key (password))

netsh wlan export profile "profile name" key=clear interface="interface name" folder="%UserProfile%\Desktop"

*note Substitute profile name (SSID) in the command with the actual SSID network profile name from step 1 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 1 that you want to export as a backup.

For example:

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




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

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






OPTION TWO [/i] To Restore Wireless Network Profile(s)
1. Open a 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) In the command prompt, type the command below, 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) In the command prompt, type the command below, press Enter, and go to step 4 below.

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

*note 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


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

:)

 

How to export a wireless profile in Windows

That's an interesting question....

I can't say that this will work in WinXP, but (why not?) give it a try....

Backup and restore Wireless network profiles in Windows 10

 

how to copy wireless networks to flash drive

This may help

Altho it'll be faster if you do it yourself / manually

 

Hello ExaFlop, *Smile

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

 

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