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PWGen is a password generator capable of creating large amounts of cryptographically-secure passwords or passphrases consisting of words from a word list. It uses a “random pool” technique to generate random data based on user inputs (keystrokes, mouse handling) and volatile system parameters. PWGen provides lots of options to customize passwords to the users’ various needs. Additionally, it offers strong text encryption and the creation of random data files (e.g., key files).

Notable Features

• Free and Open-Source software
• Unobtrusive: easy to use, doesn’t install any weird DLL files, doesn’t write to the Windows registry, doesn’t even write to your hard disk if you don’t want it, can be uninstalled easily
• Uses up-to-date cryptography (AES, SHA-2) to generate random data for high-quality passwords
• Numerous password options for various purposes
• Generation of large amounts of passwords at once
• Generation of passphrases composed of words from a word list
• Pattern-based password generation (formatted passwords) provides nearly endless possibilities to customize passwords to the user’s needs
• Secure text encryption
• Multilingual support
• Runs on all Windows versions (32-bit and 64-bit; beginning with Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2)

News

• PWGen 2.2.1 released

  2013-03-01

  Version 2.2.1 fixes a bug which caused an error when clicking on certain areas in the main window.

• PWGen 2.2.0 released

  2013-02-27

  Version 2.2.0 features a new profile editor for managing password generation profiles, “hot key” options for quickly generating passwords, a new “Generate” button which allows the user to write the password list directly to a file, faster generation of password lists with less memory requirement, and more.

• PWGen 2.1.0 released

  2012-11-12

  Version 2.1.0 really deserves the title “major update”: Highlights are pattern-based password generation (formatted passwords), a new “password quality bar”, quality estimation of user-entered passwords, usage of a random seed file to preserve entropy, quick help buttons, specification of ambiguous characters in groups of similar-looking characters, command line switches, redesign of the random pool (towards more security), and much more. Try it out and let me know how you think about it!

• PWGen 2.08 released

  2012-03-17

  Version 2.08 has a new “Create Random Data File” dialog and allows the user to change the font of the password box.

• PWGen 2.07 released

  2011-11-11

  Version 2.07 essentially features easier handling of character sets in so far as the user does not have to “accept” the input any more by pressing a button. Instead, the character set is automatically updated now.

• PWGen 2.06 released

  2011-02-11

  Version 2.06 features a new option “Exclude duplicate entries in password lists” which allows you to create unique password lists. The maximum size of password lists has been extended to 1,000,000. Moreover, the generation of password lists runs much faster now.

• PWGen Translation Utility 1.00 released

  2010-09-30

  This small utility assists you in translating PWGen into another language, and can even be used to update an existing translation to a new version of PWGen (when the latest German.lng file serves as a template). Please note that the generated .lng files only work with PWGen version 2.05 or higher.

• PWGen 2.05 released

  2010-09-23

  Version 2.05 fixes an “access violation” bug which sometimes occurred when pressing hotkeys in the character set and word list file lists, and features a main menu, larger toolbar icons and further (minor) changes. NOTE for all translators: I will publish a translation utility soon which assists you in updating existing .lng files. So stay tuned!

• PWGen 2.04 released

  2010-06-27

  Version 2.04 essentially features two new settings, “Redefine ambiguous characters” and “Redefine special symbols” which should make the password generation more flexible. These options are accessible in the “Advanced Password Options” dialog.

• PWGen 2.03 released

  2009-11-04

  Version 2.03 features a new password option “Exclude repeating consecutive characters” which ensures that each character in the password will be different from the previous one. Furthermore, the word list field has been transformed into a drop-down list.

• New website!

  2009-09-30

  The new design should be cleaner, clearer and more structured than the old rudimentary one. And it’s good-looking, at last! Thanks to Alan for his support!

• PWGen 2.02 released

  2009-05-28

  Version 2.02 features some new “Advanced Password Options” as well as one major bug fix.