---
name: "wpa_passphrase"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "wpa_supplicant"
version: "2:2.12-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/wpa_passphrase/8"
---

# wpa\_passphrase(8)

Generate a WPA PSK from an ASCII passphrase for a SSID

## NAME

wpa\_passphrase - Generate a WPA PSK from an ASCII passphrase for a SSID

## SYNOPSIS

**wpa\_passphrase** \[ *ssid* \] \[ *passphrase* \]

## OVERVIEW

**wpa\_passphrase** pre-computes PSK entries for network configuration blocks of a *wpa\_supplicant.conf* file. An ASCII passphrase and SSID are used to generate a 256-bit PSK.

## OPTIONS

- **ssid**

  The SSID whose passphrase should be derived.

- **passphrase**

  The passphrase to use. If not included on the command line, passphrase will be read from standard input.

## SEE ALSO

[**wpa\_supplicant.conf**(5)](/wpa_supplicant.conf/5.md) [**wpa\_supplicant**(8)](/wpa_supplicant/8.md)

## LEGAL

wpa\_supplicant is copyright (c) 2003-2022, Jouni Malinen \<j@w1.fi\> and contributors. All Rights Reserved.

This program is licensed under the BSD license (the one with advertisement clause removed).