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CipherRegister

Enigma Machine Simulator

Configure Enigma I, M3, or M4 rotors, ring settings, reflectors, and plugboard wiring with live output and signal tracing.

Explore the history and mechanics of Enigma Using the Enigma simulator: View the complete user guide
Machine settings Show settings

Machine model

Rotor stack

Rotors are listed left to right as seen by the operator. The signal enters through the right rotor.

Left
Middle
Right

Plugboard · Steckerbrett

Type pairs or use the sockets. Click a connected letter to remove its cable.

Text and display

5
Start Current
Reflector B
A
A
A

Historical German QWERTZ layout. Click a key or type in the input panel.

Plaintext input

Letters 0 Characters 0 Rotor steps 0

Ciphertext output

Ready Letters 0 End windows A A A

Last-letter signal trace

Enter at least one letter to inspect the stepped rotor positions and complete electrical route.

Current key sheet

Machine
Reflector
Rotor order
Ring settings
Start windows
Plugboard
—

Machine properties

Operation Reciprocal Stepping Rotors Notches Plugboard Mode

Using This Tool: Guide & Notes Show guide

The Enigma simulator reproduces the reciprocal rotor path, plugboard substitutions, ring settings, and historically important double-stepping of Enigma I, M3, and M4.

How to use it

  • Choose Enigma I, naval M3, naval M4, or the custom research model.
  • Set three different moving rotors, their ring settings, starting windows, and a compatible reflector.
  • Enter plugboard pairs if required, then type or paste text into the input panel.
  • Inspect the output, final rotor windows, key sheet, and optional last-letter signal trace.

Options and settings

  • Load test vector uses the standard I–II–III, reflector B, rings AAA, windows AAA configuration where HELLOWORLD becomes ILBDAAMTAZ.
  • The M4 model adds a static Beta or Gamma wheel and requires a thin reflector.
  • Non-letter handling can preserve characters, remove them, or encode spaces as X.
  • Research mode supports custom wirings and double-step, odometer, or static rotor behaviour.

Notes

  • Enigma is reciprocal: the same valid key settings encipher and decipher, but the starting windows must be restored before reversing a message.
  • Rotor order, ring settings, starting windows, reflector, and plugboard pairs are all part of the key.
  • This simulator is an educational reconstruction and does not provide modern cryptographic security.
See all tools
One-Time Pad / Vernam Cipher Encrypt or decrypt letters with an equal-length key, securely generate a random pad in your browser, and inspect every modulo-26 step. Vigenère Cipher Polyalphabetic substitution cipher using a repeating key. Beaufort Cipher Use a repeating keyword with the reciprocal Beaufort rule C = K - P mod 26. Autokey Cipher Extend a keyword with plaintext letters for a stronger polyalphabetic stream.
Related Article

Enigma Machine: The Cipher That Changed with Every Keypress

How rotating wired wheels, a reflector, and a plugboard created one of history’s most formidable cipher machines—and how mathematics, engineering, captured documents, and human mistakes brought it down.

Read the article
Signal acquired

A note from the team

We build these tools because we love cryptography, encoding, and making difficult ideas easier to explore. If they've helped you, even a small coffee means the world to the project. Thank you!

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