diff --git a/src/node/util.ts b/src/node/util.ts
index e3039d89c..551ed4b60 100644
--- a/src/node/util.ts
+++ b/src/node/util.ts
@@ -162,6 +162,33 @@ export const isHashLegacyMatch = (password: string, hashPassword: string) => {
   return safeCompare(hashedWithLegacy, hashPassword)
 }
 
+const passwordMethods = ["SHA256", "ARGON2", "PLAIN_TEXT"] as const
+export type PasswordMethod = typeof passwordMethods[number]
+
+/**
+ * Used to determine the password method.
+ *
+ * There are three options for the return value:
+ * 1. "SHA256" -> the legacy hashing algorithm
+ * 2. "ARGON2" -> the newest hashing algorithm
+ * 3. "PLAIN_TEXT" -> regular ol' password with no hashing
+ *
+ * @returns {PasswordMethod} "SHA256" | "ARGON2" | "PLAIN_TEXT"
+ */
+export function getPasswordMethod(hashedPassword: string | undefined): PasswordMethod {
+  if (!hashedPassword) {
+    return "PLAIN_TEXT"
+  }
+
+  // This is the new hashing algorithm
+  if (hashedPassword.includes("$argon")) {
+    return "ARGON2"
+  }
+
+  // This is the legacy hashing algorithm
+  return "SHA256"
+}
+
 const mimeTypes: { [key: string]: string } = {
   ".aac": "audio/x-aac",
   ".avi": "video/x-msvideo",
diff --git a/test/unit/node/util.test.ts b/test/unit/node/util.test.ts
index 62d27ff25..11fb701a1 100644
--- a/test/unit/node/util.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/node/util.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
-import { hash, isHashMatch, hashLegacy, isHashLegacyMatch } from "../../../src/node/util"
+import {
+  hash,
+  isHashMatch,
+  PasswordMethod,
+  getPasswordMethod,
+  hashLegacy,
+  isHashLegacyMatch,
+} from "../../../src/node/util"
 
 describe("getEnvPaths", () => {
   describe("on darwin", () => {
@@ -203,3 +210,25 @@ describe("isHashLegacyMatch", () => {
     expect(isHashLegacyMatch(password, _hash)).toBe(true)
   })
 })
+
+describe("getPasswordMethod", () => {
+  it("should return PLAIN_TEXT for no hashed password", () => {
+    const hashedPassword = undefined
+    const passwordMethod = getPasswordMethod(hashedPassword)
+    const expected: PasswordMethod = "PLAIN_TEXT"
+    expect(passwordMethod).toEqual(expected)
+  })
+  it("should return ARGON2 for password with 'argon2'", () => {
+    const hashedPassword =
+      "$argon2i$v=19$m=4096,t=3,p=1$0qR/o+0t00hsbJFQCKSfdQ$oFcM4rL6o+B7oxpuA4qlXubypbBPsf+8L531U7P9HYY"
+    const passwordMethod = getPasswordMethod(hashedPassword)
+    const expected: PasswordMethod = "ARGON2"
+    expect(passwordMethod).toEqual(expected)
+  })
+  it("should return SHA256 for password with legacy hash", () => {
+    const hashedPassword = "936a185caaa266bb9cbe981e9e05cb78cd732b0b3280eb944412bb6f8f8f07af"
+    const passwordMethod = getPasswordMethod(hashedPassword)
+    const expected: PasswordMethod = "SHA256"
+    expect(passwordMethod).toEqual(expected)
+  })
+})