What Makes a Strong Password?
Practical password advice covering length, uniqueness, passphrases, password managers and multi-factor authentication.
In this guide
Length beats clever tricks
A short password with a few symbols can still be easier to guess than a much longer password. Length gives an attacker a larger search space to work through. For important accounts, a long unique password or passphrase is a much better starting point than a clever-looking short one.
Never recycle important passwords
If the same password is used on several sites and one site is breached, the same credential may be tried elsewhere. Unique passwords reduce that chain reaction. A password manager makes this much easier because you do not need to remember every password yourself.
Use multi-factor authentication
A second factor adds another barrier after the password. It does not make an account invulnerable, but it means a stolen password alone is less likely to be enough to sign in. Turn it on for email, banking and other important accounts whenever it is available.
Use a generator for random passwords
When a site allows it, a random password generator can save time and avoid predictable choices. Generate a password, save it in your password manager and do not paste it into ordinary notes or messages where it may be exposed.
Try the related tool
If you came here because you need to do the calculation or create something now, you can use the matching KingToolsKit tool and then come back to the guide when you want the explanation.
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