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How to Create a Strong Password and Use a Password Manager

By : Safdar Waraich | Last updated: 31 October 2026

Most people know that a password should be “strong”. Fewer people know what that really means, and many follow advice that is years out of date: add a capital letter, add a number, add a symbol, change it every three months. The result is a password such as Summer2026!, which looks complicated to a person and is easy for a computer to guess.

This guide explains how passwords are really attacked, what makes one strong, how to create strong passwords without remembering dozens of them, why a password manager is the best tool for the job, and why a password alone is not enough. It does not need technical knowledge, and every step can be done in an afternoon.

How passwords get stolen

To choose a good password, it helps to know what you are defending against. Attackers rarely sit and type guesses one by one. They usually rely on one of these methods:

1. Data breaches and credential stuffing. When a website is hacked, millions of email and password pairs can be leaked. Attackers then try those same pairs on other sites, such as email, shopping and banking, using automatic programs. This is called credential stuffing, and it works because many people reuse the same password everywhere. This is the most common danger for ordinary users.

2. Guessing with dictionaries. Programs try millions of likely passwords per second: common words, names, dates, keyboard patterns like qwerty123, and the usual tricks such as swapping a for @ or adding 1 at the end. Any password a human would think of in ten seconds is probably on these lists.

3. Brute force. The program tries every possible combination. For short passwords, this is fast. For long, random ones, it becomes impractical.

4. Phishing. A fake email or website tricks you into typing your password yourself. No password, however strong, helps if you give it away.

5. Malware and shoulder surfing. Software that records keystrokes, or someone who watches you type.

Notice that only the second and third methods are about the password itself. The first and fourth are about how you use it. That is why good habits matter as much as the password.

What makes a password strong

Length matters most

Every extra character multiplies the number of possible passwords, which makes guessing much slower. Security people measure this in bits of entropy: for a truly random password, entropy equals the length multiplied by log2 of the number of possible characters. Each additional bit doubles the work an attacker needs.

Going from 8 to 16 characters, even with the same character types, raises the strength from about 48 to about 95 bits. That is not twice as hard to crack. It is billions of billions of times harder.

Random beats clever

These numbers apply only to random passwords. A password that a human invents is much weaker than its length suggests, because people follow patterns. Password1! has ten characters and four character types, and it would be found within seconds, because it is a very common choice. A randomly generated 10-character password has no pattern to exploit.

Complexity rules are not the answer

For years, websites forced users to include an uppercase letter, a digit and a symbol. In practice, people respond predictably: they capitalize the first letter, put the number and the symbol at the end, and write P@ssw0rd. Attackers know these habits. Current guidance from NIST, the US standards body, therefore moves away from forced complexity rules and towards length, checking new passwords against lists of known leaked and common passwords, and changing a password only when there is a reason to believe it has been exposed. It recommends at least 15 characters for a password that is the only protection on an account. (These guidelines are written mainly for services that check passwords, but they are good advice for users too. Check the current text of NIST SP 800-63B for the details.)

Habits to avoid

• Reusing a password. One leak then opens many doors. This is the most important rule: a different password for every account.
• Using personal information. Names, birthdays, phone numbers, pet names and favourite teams are easy to find on social media or to guess.
• Predictable tricks. Replacing letters with symbols, adding 123, or adding the current year.
• Keyboard patterns. qwerty, asdfgh, 1qaz2wsx.
• Short passwords. Anything under 12 characters is weaker than it should be.
• Sharing passwords by email or chat. Anyone who can read the message can use the password.
• Answering security questions truthfully. The name of your first school or your mother’s maiden name may be easy to find. If a site asks, treat the answer like a second password and make up a random one, or store it in your password manager.
• Saving passwords in a plain document, a notes app or a browser on a shared computer.

Three ways to create a strong password

Method 1: a random password

Use a generator and let it create a password of 16 or more characters. The Password Generator on this site lets you choose the length and the types of characters. A random password looks like k7Rv!qT2mXw9#LpZ. You do not memorize it, you store it in a password manager. This is the best choice for almost every account.

“Our generator creates passwords in your browser, and they are not sent to or stored on our server.”

Method 2: a passphrase

For the few passwords you must remember, such as your computer login or the master password of your password manager, a passphrase is a better choice than a short, complicated password. A passphrase is made of several random, unrelated words, such as river-candle-orbit-maple-tiger-seven.

The key word is random. If you pick the words yourself, you tend to choose related ones, and the strength falls. A famous quote, a song lyric or a sentence from a book is not random either. To pick words properly, use a random method, such as dice and a word list, or a generator. Six words chosen randomly from a list of 7,776 words give about 77 bits of entropy (6 × 12.9), which is strong, and the phrase is much easier to remember and type than a string of symbols. Longer is better, so use at least five or six words.

Method 3: let your password manager do it

Most password managers can create a strong password for you when you sign up for a new account, and save it at the same time. This is the easiest method, and it makes unique passwords effortless.

Why you need a password manager

A good password is random, long and unique. Nobody can remember dozens of those. If you try, you will end up reusing one or two, which is the thing that causes most account takeovers. A password manager solves the problem.

A password manager is a program that stores all your passwords in an encrypted vault. You unlock the vault with one strong master password. After that, it creates, stores and fills in passwords for you. Most work on your phone and your computer and keep them in sync.

What you gain

• Unique passwords everywhere, without remembering them.
• Stronger passwords, since the manager can use 20 random characters as easily as 8.
• Speed. Passwords fill in automatically.
• Some protection against phishing. A manager fills in a password only on the exact website where it was saved. If a fake site looks identical but has a different address, the manager does not offer the password, which is a useful warning.
• A safe place for other secrets, such as recovery codes, Wi-Fi passwords and secure notes.

Is it risky to put everything in one place?

It is a fair question. A password manager is a single point of failure, but a well-designed one is much safer than the alternative of reused passwords. Reputable managers encrypt your vault on your device before it is stored, so that even the company cannot read it. To protect the manager itself:

• Use a long, strong, unique master password (a passphrase is ideal), and never use it anywhere else.
• Turn on two-factor authentication for the manager.
• Keep your recovery information (such as a recovery key) in a safe place, printed and stored securely, not in the same vault.
• Keep your devices and apps updated.

How to choose one

You can use the manager built into your browser or your phone’s operating system, which is easy and free, or a separate dedicated manager, which often gives you more features and works across different browsers and devices. Look for:

• a good reputation and a record of independent security reviews;
• strong encryption and support for two-factor authentication;
• availability on all the devices you use;
• a way to export your data, so that you are not locked in;
• a clear recovery process;
• a clear privacy policy.

Check current reviews from trustworthy sources before you choose, because products and their policies change.

Add a second layer: two-factor authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA, also called multi-factor authentication or MFA) means that logging in needs your password and something else. If an attacker steals your password, they are still stopped at the second step.

Not all second factors are equally strong:

Use at least an authenticator app for your most important accounts, and a security key or passkey where it is offered.

Passkeys are a newer way to log in without typing a password at all. They use cryptographic keys stored on your device and unlocked with your fingerprint, face or screen lock. Because the key works only for the genuine website, they are strongly protected against phishing. Support is growing, but not every service has it yet, so passwords and 2FA remain important for now.

Save your backup codes. When you turn on 2FA, most services give you recovery codes. Store them in your password manager or print them and keep them safely. If you lose your phone and have no codes, you can be locked out.

Which accounts to secure first

If you have a lot of accounts, you do not need to change everything today. Start with the ones that matter most:

1. Your main email account. It is the key to everything, because password resets are sent there. Give it a strong, unique password and 2FA first.
2. Banking, payment and shopping accounts.
3. Your phone’s account (Apple, Google or similar) and your password manager.
4. Work and business accounts.
5. Social media.
6. Everything else, changing each password to a unique one whenever you log in.

If you run a website, add your hosting control panel, your domain registrar, your website admin login and your FTP or database access. Whoever controls those controls your site, and a stolen hosting password can mean a deleted website. Use unique, long passwords and 2FA wherever possible.

When should you change a password?

The old advice was to change every password every 60 or 90 days. Experts now advise against forced regular changes, because people respond by making small, predictable edits (Spring1, Summer1, Autumn1). Change a password when there is a reason:

• you were told that a service you use had a breach;
• you suspect someone saw or guessed your password;
• you used the password on a shared or unsafe device;
• you find out that you reused it on a site that was hacked;
• a family member, colleague or former employee who knew it no longer needs access.

Many password managers can warn you about passwords that appear in known leaks. You can also check whether your email address appears in a public breach with a reputable breach-notification service such as Have I Been Pwned. Do not type your actual passwords into random websites to “test” them.

How to protect yourself from phishing

• Treat urgent messages with suspicion: “Your account will be closed”, “Unusual login detected”.
• Do not click login links in emails. Open the website yourself by typing the address, or use a saved bookmark.
• Check the address in the browser before you type a password. Look for small spelling changes in the domain name.
• Let your password manager decide. If it does not fill in the password, stop and check the site.
• Never share one-time codes with anyone. A real company will not ask you for them.

A 30-minute plan to improve your security today

1. Choose a password manager and create a strong master password (a passphrase).
2. Turn on 2FA for the password manager and for your main email.
3. Change your email password to a long, unique one.
4. Save your recovery codes safely.
5. Change the passwords of your banking, phone account and main shopping accounts, using the manager’s generator.
6. Import or save the other passwords from your browser into the manager, and delete the old ones from the browser if you move to a separate manager.
7. Update the rest over the next weeks, one account at a time, starting with the ones you use most.

A quick checklist

• Is every important account protected with a unique password?
• Are my passwords at least 12 characters long, and ideally 16 or more?
• Are they random, not based on personal information?
• Do I use a password manager, with a strong master passphrase?
• Is 2FA on for my email, banking and password manager?
• Have I saved my recovery codes?
• Do I avoid sharing passwords in messages?
• Do I know what to do if one of my accounts is breached?

Common questions

How long should my password be?
At least 12 characters for ordinary accounts, and 16 or more for important ones. For a single password that protects an account on its own, current NIST guidance recommends at least 15.

Do I need symbols and numbers?
Not necessarily. A long random password is strong with or without them. Add them when a site requires them.

Is a passphrase better than a random password?
For something you must remember, yes. For accounts stored in a password manager, a random password works well.

Is it safe to use an online password generator?
It can be safe when the password is created in your browser and not sent anywhere. For your most important accounts, use the generator built into your password manager.

Should I write my passwords on paper?
A paper kept in a safe place at home is better than reusing a weak password. But a password manager is safer and more convenient.

What if I forget my master password?
Most managers cannot recover it, because they do not know it. Keep your recovery key or emergency kit in a safe place.

Are browser-saved passwords safe?
They are better than reusing passwords, and good browsers protect them well when your device is locked and updated. A separate manager gives you more features across devices.

What do I do if my password was leaked?
Change it immediately, change it on every site where you used it, check your account for strange activity and turn on 2FA.

Final thoughts

You do not need to be a security expert. Remember four things: make passwords long and random, use a different one for every account, let a password manager remember them, and add two-factor authentication to the accounts that matter most.

Start today with your email account. Create a new long password with the Password Generator or your password manager, turn on 2FA, and save your recovery codes. That single step protects more than any other.

This article is general information, not personalized security advice. Security recommendations change, so check the current guidance from trusted sources, and for business or high-risk situations, consult a qualified professional.