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If you forgot the Wi-Fi password on your computer. I don't remember the Wi-Fi password. How to recover WiFi password using your phone. If you have an iPhone and need to transfer the password to another device

The comments often ask the question “I forgot my password. WiFi router, what to do, how to find out and restore? I am always at a loss as to what exactly the reader meant - did he forget the authorization key to connect to the wireless network or the password for logging into the router admin area? In this article we will look at how to recover or, as a last resort, reset the wifi password with built-in using Windows or from the router control panel.

Ways to recover a password from a router’s Wi-Fi network

The problem of recovering a Wi-Fi password was, is and will always be relevant as long as it exists this type wireless connection. Well, really, we introduce it once and forget about it forever. In the meantime, any reinstalling Windows or even just a change network adapter results in you being unable to access the Internet. Let's look at this issue in more detail.

In a situation where you want to connect a gadget to a wireless network, but have forgotten the Wi-Fi key, there are several ways to recover the password:

  • via computer
  • telephone
  • or on the router itself

WiFi Network Specialist

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I find it most convenient to restore lost password from wifi networks namely using a computer or smartphone, pulling it out file system Windows or Android. It is most versatile and simple when using a special free program.

How to find out the WiFi password on a Windows computer?

First of all, you need to understand that all passwords that have ever been entered to connect to wifi are stored inside the operating system of the computer or smartphone - Windows, Android or iOS - it doesn’t matter. They are always located in one of the system files. Therefore, you can view the Wi-Fi key without resetting the router.

There are several ways to find out the wifi password on the computer itself with the Windows 7, 8 or 10 operating system installed on it:

  • through the program
  • built-in Windows tools

Recovering a security key using Wireless Key View

If you have at least once already connected to a network for which you need to remember the password, then you don’t have to hack it using some hacky programs. There is a very good one free utility, which fishes out the once entered password from the depths of the Windows operating system. It's called Wireless Key View - you can download it from the link. This program works with any, even the most complex, types of WPA/PSK encryption and, most importantly, with any Windows versions- 10, 8, 7 and even XP.

Download and run as administrator - no installation required. After a short wait, the program will find all the keys for the networks to which the computer has ever been connected using standard Windows applications (Wireless Zero Configuration in Windows XP and WLAN AutoConfig in higher versions). In short, if you did not use any third party applications, then everything will be found.


After that, we save them into a separate text file and find the one that you need at the moment. After that, remember it, or you can change it and put New Password on wifi, which you can easily remember.

How to find out the Wi-Fi password using the built-in tools of Windows 10?

If separate program There is no way to install it, then you will have to take a more difficult route. Fortunately, in the operating room Windows system 10 there is a built-in ability to recover a forgotten authorization key.

Click on the icon network connection in the lower right corner of the screen and go to “Open Network and Internet Settings”



A new window will open, where we switch to the “Security” tab and check the box for “Display entered characters”

That's all - the current WiFi password is now displayed in front of us - write it down and don't lose it again!

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How to find out the forgotten password for your Wi-Fi on your router?

The easiest way to restore forgotten password from your own WiFi connection - look at it in the settings in the router control panel.

However, it is worth noting that if we are talking about connecting to a public network outside the home, then access to the administrator section is, of course, closed. Therefore, if this is your case, then I recommend reading the solutions without access to the router - you can find them in other articles on the site.

If you have forgotten your password home network, and you have access to the router, then you need to:

Let's go through each point in more detail. It is necessary to connect to the router via cable so that the PC or laptop receives from it automatic mode IP address and ended up in the same local network.

Unfortunately, the phone is not suitable for this purpose. So we take an Ethernet cable - it usually lies in the box with the device - and insert one end of it into the computer’s network card, and the other into the LAN connector on the router.


We also check that in the network settings Windows connections the checkboxes for automatically obtaining IP and DNS servers.


After this, we can enter the router address and log into the control panel. Each router does it differently. How to do this has already been described many times in our other publications separately for each model, I recommend that you read them if you do not know how to get into this hidden section.

But for your convenience, I have created several similar articles for each individual router. You can find them on the website

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How to Recover WiFi Password on Phone?

Now let's imagine one typical situation- somewhere, somewhere, you got a password for a WiFi connection - for example, from a neighbor. Connect your phone or tablet to it and calmly use the Internet. After some time, it became necessary to connect a laptop to it, but of course, the key had long been safely forgotten - what to do and how to find out the wifi password on your phone?

QR code

We begin to randomly rummage through the phone settings to find this password - but to no avail, since it simply isn’t there.

Of course, we also don’t have access to the router.

Next, take another smartphone to which the settings will be transferred. A program for reading QR codes should already be installed on it in advance - but right now you don’t have WiFi on it. Or you need to connect to the Internet via mobile operator by 3g/4g. And the program is called QR Code Reader - it is available in both the AppStore and PlayMarket.

We launch this application and point the camera at the smartphone screen with a code with WiFi settings.

A few moments and the program reads the network data and, after confirmation, will immediately connect to it.

If you want to transfer password data from an iPhone, then in the standard firmware properties there is no option to generate such a code. In order to create it, you will need to buy the Qrafter application for a small amount - in free version it can only read; in the paid version, it can also create.

From files on the phone

If you are using a device with operating Android system, that is, another way to find out saved WiFi passwords. As you know, the system stores all its data in the form of files - and passwords too. And they are in the file

/data/misc/wifi/wpa_supplicant.conf

The only “but” is that you will only get access to this file with root access to the phone.
You can open wpa_supplicant.conf through a text editor by connecting your phone via USB to your computer. This is the content he will provide us with:

These are the names, passwords and encryption types of all networks stored in the device.

WiFi Key Recovery App

There is also an easier way to find out this data - install a free WiFi program Key Recovery or its equivalent WiFI Key Password, which also requires root rights.

Its convenience is that you do not need to rummage through system files— after launch, the utility will simply show the contents of the same file on the screen.

These are some simple tricks with which anyone can quickly find out the password for connecting to wifi router, having only your smartphone in hand. Use it!

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Or, for example, another frequently occurring situation is when you take an old router that has been lying on the shelf for a couple of years, and there are no instructions, no stickers, or any other information for it. In this case, how can you find it out, log into the router and change the password?

There are several ways to recover a forgotten password. Most often, during initial setup, users leave the authorization data that was set on the router by default. Therefore, you can do the following:

  • View it in the user manual
  • Look at the sticker on the router
  • Find out from the website catalog data for authorization by model number

However, a more competent user would still change the router password to a more secure one. In addition, more and more often the firmware on modern models is made in such a way that during the initial configuration the key is forced to be changed in mandatory. Therefore, you will have to roll it back to .

How to reset the password on a router?

Instructions on how to reset the password on a router are asked by users of any model - TP-Link, Asus, Zyxel Keenetic, D-Link, Tenda and so on. But in fact, the method is absolutely universal!

Be careful - this will reset all network and Internet parameters to zero!

To do this, find the small “Reset” button on the case. It can be recessed into the body to avoid erroneous clicks. In this case, to press it, we take some sharp object, such as a pin. Sometimes it is quite ordinary, most often combined with the WPS function. In any case, press it while the router is plugged in and wait 15-20 seconds.

Then we’ll try to get into the admin area using the default password.

    1. The easiest way to do this is to look at the instructions. But this is the ideal option. Most often, it is lost or thrown away immediately after opening and initial setup along with the box.


    1. Also, in most cases, the password for the router is on a sticker on the bottom of the device. In addition to the login and password, it also usually indicates the address where you need to log in to get to the admin area.


I hope everything worked out for you. If not, then ask your questions in the comments, we’ll try to figure out each individual situation. And don’t forget your router passwords again!

Thank you! Did not help

The owner of a computer or laptop, even if he knows how to organize the distribution of a signal directly from the device, may encounter an unexpected difficulty: one day it turns out that he has completely forgotten the password for his network, and it is no longer possible to remember it. Resetting the access code is too radical an option; It's better to try to restore it. How to find out the password for your Wi-Fi - let's try to figure it out.

Factory code

A user who has succeeded and has not changed the login and password in the process can view the Wi-Fi access code directly on the device: on the bottom wall of the router there should be a sticker with a sequence of numbers specified by the manufacturer.

Advice: if there is no information on the bottom of the router or the sticker has been successfully torn off or damaged to an unreadable state, it is worth checking the box in which the device was delivered - the password may be either written on the outside or contained in the text of the instructions.

The user, who at one time decided to use the computer, must check whether he thought of writing the access code on a piece of paper. If yes, the problem can be considered solved; if not, you should move on to the second method - and, having finally managed to determine the password for your Wi-Fi, save the information in any convenient way.

Control Panel

Even if the computer owner was able to connect to a wireless network several years ago, the password for it is stored in the machine’s memory - until the system is reinstalled or Windows forcibly “forgets” the access code.

The easiest way to find your Wi-Fi password and access wireless Internet on a new device is to go to the Control Panel. Finding out the necessary data here is no more difficult than; the user will need:

  • Open the “Control Panel” using the standard search tools of the operating system.

  • Go to the “Network and Internet” section.

  • Subsection “Network and Sharing Center”.

  • Find the “Change adapter settings” tab.

  • Right-click on your icon network card, through which Wi-Fi is distributed.

  • And select the “Status” item in the context menu.

  • In the new window, the owner of the router should click on the “Wireless Network Properties” button.

  • Go to the "Security" tab.

  • And, to finally find out the password for your Wi-Fi, check the “Display entered characters” checkbox.

  • If all the described manipulations are performed correctly, as a result the user will see the Wi-Fi access code; it can be copied directly from the text field and used as you wish - remembering to make a "backup" this time.

Windows Settings

This way to view the password for your Wi-Fi is generally identical to the previous one; It makes sense to use it only if you cannot immediately enter the “Control Panel”. The owner of the router who wants to restore the access code will need:

  • Open the “Start” menu by clicking on the checkbox in the lower left corner, go to “Windows Settings” by clicking on the “gear” in the left column.

  • Go to the “Network and Internet” section.

  • Switch to the Wi-Fi tab.

  • And use the link on the right “Configuring adapter settings”.

  • As a result, the user will find himself in an already familiar window; its algorithm further actions from now on - exactly the same as in the previous method.

  • By following the instructions, finding out the password for your wireless Internet will be no more difficult than understanding. And if all of the above options did not give a positive result, you should move on to others - there are three more ways to view the Wi-Fi access code.

Router settings

Undoubtedly, it is worth trying to find the password for your Wi-Fi by looking into the router settings. You can do this as follows:

  • Go to the IP indicated on the box or sticker placed on the router and enter the administrator login and password. If this data is also unknown, it would be wisest to immediately move on to the fifth or sixth way to find out the Wi-Fi code.

  • Open the Wi-Fi section on the main page.

  • And then - the “Security Settings” subsection.

  • Here the user can find out the password for his wireless Internet; data is stored unencrypted and easily copied standard means OS.

The principle of searching for a Wi-Fi code in the settings of routers from other manufacturers is generally the same; the main thing is to find the “Security” section. For comparison, on TP-Link models you can find out the Wi-Fi password in the following way:

  • WITH home page"Settings" go to the "Wireless Mode" section.

  • And the subsection “Wireless protection”.

  • Great! Here, in one of the fields corresponding to the signal protection method chosen by the computer owner, you can find the desired combination.

Command line

To find out the password for your Wi-Fi using this universal Windows utilities, you will need:

  • Launch “Command Prompt” using “Search” or another convenient method.

  • Enter the first command in the window that opens netsh wlan show profiles and press the Enter key.

  • View the list of Wi-Fi networks saved in your computer’s memory and find yours.

  • Without closing the window, enter and apply the second command netsh wlan show profiles name=IS key=clear, where IS is the name of the network used.

  • In the lines that appear on the screen, the owner of the router will find, in addition to other interesting and useful information, your password - it is located in the “Security Settings” section.

Third party programs

Finally, you can find out the password for your Wi-Fi network using software from independent developers. One of the best options is the free WirelessKeyView utility; To view the access code using it, you need to:

  • Download and unpack the archive with the program, and then run the executable file.

  • Find the Wi-Fi network of interest in the general list - the same line will contain the password in hexadecimal and “natural” form.

  • It can be copied directly from the table by right-clicking on the line and checking the Copy key (ASCII) option in the menu.

Let's sum it up

Most easy way find the Wi-Fi code - look at it on the sticker placed on the router or device box. Other available and safe options are to find out the access code in the “Control Panel”, “ Windows Settings", router settings or using the command line. The best third party program, which allows you to see the password for your Wi-Fi, is the free WirelessKeyView.

The network distributed by the router must be protected with a password, otherwise you may lose not only paid traffic, but also personal data. But established strong password you can forget. In this case, there will be two options: install new code or restore a lost one.

When can I recover my password?

A forgotten password can be recovered if you have previously entered it on at least one of your devices: phone, tablet, computer. You can also view the password in the router control panel, but you can only do this if you have previously logged in account and the password for it is saved in the browser’s memory.

If the above options are not relevant in your case, there is only one option left - resetting the password and setting it again. The only thing you need for this is physical access to the router.

Recovering your password

All popular operating systems (Windows, Android, and iOS) have a built-in function that saves the password in the device’s memory. The password is explicitly stored on your device if it connects to the network automatically without requiring you to enter a passcode.

If every time you try to connect to your own Wi-Fi, the system asks you for a password, it means that you have checked the box next to the “Do not save password” condition, so it is useless to look for the code in the device’s memory.

On Android

To get the password from the device under Android control, you must have root rights. The system stores the code in encrypted files, access to which is prohibited without root rights.

Once you have root rights, you can choose one of two methods: either manually find the file with the necessary data, or use a special application.

Through file search

For search the desired file, most likely, you will need a third-party conductor, since standard conductors operating systems hide some files or do not display some extensions. It is recommended to use Total File Commander, ES or Root Browser applications:

  1. Once in File Explorer, navigate to /data/misc/wifi. You should look for the starting folder in internal memory, not on the SD card.

    Go to the /data/misc/wifi section

  2. Once in the final section, expand the wpa_supplicant.conf file (in earlier versions operating system instead of this name there was a random set of numbers). The system will not find a program with which you can open this extension, so use any text editor or browser.

    Select any program to deploy the wpa_supplicant.conf file

  3. A list will open with various information. Find blocks starting with the word network. Each of them will contain the line ssid - the name of the network, and psk - the password. Find the name of the network that interests you and view the password for it.

    We are looking for the network block and a line with the name of the network we need

Through a special application

IN Play Market you can find the Wi-Fi Passwords app. It automatically recognizes the name and passwords of all saved networks and displays them in the form of a convenient list:

  1. Go to the Play Store and search for this app. Using the search, you will see many programs with a similar name, but you need to download exactly the one with the mark.

    Install the Wi-Fi Passwords application from the Play Market store

  2. Once you open the app, give it root access.

    Allow access to root rights

  3. You will see a list of networks and passwords for them. Find the Wi-Fi you need and find out its password.

    We find the desired network in the list and find out the password

On iOS

To view a saved network password on iOS, you need a jailbroken device. You will have to use a special application that only works with jailbroken devices. Keep in mind that after jailbreaking, you may have warranty issues and personal data leakage from your phone.

In old IOS versions it was possible to view passwords from saved networks using built-in functions: it was enough to find the “Passwords” item in the settings, which contained all the necessary information. In new versions released after iOS 7, the section remained, but information about Wi-Fi networks was made inaccessible.

Through a third party application

The required application is distributed free of charge in the Cydia store. You can use it, but if for some reason it refuses to work, choose any other application with a similar name and functionality.

On Windows 10

Finding your password is easier on Windows 10 than on others operating systems, since the OS does not hide it:

  1. Press the Win + R combination on your keyboard to open the window quick access. Write the request ncpa.cpl and execute it.

    Execute the ncpa.cpl request

  2. In the window that opens, find your network and double-click on it with the left mouse button.

    Double click on the desired network

  3. Expand the wireless network properties.

    Open network properties

  4. Go to the "Security" tab.

    Open the “Security” section

  5. The password will be indicated in the “Network security key” line.

    We look at the value from the line “Network security key”

Video: how to find out a forgotten Wi-Fi password

How to connect without a password

If you were unable to recover your password or there is no need for it yet, you can use WPS technology - it allows you to connect to a password-protected network without entering a password. The only thing you need is physical access to the router.

All modern routers have a WPS button. Sometimes it is large and displayed separately from the others, sometimes it is small and combined with the Reset button (short press - WPS, long press - Reset). Inspect your router to find it, and if you don’t find it, refer to the instructions that came with the device.

Are looking for WPS button on the router

Via Android

To connect to the requested Wi-Fi networks via Android without password, follow these steps:


Via iOS

On devices under iOS control WPS function is not supported. On iPhone and iPad, you can connect to a Wi-Fi network only by entering a password.

Via Windows 10

Windows has a feature that allows you to connect to a password-protected network via WPS. But first you must make sure that your computer can catch wifi signal. If it is capable of this, follow these steps:


Password recovery through router settings

All router manufacturers create special programs, allowing you to control many parameters of the device. But they do not install them into the computer’s memory, but provide access to them through a browser. By logging into the control panel, you can see information about the set password.

The only difficulty that may arise is that to enter the router control panel you need to enter your username and password. The following combinations are usually used: login - admin, password - admin or 000000. You can find out what data is used by default for your model in the instructions for the router. If standard password has been changed, but you don’t remember it, you won’t be able to use this method.

TP-Link

For TP-Link routers The recovery process is carried out as follows:


Asus

On devices Asus password can be obtained similarly:


D-Link

IN D-Link routers you need to do the following steps:


ZyXEL

To recover your password through the ZyXEL administrative panel, do the following:


Tenda

In Tenda routers, you can access the password like this:


Linksys

Linksys routers also contain information about the wireless network password in clear text:


What to do if you couldn’t recover your password

If you have tried all the methods described above, but were unable to obtain the password, there is only one option left - reset the router settings. By doing this, you will roll back its firmware to its original state. Please note that all other settings you have ever made will also no longer apply.

To reset the router, just press the Reset button (usually it is small, located on the back panel of the router and can be slightly recessed) for 10–15 seconds, without releasing it until the router reboots. As soon as the router turns on again, the settings will be reset and the network will no longer have a password. It should be installed immediately to avoid unauthorized people connecting to your network.

Press the reset button for 10–15 seconds to reset the router to factory settings

The Wi-Fi network password can be viewed on devices that were previously connected to the router. You can also use WPS technology to connect to the network without a password. The current access code is located in the router control panel. If you cannot recover your password, you can perform a factory reset and then set a new password.

Hello! When I write in some instructions that you need to go into the router settings, I try to describe in detail the process itself, how to enter the control panel in order to make some settings there. In most cases, this does not cause any difficulties. But it often happens that we simply forgot the password, and many questions arise about how to get into the settings in this case.

The question itself about logging into the router settings if you have forgotten the password is not very clear. Because the router has at least two passwords. And it’s not clear which one you forgot, and what the problem is specifically in your case.

  • The password that is used to connect to your Wi-Fi network.
  • And the password that you need to enter to enter the router settings. Most often, it is this password that is changed and successfully forgotten. It is clear that until we specify the correct password, we will not get into the router settings. Well, the factory password does not work (which is usually admin), since we changed it.

These are the problems you may encounter when logging into the control panel of your router. Now we will consider a solution based on your case, consider both options.

I’ll immediately give you a link to the instructions for solving the most different problems which you may encounter when entering the settings of your router: There are also links to detailed instructions for certain router manufacturers: TP-LINK, ASUS, D-Link, etc.

If you forgot your Wi-Fi password and can’t access your router settings

This is the first option in which we do not remember the password for our Wi-Fi network. And perhaps we cannot connect to it. And we need to go into the router settings to see or change the password.

In this case, everything is very simple:

  • Firstly, we have very detailed instructions on how to... You can look at the password on your computer (if you have one) and just remember it. Connect to the wireless network and go to the control panel.
  • Secondly, you can go into the router settings from the device that is currently connected to your Wi-Fi. And already in the router settings, look at the forgotten password, or change it.
  • Thirdly, we connect to the router via network cable, and go to the control panel. In this case, we won’t need a Wi-Fi password at all. If you don’t know how to connect to the router via cable, here’s a detailed guide.

I think this problem has been sorted out.

If you forgot the password to enter the router settings

This happens most often. The control panel of each router is password protected. There you need to specify a username and password. This is necessary to protect the settings so that everyone who connects to your network cannot access them.

If the router is new and not yet configured, then the standard password and username are used. In most cases, these are admin and admin. Or there is no protection at all. We set or change this password during the process of setting up the router. I always advise doing this in my instructions. And there is even a separate one.

So, we changed this password, configured the router, and forgot it. And then we urgently needed to go into the settings, and we don’t remember the password. On the authorization page we specify some name and password, but nothing happens, the page simply reloads, or we receive a message that the password is incorrect.

That's all, we can't get into the settings. If you can’t remember this data, and perhaps you didn’t change the password, you will have to reset the router settings. After this, we will go to the control panel according to the factory settings, which are indicated at the bottom of the router, on the sticker.

To reset settings, you need to hold down the button for about 10 seconds, which is usually labeled as: RESET, WPS/RESET, Cross, Default. It all depends on the model of your router. The button may be recessed into the body, and you need to press it with something sharp. The router's power must be turned on. This button looks something like this:

After returning to factory settings, use the data specified on the router itself to log into the control panel. If the factory data is not indicated there, then there is no default password.

If you encounter difficulties resetting the settings, we have detailed instructions on our website for most manufacturers. If you don’t find it, write in the comments and I’ll give you a link.

If something doesn’t work out, write the same way, we’ll try to solve your problem.

When connecting to home wireless Internet, subscribers usually limit free access to their Wi-Fi by setting a password. This helps protect against dishonest neighbors who, having caught your network, begin to use it with you on an equal basis. But it often happens that the owner himself falls into his own trap. Forgetting a security code or losing a piece of paper where it is written is a common occurrence, and without it it becomes impossible to connect a new device. But if this happens to you, do not rush to get upset. We will tell you how to recover your Rostelecom Wi-Fi password.

To know forgotten code security is possible through a computer or laptop, provided that the connection is active. This can be done in different ways.

Using Windows Services

For PCs running Windows 7/8/Vista, you must do the following:

1. Go to the Start menu.

2. From it to the “Control Panel”.

3. In this section, click on “Network and Sharing Center.”

4. In the list on the left of the page there is “Management wireless networks" Let's go here and see all the free access points.

5. Open context menu Your network by right-clicking on its name.

6. Click on “Properties”. A new window will open.

7. From the “Connection” tab, go to the “Security” section. The “Network Security Key” item is a combination that will help you connect to Wi-Fi.

8. To see it, click “Display entered characters.”

For Windows 10, on the taskbar you will need to call up the context menu, go to the “Network Center” section, then to “Change adapter settings”. The page displays available connections. Next, proceed as in the above algorithm, starting from point 5.

Using the router interface

Let's figure out how to recover the password of a Rostelecom router Wi-Fi through its interface.

To do this, you need to know its address, which is indicated in the documents for the device and on its case.

Write this information in the address bar of your browser and click the "Enter" key. Then a login window will appear. Here you need to specify the login and password of the router, respectively. If standard settings have not been changed, then “admin” is entered in both fields. Once logged in, in the Wi-Fi section, select “Security Settings”. A window will open. Find the line “Encryption key”. The data in it is what needed to be found out.

If the standard login and password do not work, and you don’t remember or don’t know the others, then how to recover the password on the Rostelecom router? You will need to reset all router settings. To do this, you need to hold down a special button on the router for 10-15 seconds. It is located in a recess, so you will need, for example, a needle. After this, all settings will be reset to standard, and the security code will disappear. Then you can go into the interface and install a new key.

How to find out the password if the connection is inactive?

There is a way to recover your password from WiFi Rostelecom, even if you are not connected to this network. The main thing is that you have used it before. For this:

1. From the Start menu, go to System Tools.

2. In the list, click on the section “ Command line" A window with a black background will pop up.

3. Enter the following here:

netsh wlan show profiles

You will see a list of used access points.

netsh wlan show profile name=network_name key=clear

where instead of “network_name” is the name of the connection from which you want to find out the key. For example:

netsh wlan show profile name=ROSTELECOM_4321 key=clear

5. All information about your profile will appear in front of you.

6. Find the line “Key Contents”, this is forgotten key to enter.

Once you have successfully restored your home wireless Internet access code, be sure to write it down. To prevent the situation from repeating itself, it is very convenient to create a special reminder for such needs - a separate notebook or notepad in order to store all the data in a systematic way.



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