How to Create a Strong Password: A Simple Guide
A strong password is one of the simplest ways to keep your money and personal information safe online. The good news is that a strong password does not have to be a jumble of letters you can never remember. The best ones are actually easy to recall.
This guide explains what makes a password strong, an easy way to create one, and how to keep track of them without stress. You will find more advice like this in our main guide to staying safe online.
Quick answer
Make your password long rather than complicated. Join three or four random words together, such as “river-purple-garden-seven”. Use a different password for each important account, especially your email and bank, and keep a written list somewhere safe at home.
What makes a password strong
Length is what matters most. A long password is much harder to guess than a short one, even a short one full of symbols. The other key rule is to use a different password for each important account, so that if one is ever exposed, the others stay safe.
An easy way to make one
A simple method is to join three or four random words with a number or a dash between them. For example, “coffee-mountain-blue-12” is long, easy to picture, and very hard to guess. Avoid obvious choices like your name, your pet’s name, or your date of birth, since these can be found out.
How to keep track of your passwords
You are not expected to remember them all. Two safe approaches work well. You can write them in a small notebook kept somewhere private at home, away from the computer. Or you can use a password manager, which is an app that stores them securely and fills them in for you. A family member can help you set one up if you would like.
Password dos and don’ts
- Do make passwords long, using several words joined together.
- Do use a different password for your email and your bank.
- Do turn on two-step verification where it is offered, for extra safety.
- Do not reuse the same password everywhere.
- Do not share a password by email or text, and do not give it to a caller.
Before you finish
Download the free Family Tech Safety Checklist to help check phone safety, passwords, scam messages, emergency contacts and medical alarm details.
FAQ: Strong passwords
Is it safe to write my passwords down?
Yes, if you keep the list somewhere private at home, not on or near the computer. The bigger risk for most people is reusing one weak password everywhere.
How often should I change my passwords?
You do not need to change a strong password regularly. Change it only if a company tells you their system was breached, or if you think someone may know it.
What is a password manager?
It is an app that safely stores all your passwords and types them in for you. You only need to remember one main password to open it. It is a convenient and secure option.
What is two-step verification?
It is an extra check, often a code sent to your phone, used along with your password. It adds strong protection, especially for your email and bank.
Which accounts matter most?
Your email is the most important, because it can be used to reset other passwords. After that, your bank and any shopping accounts with your card saved.
