How to Generate Strong Passwords

In 2025, over 80% of data breaches involved weak or reused passwords. Despite years of security advice, "123456" and "password" remain among the most commonly used credentials worldwide. Let us fix that.

What Makes a Password Strong?

A strong password has three qualities: length (at least 16 characters), complexity (mix of character types), and uniqueness (never reused across accounts).

Length is the most important factor. A 20-character password made of random lowercase letters is significantly harder to crack than an 8-character password with mixed character types.

The Problem with Human-Created Passwords

Humans are terrible at randomness. We fall into patterns: capitalizing the first letter, adding a number at the end, substituting "a" with "@". Attackers know these patterns and their cracking tools account for them.

Why You Need a Password Generator

A password generator uses cryptographically secure randomness to create passwords that have no patterns, no dictionary words, and no predictability. Each character is independently random.

Recommended Settings

For maximum security, use these settings in your password generator: 20 or more characters, include uppercase letters, include lowercase letters, include numbers, include special characters.

For passwords you need to type manually (like a computer login), consider a longer password with only letters and numbers — 24 characters of random alphanumeric text is extremely secure and easier to type.

Managing Your Passwords

Strong passwords are useless if you cannot remember them. Use a password manager to store all your generated passwords securely. You only need to remember one master password — make it a long passphrase of random words.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Never reuse passwords across sites. Never share passwords via email or messaging. Never store passwords in plain text files or sticky notes. And never use personal information (birthdays, pet names, addresses) in passwords.