---
name: "spwgen"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "pwgen"
version: "1-11"
release: "Debian 2.1 (Slink)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pwgen"
---

# spwgen(1)

generate pronounceable passwords

Part of [pwgen(1)](/pwgen/1.md).

## NAME

\[s\]pwgen - generate pronounceable passwords

## SYNOPSIS

*pwgen maxlength* \[ **count** \]\
 *spwgen maxlength* \[ **count** \]

## DESCRIPTION

*pwgen* generates random, meaningless but pronounceable passwords. Depending on how the program was installed, these words contain either only lowercase letters, or upper and lower case mixed, or digits thrown in. Uppercase letters and digits are placed in a way that eases remembering their position when memorizing only the word.

*spwgen* generates totaly random, meaningless and unlikely pronounceable passwords. Prefer spwgen to pwgen if you want a "secure" password.

*pwgen* does not interact with the system's password handling. All it does is print out one or more passwords that can subsequently be used as input for *passwd* (1) or for similar applications.

## PARAMETERS

- *length*

  (number from 4 to 16) specifies the maximum password length. This parameter is required.

- *count*

  specifies how many passwords to produce. Defaults to one.

## SEE ALSO

*passwd* (1)

## BUGS

Not always uses the whole *length,* in fact mostly it generates one character less.

The position of capitals and digits is too predictable.

Sometimes misses the capitals/digits.

## AUTHOR

Brandon S. Allbery \<allbery@ncoast.UUCP\>

Capitals/digits and man page by Olaf Titz \<titz@askdonald.ask.uni-karlsruhe.de\>

spwgen by Vincent Renardias \<vincent@waw.com\> and Bruce Perens \<bruce@pixar.com\>