Passphrase Generator
Generate memorable passphrases from random words. Choose word count, separator, capitalisation style, and add numbers or symbols for extra strength.
About the Passphrase Generator
A passphrase is a sequence of random words used as a password. Despite being longer than traditional passwords, passphrases are often both more secure and more memorable. NIST (the US National Institute of Standards and Technology) recommends passphrases as a preferred approach in its updated Digital Identity Guidelines (SP 800-63B).
Why passphrases can be stronger than passwords
Password strength depends on entropy — the measure of unpredictability. A short, complex password like T9$mK2! has less entropy than a four-word passphrase like correct-horse-battery-staple, because computers can try millions of password patterns per second but exhaustively guessing four random dictionary words from a 7,000-word list requires trillions of attempts.
- A 4-word passphrase from a 7,776-word wordlist (diceware) has ~51 bits of entropy
- A 6-word passphrase from the same list has ~77 bits — comparable to a 12-character random password using all character types
Diceware and the EFF word list
This generator uses a curated word list similar to the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation) Diceware word list. The EFF list was specifically designed to produce passphrases that are both random and human-readable, avoiding obscure, offensive, or easily confused words. Each word is selected with equal probability using the Web Crypto API.
When to use a passphrase
- Master passwords for password managers (long and memorable)
- Encryption keys (e.g. GPG, VeraCrypt, BitLocker recovery)
- Accounts where you must type the password manually without a password manager
- Any account that limits password length to a point where a random character password would be weak