To hack a terminal in Fallout 4, choose a candidate password and use the terminal’s likeness score to rule out words that cannot match. The score counts letters in the correct positions—not letters that merely appear somewhere in both words. Use complete bracket groups in the symbol clutter for a chance to remove a dud or restore attempts, and stop before your fourth wrong guess triggers a lockout.
How the terminal password puzzle works
Each terminal presents several candidate words of the same length, mixed in with symbols. Select a word to test it. The terminal returns a likeness number: how many letters match the password in the same positions. For example, if a guess has a likeness of two, exactly two of its letters occupy the same positions as the password; matching letters in different positions do not count.
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Use that number to eliminate candidates. Compare each remaining word with your guess position by position. A candidate is possible only if the number of matching positions is exactly the likeness reported. Repeat this process with each new guess until you identify the password.
Use each result to narrow the list
Do not treat likeness as a broad similarity score. If a guess and another candidate match in three positions, but the terminal reported a likeness of one, that candidate cannot be the password. Applying this check across the full list is more reliable than choosing words because they look or sound alike.
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Use bracket groups before spending guesses
Look through the symbol strings for complete groups such as (...), [...], {...}, or <...>. Select a complete matching group when you find one. It may remove an incorrect password candidate (a “dud”) or restore available attempts. The result is random, so a bracket group is useful but not guaranteed to restore tries.
Check the full line for an opening and closing bracket of the same type before selecting. A lone bracket or an incomplete group is not the same as a complete matching group.
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Keep track of attempts and lockouts
The mechanics reference describes four incorrect password guesses as the limit before a 10-second lockout. A bracket group that removes a dud can improve your odds by reducing the candidate list, but it does not make an uncertain password guess safe. Use the likeness clues to narrow the options before selecting another word.
Which terminals can you hack?
Fallout 4 has four terminal tiers. The Hacker perk, which requires Intelligence 4, unlocks access to the three higher tiers as you gain ranks. Its rank requirements and effects are:
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| Hacker rank | Level requirement | Terminal access or effect |
|---|---|---|
| Rank 1 | Level 1 | Advanced terminals |
| Rank 2 | Level 9 | Expert terminals |
| Rank 3 | Level 21 | Master terminals |
| Rank 4 | Level 33 | Prevents terminal lockouts |
The perk page gives the same Intelligence 4 requirement for Hacker and lists the level thresholds shown above. The first three ranks grant access to progressively higher terminal tiers; rank four prevents lockouts. After a failed attempt at rank four, the password is randomized again, so you still have to solve a new puzzle.
How Intelligence affects the puzzle
Intelligence changes how many candidate words appear, according to the Fallout Wiki’s mechanics reference. The listed counts decline as Intelligence rises; the reference specifies no further scaling below Intelligence 1 or above 10.
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| Intelligence | Candidate words |
|---|---|
| 1 | 20 |
| 2 | 18 |
| 3 | 17 |
| 4 | 15 |
| 5 | 14 |
| 6 | 12 |
| 7 | 11 |
| 8 | 9 |
| 9 | 8 |
| 10 | 6 |
These figures describe the game mechanic, not a real-world measurement. The Intelligence effect is about the number of candidates shown; the likeness method remains the same.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Hacking with the Pip-Boy companion app
Bethesda Support says the companion app switches to “View Mode” while the character accesses a terminal, preventing app input during that gameplay situation. The support page also says the app cannot be used until the character has left Vault 111.
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