To make a strong password, follow these key guidelines:
- Make it long — ideally at least 12 to 16 characters or more.
- Use a mixture of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters (like !, @, #, ?).
- Avoid common words, predictable patterns, and personal information like names, birthdays, or pets' names.
- Use unique passwords for each account — never reuse passwords.
- Consider using mnemonic devices or passphrases (a string of random but memorable words) to make passwords easier to remember.
- Change passwords regularly and do not write them down or share them.
Example techniques include turning a memorable phrase into a mixed case password with numbers and symbols (e.g., "Let’s have dinner at 8:00 p.m." becomes "Lhd@800pm"), or using random words like "Blue Tiger Pizza Rainbow" as a passphrase. For best practice, use a password manager to generate and store complex, unique passwords for each account while remembering just one master password.