Generators
Passphrase Generator
Generate long, memorable passphrases from a list of over 7,000 English words, with a strength estimate in bits.
About the Passphrase Generator
The Passphrase Generator creates passwords made of several random words. Passphrases are long enough to be very strong but much easier to remember and type than a jumble of symbols. Choose 3 to 10 words and a separator, optionally capitalize the words or add a number, and a strength meter shows how strong the result is.
What you can do with the Passphrase Generator
- Memorable and strong: Several random words instead of a jumble.
- 3 to 10 words: Pick the length and the separator.
- Extras: Capitalise words or add a number.
- Strength meter: Shows how strong the result is.
Why random words work
The idea was made famous by an XKCD comic in 2011 ("correct horse battery staple") and builds on the Diceware method from 1995. What makes a passphrase strong is that the words are picked randomly from a large list, not chosen by you, because people pick predictable words.
How strong is it?
Each word adds about 12.8 bits of randomness. Four words give about 51 bits, five about 64 and six about 77. Five or six words is a good choice for important accounts, and especially for the master password of a password manager.
Making it fit site rules
Some sites insist on capitals or numbers. Switch on "Capitalize Each Word" and "Add a number" to satisfy those rules without making the passphrase harder to remember. If a site doesn't allow spaces, pick a hyphen, dot or underscore as the separator.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is a passphrase better than a password?
A random five- or six-word passphrase is about as strong as a random 10–12 character password, and much easier to remember.
Can I pick my own words?
You can, but words you choose yourself are far easier to guess. Let the generator pick them randomly.
Is my passphrase sent anywhere?
No. The word list is downloaded to your browser and every passphrase is created on your device.
How many words should a passphrase have?
Each word from the 7,339-word list adds about 12.8 bits. Four words give about 51 bits, five give about 64 bits and six give about 77 bits. Five words is a sensible minimum for most accounts; use six or more for a password manager or email.
What do the strength labels mean?
The meter counts the bits of randomness. Under 40 bits shows Weak, 40 to 59 Fair, 60 to 79 Strong and 80 or more Very strong. Each extra bit doubles the number of guesses an attacker would need.
How long would it take to crack a five-word passphrase?
The meter assumes a fast offline attack making 10 billion guesses a second. At that rate a five-word passphrase (about 64 bits) would take about 34 years on average, and a six-word one about 2.5 lakh years.
Does capitalising the words make it stronger?
Barely, because every word is capitalised in the same predictable way, so the meter adds nothing for it. It mainly helps meet site rules. Add a number does count: it appends a random number from 0 to 99, adding about 6.6 bits.
Which separator should I choose?
A hyphen is the safest choice because almost every site accepts it. Some sites reject spaces, and None makes words run together and harder to read. The meter does not count the separator, since the strength comes from the random words.
What if a site needs a capital letter, number and symbol?
Switch on Capitalize Each Word and Add a number, and use a hyphen or full stop as the separator. That gives you uppercase, lowercase, a digit and a symbol, which meets most password rules.
Can I use a passphrase as my Wi-Fi password?
Yes. WPA2 and WPA3 Wi-Fi passwords can be 8 to 63 characters, and a five-word passphrase usually fits well inside that. It is also much easier to type on a TV or phone than a random string of symbols.
What is the Recent passphrases list?
It keeps your last few passphrases from this visit so you can go back to one you liked. Tap any of them to copy it. The list is kept only while the page is open and is cleared when you reload or close it.
Read the guide
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