How Many Characters Should My Password Be?

Your passwords should be at least 16 characters long. The longer your password is, the more secure it is. This is because of something known as password entropy which refers to how the combination of the characters that make up a password determines the strength of it. Password entropy considers the length and character variation of a password to calculate how difficult it would be for cybercriminals to crack or guess it.

Continue reading to learn more about how you can increase your password entropy by elongating and increasing the complexity of your passwords. 

What makes a strong password?

Creating a strong password is the first and most important step to enhance the security of your online accounts, making it more difficult for cybercriminals to compromise them. Here are the characteristics of a strong password. 

• At least 16 characters long
• Includes uppercase and lowercase letters
• Includes numbers
• Includes random symbols
• Doesn’t include personal information
• Doesn’t contain consecutive numbers or letters
• Doesn’t contain common dictionary words or phrases

Tips to make your passwords longer and more secure

It can be challenging to create lengthy, complex passwords on your own, especially for each of your online accounts. Here are three tips to help simplify the process of creating strong passwords. 

Use a password generator

A password generator is a tool that automatically creates strong and unique passwords that include random letters, numbers and special characters. Password generators allow you to adjust the character length and the types of characters based on your preferred or required password fields. Using a password generator makes it easy for you to create strong passwords that will keep your accounts safe from various cyber threats. 

Create passphrases

A passphrase is a sequence of words that is used as a password. Passphrases are typically longer than passwords because they’re made up of a combination of words, consisting of 16 to 100 total characters. Unlike traditional passwords, passphrases are easier for people to remember because they are made up of multiple dictionary words, allowing users to choose a random phrase. Moreover, because they are longer and made up of words that don’t relate to each other, it makes them harder for cybercriminals to crack. 

Invest in a password manager

A password manager is a cybersecurity solution designed to be your personal digital vault that securely stores and manages all the passwords for your accounts. Most password managers feature a built-in password generator that generates strong and complex passwords for you with ease. Plus, some password managers come with the convenience of storing other types of sensitive information like files, credit card numbers and images.

How to remember your long, complex passwords

The best way to remember your long and complex passwords is by investing in a password manager that remembers them for you. This allows you to easily access all your passwords whenever you need them. The only password you’ll need to memorize is your master password, which acts as the key to unlock your encrypted password vault. Most password managers also come with a feature that will autofill your login credentials whenever you visit a website or application, eliminating the need for you to type your login information. 

Since your master password is the most important password you’ll need to remember, it is a best practice to use a passphrase as your master password since passphrases are easily memorable. In addition, secure your password manager by enabling Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on all accounts that it’s available for. This extra layer of protection reduces the likelihood of unauthorized access, even if your master password is compromised.  

Easily create long, complex passwords with Keeper®

With short and weak passwords, unauthorized individuals can gain access to your online accounts and sensitive information. Keeper Password Manager makes your life easier with its built-in password generator that ensures your passwords protect you from cybercriminals.

See how a password manager helps you create and manage your long and secure passwords by starting a free 30-day trial of Keeper today.