How to Make a Strong Password
A strong password is long and random, and used on one account only. Attackers do not guess by hand. They test billions of combinations and passwords already leaked from other sites.
Steps
- Pick the length. Use at least 12 random characters, and 16 or more for email, banking and your password manager.
- Let a generator choose. A password made from random characters from 94 symbols and 16 characters has about 105 bits of entropy. Human choices such as names, dates and "P@ssw0rd" are far weaker.
- Use a passphrase when you must type it. Five or six random words are easy to remember and strong. Make sure the words are random, not a quote or a lyric.
- Store it safely. Keep passwords in a password manager, and turn on two-step login for important accounts.
Good to know
Never reuse a password. When one site leaks it, attackers try it everywhere else.
The generator on this site uses your browser random number generator, and the password is not sent or stored anywhere.
Do not rely on complexity rules alone. A long random password beats a short one with symbols.