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There is no universal list of Fallout 4 terminal passwords. The game generates a randomized set of candidate words for each hacking session, so a password that works in one playthrough—or even one visit—cannot be reused as a reliable master list. Instead, you solve terminals by comparing each guess’s likeness score, while using bracket groups to remove wrong answers and sometimes restore attempts.
This guide explains the complete hacking system, terminal requirements, lockouts, Intelligence effects, Nick Valentine, and the PC console alternative. Fixed passwords supplied by quests, holotapes, or keys are separate from the hacking minigame.
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How Fallout 4 terminal passwords work
When you access a hackable terminal, Fallout 4 creates a group of same-length candidate words. One is the correct password, but its position is randomized. Leaving the terminal before a lockout and entering it again can generate a different group of words, so backing out is a reset strategy—not a way to preserve the current puzzle.
The terminal opens to the ROBCO INDUSTRIES (TM) TERMLINK PROTOCOL screen. The password phase displays ENTER PASSWORD NOW and shows your remaining attempts under ATTEMPT(S) LEFT:. Select a complete word to submit a guess; the exact button prompt depends on your platform and control scheme.
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Do not confuse these generated passwords with fixed story passwords. Some locations provide a specific password item, such as the Fort Hagen armory password or the Nuka-Express control-terminal password. Those are quest or location objects, not entries in a universal terminal-password list. See the Fallout 4 keys reference for examples of fixed password items.
What the likeness score means
After an incorrect guess, the terminal reports a result in the form x/y correct.
- y is the total number of characters in the password.
- x is the number of characters that match the correct password in both character and position.
- A letter that appears in both words but is in a different position does not count.
- Repeated characters are evaluated by their individual positions, not by simply counting letters shared anywhere in the words.
For example:
Correct password: CARS
Your guess: BARS
Result: 3/4 correctThe A, R, and S match in the same positions. The first character does not, so the likeness is 3/4.
The reliable way to solve a terminal
- List the candidates. Every password word in the session has the same length. Ignore punctuation and symbols at first.
- Make an informed first guess. If you have not found useful bracket groups yet, choose a candidate word rather than guessing randomly.
- Record the likeness result. Write down the number, such as 2/6.
- Compare positions, not merely letters. For every remaining candidate, count how many characters occupy the same positions as your guess.
- Eliminate incompatible words. Keep only candidates that would produce exactly the same likeness score.
- Repeat the comparison. Once the remaining list is small, the correct word can usually be identified without spending every attempt.
If your six-letter guess returns 2/6 correct, retain only six-letter candidates sharing exactly two same-position characters with it. A result of 0/6 correct removes candidates that match your guess at any position, but it does not remove every word containing one of the same letters somewhere else.
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A practical comparison example
Suppose your guess is PLANET and the terminal reports 2/6 correct. Compare each candidate character by character:
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PLANET
PILLOW
^ ^Only positions that contain the same character in both words count. A candidate with three matching positions is impossible, as is one with only one. This positional method is more reliable than looking for shared letters.
Bracket groups: your safest extra move
Non-word characters contain selectable groups enclosed by matching brackets:
(...)
[...]
{...}
<...>A valid group has the same opening and closing bracket type on the same terminal line. Symbols and punctuation may appear between the brackets. A complete candidate word cannot be inside the group. Selecting a valid group does not consume a password attempt.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsA successful group randomly does one of two things:
- Removes one incorrect candidate, called a dud; or
- Restores your remaining attempts to four.
You cannot choose which benefit you receive, so do not assume that the next bracket will restore your attempts rather than remove a dud.
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- New next generation graphics and lighting engine brings to life the world of fallout. From the blasted forests of the common wealth to the ruins of Boston, every location is packed with dynamic detail
- Intense first or third person combat can also be slowed down with the new dynamic Vault Tec Assisted Targeting System (V.A.T.S) that lets you choose your attacks and enjoy cinematic carnage
Bracket details that are easy to miss
- Opening and closing brackets do not need to be adjacent.
- Both brackets must appear on the same line.
- A bracket pair containing a complete password word is not a valid selectable group.
- Several opening brackets can sometimes use the same closing bracket, producing multiple valid groups when scanned in the correct direction.
- A closing bracket generally cannot be reused to create additional groups in the opposite direction.
The best routine is to move your cursor through the non-word characters and select every valid highlighted group before making your final password attempt. This improves your odds without spending a guess.
Attempts, lockouts, and the three-guess myth
A normal Fallout 4 terminal gives you four password attempts. Four incorrect selections trigger a temporary lockout of approximately 10 seconds. Unlike Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, Fallout 4 does not permanently lock you out after exhausting your attempts.
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The commonly repeated advice to “back out after exactly three failed guesses” is not a special Fallout 4 rule. Leaving after three guesses is merely a cautious strategy that preserves one unused attempt. You may leave after one or two failed guesses as well, provided you have not exhausted all four.
Terminal difficulty and the Hacker perk
Fallout 4 has four terminal tiers: Novice, Advanced, Expert, and Master. The Hacker perk controls access to the higher tiers:
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| Hacker rank | Requirement | Access or effect |
|---|---|---|
| Rank 1 | Intelligence 4 | Advanced terminals |
| Rank 2 | Intelligence 4 and player level 9 | Expert terminals |
| Rank 3 | Intelligence 4 and player level 21 | Master terminals |
| Rank 4 | Intelligence 4 and player level 33 | Prevents normal terminal lockouts |
Rank 4 does not reveal the password or solve the minigame. It removes the usual waiting lockout after failed attempts, but you still need to identify the correct word. The requirements are summarized in the Hacker perk reference.
How Intelligence changes the puzzle
Terminal difficulty determines the length of the candidate words. Your Intelligence affects how many candidate words appear. The documented candidate counts are:
| Intelligence | Candidate words |
|---|---|
| 1 | 20 |
| 2 | 18 |
| 3 | 17 |
| 4 | 15 |
| 5 | 14 |
| 6 | 12 |
| 7 | 11 |
| 8 | 9 |
| 9 | 8 |
| 10 or higher | 6 |
The count stops scaling below Intelligence 1 and above Intelligence 10. Higher-difficulty terminals use longer words, which can make each likeness result more informative because there are more positions to compare. That does not make every Master terminal objectively easier: the number of candidates, available bracket groups, and the particular word arrangement still matter.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Nick Valentine and other hacking bonuses
Nick Valentine can attempt terminals regardless of your character’s Hacker rank, but his chance of success decreases as terminal difficulty rises. If he fails all attempts, he can become permanently unable to hack that particular terminal. You may still hack it yourself if you later meet the required Hacker rank. Nick also refuses to hack terminals that count as owned.
The Science bobblehead and the Close to Metal perk can provide additional hacking-related benefits, but they do not replace the Hacker perk’s requirements for Advanced, Expert, or Master terminals. Rank 4 of Hacker remains the perk effect that prevents normal lockouts. More perk details are available in the Hacker reference.
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PC console command to unlock a terminal
On the PC version, you can use the developer console instead of solving the minigame:
- Open the console with the keyboard console key, usually
~. - Click the actual terminal object. Confirm that the console has selected the terminal, not nearby scenery, a visual effect, or another object.
- Enter:
unlock- Press Enter.
The unlock command acts on the currently selected object and can unlock terminals, doors, safes, and other lockable objects. Console command details are listed in the Fallout 4 console commands reference.
Why the command may not work
- Wrong target: The console may have selected an adjacent object or effect rather than the terminal.
- Quest scripting: A script-driven or quest-gated terminal may still require its associated quest condition or password item. Unlocking the object does not necessarily advance the quest.
- Platform limitation: The developer console is not available on PlayStation or Xbox.
Terminal-unlocking mods are a separate option, but Bethesda states that mods disable achievements and trophies until mods are disabled and a save from before mod activation is restored. See Bethesda’s achievement and trophy support page before using them.
Current version and edition notes
Bethesda’s April 25, 2024 next-generation update added native PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series applications, performance and quality modes, PC widescreen support, and Creation Club content. Its listed changes did not alter the terminal-hacking rules.
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1.10.985 - PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One:
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Those notes likewise did not document a change to terminal passwords, likeness scoring, bracket groups, attempts, or lockouts. Bethesda’s latest published Fallout 4 patch notes, dated May 27, 2026, concern Creation storage and Creation-menu fixes and do not list changes to the hacking system. Based on the published notes, the rules in this guide apply to current supported releases unless a future gameplay patch specifically changes them. See the next-generation patch notes, Update 2 notes, and latest Fallout 4 patch notes.
Quick Recap
Quick terminal-hacking checklist
- Scan all non-word text for valid matching bracket groups.
- Use the groups before risking your last attempt.
- Choose a candidate and record the likeness score.
- Eliminate words that do not match that score at the same positions.
- Leave the terminal before the fourth incorrect guess if you want to avoid the temporary lockout.
- Remember that re-entering creates a new word list.
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