Windows 10 Says WiFi Password Is Incorrect but It’s Correct: Connecting When the Right Key Is Rejected

You type your Wi-Fi password carefully, letter by letter, and Windows replies “The network security key isn’t correct. Please try again.” Your phone connects with exactly the same password. When Windows 10 says WiFi password is incorrect but it’s correct, the laptop is usually remembering old details or cannot agree on security settings with the router.

Windows stores a profile for each network it has joined. If the router’s password or security type changed, the old profile can conflict with the new details, even when you type the correct password.

Some routers also use newer security modes, such as WPA3 only, or mixed settings that older Wi-Fi adapters or drivers do not support. The adapter then fails the handshake, and Windows reports it as a wrong password.

Forgetting the network, checking the router’s security type, and slot mahjong updating the driver usually solves it.

What Might Be Causing It

The password is rejected for these reasons:

• An old saved profile conflicts with the new password or security type.
• The router uses WPA3-only mode that the adapter does not support.
• Caps Lock, keyboard layout, or a numeric keypad changes what you type.
• The Wi-Fi driver is outdated or the router’s MAC filter blocks the laptop.

Passwords with special characters can come out differently if the keyboard layout is not the one you expect.

First Steps to Try

Start fresh with the network.

1. Open Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > Manage known networks.
2. Select the network and choose Forget.
3. Reconnect and type the password slowly, selecting the eye icon to show what you typed.
4. Check the language indicator to confirm the keyboard layout.
5. Restart the router and try again.

Some routers allow connection using the WPS button, which avoids typing the password.

If the Problem Continues

Check security settings and drivers.

1. Sign in to the router’s admin page and look at the wireless security mode.
2. If it is WPA3 only, change it to WPA2/WPA3 mixed or WPA2-Personal (AES).
3. Turn off MAC address filtering or add the laptop’s address to the allowed list.
4. Update the Wi-Fi driver from the laptop maker or adapter manufacturer.
5. As a test, add the network manually through Network and Sharing Center > Set up a new connection, choosing the matching security type.

Protect Your Data First

Keep WPA2 or WPA3 security enabled; never switch the network to open or WEP just to connect. Note the router settings before changing them so you can restore them.

The Bottom Line

When a correct Wi-Fi password is rejected, forget the old profile, double-check the keyboard layout, set the router to a compatible security mode, and update the Wi-Fi driver.