Choosing a password length

The Password Generator asks for a length and for the sets you want: a–z, A–Z, digits, and a fixed symbol list. At least one set must stay on. Each Generate click draws new bytes in this browser. The page does not store the result after you leave or refresh.

The bits on the result line are length × log2(size of the chosen set). If you use lowercase, uppercase, and digits, the set has 62 characters. A length of 16 is about 95 bits. Adding symbols enlarges the set, so each position has more choices. That formula is a count of possibilities. It is not a colored bar from 0 to 100.

Length is the lever most people can use without a lecture. Moving from 12 to 16 with the same alphabet adds four more independent draws. Changing length always builds a new string, which is a simple way to confirm the generator is not repeating itself.

Sites still set their own rules. Some reject symbols, or cap length. Generate with the sets that site allows, then copy the string into a password manager if you need to keep it. The generator will not remember it for you.

Two Generate clicks should differ. If they match, try again and treat that as a surprise. The draw uses crypto.getRandomValues and a remainder that avoids a slight bias on the last few characters of the set.