Passphrase Generator — Memorable Yet Secure Passphrases
Generate random passphrases from curated word lists. Get the security of a long password with the memorability of real words, separated by dashes or spaces.
The Science Behind Passphrases
Passphrases exploit the fact that human memory handles words far better than random characters. Research by Bonneau and Schechter (2014) showed that users can reliably memorize 56-bit passphrases after just a few rehearsals. The key is that words are drawn uniformly at random from a large list, not chosen by the user, eliminating the human bias that weakens manually created passphrases.
Customizing Your Passphrase
You can customize the separator (dash, space, period, or none), add a random number between words for extra entropy, capitalize a random word, and set the minimum or maximum word length. These tweaks can satisfy password policies that require digits or mixed case while preserving the memorability of a word-based passphrase.
Frequently Asked Questions
A 4-word passphrase from a 7,776-word list (like the EFF list) provides about 51 bits of entropy. For high-security use, 6 words (77 bits) or more is recommended. This tool defaults to 5 words, which balances security and memorability for most use cases.
A 5-word passphrase from the EFF list has roughly the same entropy as a 10-character random password. The advantage is that passphrases are much easier to remember and type, especially on mobile devices. For equivalent security to a 20-character random password, use 8-10 words.
By default, it uses the EFF Long Word List (7,776 words), which was designed for maximum memorability and minimal ambiguity. You can also switch to the Diceware list, the EFF Short Word Lists, or provide your own custom word list.