How to Make a Strong Password That You'll Remember

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Keep your accounts secure by creating super-strong passwords

Co-authored by Brandon Phipps and Hannah Dillon

Last Updated: July 21, 2026 Fact Checked

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Creating a Secure Password

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Using Password Managers

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Things to Avoid

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Online Password Generators

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Expert Q&A

When you're creating a password for an online account, how exactly do you make it as strong and secure as possible? There are a few things you can do to make a very strong yet easy-to-remember password, but without falling into some of the common pitfalls that make your password too easy to guess. In this article, we'll teach you how to make a secure password, how to use a password manager, and things to avoid when making a password. Keep reading to learn more.

How to Make a Strong Password: Quick Steps

Pick a memorable phrase or series of words.
Choose parts of those words (such as the first three letters of each word).
Add numbers to your password, in between the letters you picked.
Switch some of the letters in your password to numbers or symbols.
Make sure your password is at least 14 to 16 characters long.
Memorize your password, or use a password manager to keep track of it.

Section 1 of 4:

Creating a Secure Password

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1
Choose a memorable sentence or series of words. This is a useful starting point for making a password that's complex and difficult to guess while easy for you to remember. While you should stay away from personally relevant information or common phrases, it's still convenient to create a password that you can recall without much trouble. Crafting a statement or sentence that will stick with you can serve as a useful basis for your password.
- You can pick a sentence, or you can choose a random assortment of words that are memorable to you. For example, you could start with the random words "Pancake, Opera, Ribbon."
  - Avoid choosing words that are significant to you in a way that someone could guess. Don't use words related to your profession or where you live.
  - You should also pick words that aren't related to your username at all. If your username is "pancakefreak96" or "i_love_opera," these words wouldn't be a good choice for a password.
- If you opt to make your password a sentence, it is also sometimes called a "passphrase."
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Brandon Phipps
Technology Specialist
Brandon Phipps is a Technology Specialist based in Bakersfield, CA. He is the owner of Second Star Technologies and specializes in Managed IT Services for small and mid-sized businesses in Bakersfield, CA. With over 23 years of experience, he offers expert cloud computing, cybersecurity, and network management solutions. Brandon is a committed community member and coach who leads and innovates in tech and sports coaching. His dedication to local businesses and communities is evident in his hands-on, tailored approach to IT solutions.

Brandon Phipps
Technology Specialist

For better security, choose a long, complicated passphrase that you'll be able to remember. A passphrase is a longer password consisting of at least 14 characters that are based on words or phrases that are meaningful to you. For example, the phrase "I eat ice cream in summer" can be transformed into "!8!ceKRAM!n$umm3R." You'll remember your passphrase easily while keeping your data secure.
2
Take parts of your phrase to start creating your password. You could use the first one, two, or three letters from each word to create the basis for your password. For example, you could start with "Pan Ope Rib" if you went with the three random words of "Pancake, Opera, Ribbon."
- Make sure to include both upper- and lower-case letters. Most websites require you to add at least one of each in your password.
- Don't just capitalize the first or last letter of your password. Mix upper- and lower-case letters throughout your password to be as secure as possible.
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3
Create a complex but memorable sequence of letters and numbers. Add numbers to your password to make it lengthy, hard to guess, but easy for you to remember. A secure password should be 14 to 16 characters long.^{[1]
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- For example, if May 1996 is memorable to you, include that in your password. Intersperse the numbers between the letters, like "Pan05Ope19Rib96."
  - Don't use your birthdate, anniversary, or any other easily guessable date. Perhaps May 1996 was the month you got your first bike.
- You could also switch some of the letters to numbers, like switching an A to a 4. In our example, you could make your password "P4n05Ope19Rib96."
4
Switch some of the letters to symbols. Pick symbols that look like letters so it's easier for you to remember. Adding symbols makes your password even harder to guess, and many websites require you to add symbols when creating a password.
- In our example, you could change "P4n05Ope19Rib96" to "P4n05Ope19R!b96." An exclamation point (!) is an easy replacement for a lowercase i.
- Most websites will only accept certain symbols in your password. Avoid using difficult symbols that are hard for you to type, as this will make it harder for you to type your password accurately.
5
Memorize your secure password. Even if your password is made up of words and numbers that are memorable to you, it will take some time to memorize your password. If you're having trouble remembering your passwords, consider using a password manager.
- If it is extra hard to remember your password, consider making it a little easier to remember. While "Pancake9Opera6R!bbon" is less secure than "P4n05Ope19R!b96," it's still better than just "pancake."
  - The harder your password is to guess, the more "entropy" it has. However, the tradeoff is that passwords with high entropy are hard to remember.^{[2]
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Section 2 of 4:

Using Password Managers

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Select a password management program. Password managers are encrypted programs that save your passwords and auto-fill that information for you when you log in to a website or app. Most password managers also have the ability to generate random passwords for you, cutting down on your need to make your own complex and secure passwords. There are plenty of password managers out there, and each have their own pros and cons. Choose one that works for you. Below are some of the most popular password managers available:
- Bitwarden: Many people prefer Bitwarden because it works well and isn't very expensive, with free options available.
- 1Password: 1Password has been around for a while, and people praise its "Quick Access" feature that lets you easily search your login credentials.
- Apple Passwords app: If you're in the Apple ecosystem, this app is easy to use, but some consider it too simplistic.
- LastPass: Another well-known password manager, though some don't recommend it due to past data breaches.
- Most modern web browsers (like Chrome, Edge, and Firefox) also have built-in password managers that can save and even suggest passwords for you. However, these are considered less secure than standalone password management apps.
Specific instructions will vary depending on which program you select, so be sure to follow instructions carefully. Generally speaking, you'll need to visit the password manager's website and click a "download" button before following the installation instructions associated with your operating system.^{[3]
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Again, the process will vary depending on the specific program. Most popular programs are pretty user-friendly when it comes to core functionality.
For example, you can decide whether you want the program to automatically log you in to sites and whether it audits your unique passwords to ensure they're sufficiently different and changed regularly.
5
Consider "peppering" your password manager passwords. "Peppering" is an added layer of security. A "pepper" is an extra, short string of letters, numbers, and symbols you add after your password manager has filled in the saved password for your login. This is also a way to safeguard against data breaches; if your password is discovered in a breach, the hackers won't have your actual password, because they don't have your "pepper."^{[4]
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- For example, imagine one of your account passwords is "Yt$1!aP3c?a3N." However, your password manager only has "Yt$1!aP3c" saved for that account. When logging in, you'll manually type "?a3N" after your password manager auto-fills that account's password. "?a3N" would be considered your "pepper."

Section 3 of 4:

Things to Avoid

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This includes your name, the name of a family member, the name of a pet, the street you live on, or anything like that. Unfortunately, personal information is quite easy to find online these days, so it's not recommended to use it as a password.
This is an open invitation to your online accounts, and it's often exploited to accomplish online identity theft. If you need to give a trusted person access to one of your accounts, consider allowing them to access it on a device that's already logged in. Never let someone you don't know or trust access any of your accounts.
3
Don't use the same password for every account. While using the same password for all your accounts makes it easy to remember, it leaves you vulnerable to losing all of your accounts if someone figures it out.
- Likewise, make sure your passwords are distinct. If your passwords are similar, a hacker might try to rearrange the password they stole from you to access more of your accounts.
EXPERT TIP

Brandon Phipps
Technology Specialist
Brandon Phipps is a Technology Specialist based in Bakersfield, CA. He is the owner of Second Star Technologies and specializes in Managed IT Services for small and mid-sized businesses in Bakersfield, CA. With over 23 years of experience, he offers expert cloud computing, cybersecurity, and network management solutions. Brandon is a committed community member and coach who leads and innovates in tech and sports coaching. His dedication to local businesses and communities is evident in his hands-on, tailored approach to IT solutions.

Brandon Phipps
Technology Specialist

Avoid using the same password for multiple websites, especially if those sites have questionable security. If your login information on one website is compromised, hackers can potentially gain access to your accounts on other sites. Be sure to create unique passwords for each site to reduce your risk of being hacked.
A "default" password is something like password, admin, or guest.^{[5]
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Research source} These passwords are incredibly easy to guess. In fact, some websites won't even let you use these words in a password when you're creating one.
5
Avoid number sequences. Common number sequences such as 1234, 911, 112, 31415, 27183, or 0000 can be easily guessed.^{[6]
X
Research source} If you're using numbers in your password, make sure to disperse them between other letters and symbols.
- Don't use your ZIP code, part of your phone number, or your birthdate in your password.

Section 4 of 4:

Online Password Generators

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Do not use online password generators. It's impossible to know if these are actually generating truly random passwords, and if those passwords are being stored anywhere. The best way to make a secure password is to create one yourself or by using a local password generator (like one included with your password manager).^{[7]
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- Even though randomly-generated passwords are generally stronger than a password you can think up on your own, you can still create a very strong, secure, and memorable password without a password generator.
- Randomly generated passwords are also hard to remember, unless you're using a password manager—and at that point, it's best to just use the built-in password generator that your manager comes with.

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Question

What are some good password ideas?

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist
Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over 7 years.

Luigi Oppido

Computer & Tech Specialist

Expert Answer

To make a very secure password, focus on the length. For instance, you might think of 3 words that normally wouldn't go together, and put them together in a password. It will take a computer about 60 years to figure out a 10-12 character password, even if it's all lowercase letters with no special characters.

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What are the rules to create a secure password?

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist
Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over 7 years.

Luigi Oppido

Computer & Tech Specialist

Expert Answer

It's a good idea to have at least 2 or 3 passwords that you use for different sites. That way, if one password is compromised, you won't have as many sites that you need to go in and change.

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Is it safe to use a lesser-known nickname as a password?

Community Answer

Using a nickname as a password is acceptable if it isn't easily linked to your real name. For better security, choose an uncommon nickname and consider adding numbers or symbols to increase its strength.

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