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How to Use Our Password Strength Calculator

3 min read

How to Use Our Password Strength Calculator

Weak passwords are the leading cause of account breaches. Our Password Strength Calculator analyzes your password and tells you exactly how strong (or weak) it is.

How to Use It

Enter your password and the calculator instantly evaluates:

  • Entropy (bits) -- A mathematical measure of randomness. Higher entropy = harder to crack. Aim for at least 60 bits for important accounts and 80+ for critical ones.
  • Crack Time Estimate -- How long it would take a modern computer to brute-force your password. Results range from "instantly" to "centuries."
  • Strength Rating -- A simple rating from very weak to very strong.

What Makes a Strong Password

Length is king. A 16-character password using only lowercase letters is stronger than an 8-character password with mixed case, numbers, and symbols. Every additional character multiplies the difficulty exponentially.

Avoid patterns. "Password123!" looks complex but is one of the most commonly used passwords. Dictionary words, keyboard patterns (qwerty), and common substitutions (@ for a, 3 for e) are easily defeated.

Use a passphrase. Four or five random words strung together (like "correct horse battery staple") create passwords that are both strong and memorable. A random 4-word passphrase has roughly 44 bits of entropy from word selection alone, and adding length pushes it much higher.

Best Practices

  • Use a unique password for every account
  • Use a password manager to store them
  • Enable two-factor authentication wherever available
  • Never reuse passwords across sites

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