Network and Internet Backup and Restore Wi-Fi Network Profiles in Windows 11


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Wi-Fi_banner.png

This tutorial will show you how to backup and restore a specific or all Wi-Fi network profiles on any Windows 10 and Windows 11 PC.

Wi-Fi is a wireless local area network (WLAN) technology and standard that uses high-frequency radio waves to provide wireless Internet and network connections to your Windows device.

When you connect to a Wi-Fi network for the first time, Windows will automatically add a profile for the Wi-Fi network. The saved profile contains the SSID (network name), security key (password), and connection and security properties used to connect to this specific Wi-Fi network.

Restoring a backed up Wi-Fi network profiles can be much easier than having to manually add and connect to a Wi-Fi network again.


Contents





Option One

Backup Wi-Fi Network Profiles


1 Open Windows Terminal, and select Command Prompt.

2 Copy and paste the command below into Windows Terminal, and press Enter to see a list of all Wi-Fi network profiles on each interface on your PC. (see screenshot below step 3)

netsh wlan show profiles

3 Make note of any Wi-Fi network profile names (ex: "Brink-Router2") you want to backup, and which interface (ex: "Wi-Fi") these profiles are on if you have multiple interfaces.

Backup_Wi-Fi_network_profiles.png

4 Type the command below you want to use into Windows Terminal, and press Enter. (see screenshots below)


 Back Up All Wi-Fi Network Profiles on All Interfaces

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

Backup_all_Wi-Fi_profiles_on_all_interfaces.png


 Back Up All Wi-Fi Network Profiles on Specific Interface

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 (ex: "Wi-Fi") from step 3 the Wi-Fi network profiles are on.

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


Backup_all_Wi-Fi_profiles_on_specific_interface.png


 Back Up Specific Wi-Fi Network Profile on All Interfaces

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

Substitute profile name (SSID) in the command above with the actual Wi-Fi network profile name (ex: "Brink-Router2") from step 3 you want to export as a backup.

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


Backup_specific_Wi-Fi_profile_on_all_interfaces.png


 Back Up Specific W-Fi Network Profile on Specific Interface

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

Substitute profile name (SSID) in the command above with the actual Wi-Fi network profile name (ex: "Brink-Router2") from step 3 you want to export as a backup.

Substitute interface name in the command above with the actual name of the interface (ex: "Wi-Fi") the Wi-Fi network profile is on from step 3 you want to export as a backup.

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


Backup_specific_Wi-Fi_profile_on_specific_interface.png

5 Each .xml file exported to your desktop is a backup of a Wi-Fi network profile. Keep them saved in location you want.

6 When finished, you can close Windows Terminal if you like.




Option Two

Restore Wi-Fi Network Profiles


This option requires the backed up .xml file for a Wi-Fi network profile from Option One.


1 Open Windows Terminal, and select Command Prompt.

2 Copy and paste the command below into Windows Terminal, and press Enter to see a list of all Wi-Fi network profiles on each interface on your PC. (see screenshot below step 3)

netsh wlan show profiles

3 Make note of which interface (ex: "Wi-Fi") you want to restore profiles on if you have multiple interfaces.

Restore_Wi-Fi_profile.png

4 Type the command below you want to use, and press Enter. (see screenshots below)


 Restore Wi-Fi Network Profile on All Interfaces for Only Current User

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

Substitute full path of .xml file in the command above with the actual full path of the .xml file for the Wi-Fi network profile you want to restore.

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



 Restore Wi-Fi Network Profile on All Interfaces for All Users

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

Substitute full path of .xml file in the command above with the actual full path of the .xml file for the Wi-Fi network profile you want to restore.

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



Restore_Wi-Fi_profile_on_all_interfaces.png


 Restore Wi-Fi Network Profile on Specific Interface for Only Current User

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

Substitute full path of .xml file in the command above with the actual full path of the .xml file for the Wi-Fi network profile you want to restore.

Substitute interface name in the command above with the actual name of the interface (ex: "Wi-Fi") you want to restore the Wi-Fi network profile on.

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



 Restore Wi-Fi Network Profile on Specific Interface for All Users

netsh wlan add profile filename="full path of .xml file" interface="interface name"

Substitute full path of .xml file in the command above with the actual full path of the .xml file for the Wi-Fi network profile you want to restore.

Substitute interface name in the command above with the actual name of the interface (ex: "Wi-Fi") you want to restore the Wi-Fi network profile on.

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


Restore_Wi-Fi_profile_on_specific_interface.png

5 When finished, you can close Windows Terminal if you like.


That's it,
Shawn Brink


 

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Last edited:
I have 306 WiFi profiles I would like to move over from my old laptop with Windows 10 to my new laptop with windows 11. Ive exported the profiles to a folder on the old laptop but if Im reading this post correctly, I can only import them one at a time in to the new laptop? Any solution that imports them all together in one step?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 7706 2n1
    CPU
    11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165g7
    Memory
    16.0GB
@TJ Barrans

This approach should do the trick. You will have to sort out exact syntax

1) redirect output of show profile command to a text file.


Code:
netsh wlan show profiles > profiles.txt

2) edit text file so each line contains name of profile only. Add a line at end called FINISH

3) create a command batch file that simply has a loop and reads line from text file into a command line variable (many web guides how to do this)

key line to read line is below.

Code:
set /p Build=<profiles.txt

Within loop, use wifi export command (substituting the variable).

Also check variable each time for text FINISH and jump put of loop to end of batch file.
 
Last edited:

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro + others in VHDs
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS Vivobook 14
    CPU
    I7
    Motherboard
    Yep, Laptop has one.
    Memory
    16 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Integrated Intel Iris XE
    Sound Card
    Realtek built in
    Monitor(s) Displays
    N/A
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    1 TB Optane NVME SSD, 1 TB NVME SSD
    PSU
    Yep, got one
    Case
    Yep, got one
    Cooling
    Stella Artois
    Keyboard
    Built in
    Mouse
    Bluetooth , wired
    Internet Speed
    72 Mb/s :-(
    Browser
    Edge mostly
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    TPM 2.0

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