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Passphrase Generator Guide
Discover why Diceware passphrases represent the next generation of account authentication.
TL;DR: The Passphrase Advantage
A passphrase consists of multiple random words combined (e.g. correct horse battery staple). They have massive length, high cryptographic entropy, and are exceptionally easy for humans to remember but virtually impossible for supercomputers to guess.
What Is a Passphrase?
A passphrase is a password composed of multiple random words strung together, typically separated by hyphens, spaces, or periods. The concept was popularized by the XKCD comic "Correct Horse Battery Staple," which demonstrated that a 4-word passphrase is both easier to remember and harder to crack than a complex short password.
Unlike traditional passwords that rely on character complexity (uppercase, lowercase, numbers, symbols), passphrases derive their strength from length and vocabulary size. A 6-word passphrase from a 7,776-word dictionary has 77.5 bits of entropy — equivalent to a 12-character random password, but far easier to memorize.
Passwords vs Passphrases
For decades, users have been instructed to create passwords with weird symbol replacements, like P@ssw0rd123!. While hard to remember, these are actually very easy for computers to crack because they follow standard, predictable patterns.
| Property | Password | Passphrase |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 8–12 characters | 20–40+ characters |
| Memorability | Hard to remember | Easy to remember |
| Entropy (6 words vs 12 chars) | ~79 bits | ~77 bits |
| Dictionary Attack Resistance | Vulnerable to rule-based attacks | Resistant due to word count |
| Typing Ease | Requires special characters | Simple words, easy to type |
What Is the Diceware Method?
Diceware is a technique used to create secure, random passphrases. It involves rolling standard physical 6-sided dice to generate a 5-digit number (e.g., rolling 2, 5, 1, 6, 3 gives 25163). This number corresponds to a word in a specific wordlist of 7,776 words.
Rolling for 5 or 6 words creates a random combination that standard dictionary attacks cannot anticipate because the selection is truly random. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) provides a curated Diceware wordlist optimized for memorability.
Passphrase Entropy Values
| Word Count | Entropy (Bits) | Crack Time (10B guesses/sec) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 Words | 38.7 bits | A few hours |
| 4 Words | 51.6 bits | Several months |
| 5 Words (Recommended) | 64.6 bits | Several centuries |
| 6 Words (Maximum Security) | 77.5 bits | Quadrillions of years |
How to Use GeneratePass Passphrases
Our passphrase tool uses the browser's crypto.getRandomValues API mapped to a high-quality EFF Diceware list containing 7,776 easily readable English words.
- Visit the Passphrase Generator page.
- Select 5 words or more for strong security.
- Customize your word separator (spaces, hyphens, or periods).
- Click generate to create your passphrase.
- Copy the output directly to your password manager vault.
Best Practices for Passphrases
Do's and Don'ts
Do
- • Use 5+ random words
- • Store in a password manager
- • Use unique passphrases per account
- • Choose a memorable separator
Don't
- • Use fewer than 4 words
- • Use famous quotes or song lyrics
- • Reuse the same passphrase
- • Add predictable modifications
Frequently Asked Questions
How many words should a passphrase have? ▾
Are passphrases stronger than passwords? ▾
What is the Diceware method? ▾
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