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How to Create Passwords You'll Actually Remember
By LifeWell Compass Editorial Team · Published · Updated · 3 min read
Long beats complicated. How passphrases and password managers make you safer with less effort.
Weak and reused passwords are among the most common ways accounts get hacked. The good news: a strong password doesn't have to be impossible to remember.
Length beats complexity
A long passphrase like purple-otter-bakes-47-pies is both stronger and easier to remember than something like P@ssw0rd!. Aim for at least 12–16 characters.
Never reuse passwords
When one site is breached, criminals try the same email and password everywhere else. A unique password for each account stops that.
Use a password manager
A password manager creates and stores strong, unique passwords for every site. You remember just one strong master password. Many browsers and phones now include one built in.
Protect the big ones first
Your email is the key to everything, because it's how you reset other passwords. Give it your strongest password and turn on two-factor authentication.
Check if you've been exposed
Free services like Have I Been Pwned show whether your email appeared in a known data breach. If it did, change those passwords.
Keeping track of passwords
If you prefer paper, keep your passwords in a notebook stored somewhere safe at home, not in your wallet or near your computer.
Get help setting up a password manager
A family member or local library tech class can help you set up a password manager.
Never share passwords
No bank, tech company or government agency will ever ask for your password over the phone or by email.
