Know what to avoid. Before figuring out what you want to put in your password, here are a few things that you shouldn't put in your password: Pet, family, or friend names Words that appear in the dictionary (e.g., "c@stl3" is fine, while "castle" is not) Personal information (e.g., your phone number)
Understand the components of a good password. Including all of the following components in your password will make it very difficult for someone to crack it: Both upper- and lower-case letters Numbers Symbols At least 12 characters Not easily decipherable as a real word or phrase upon first glance
Consider common password strategies. If you don't have your own method of creating a memorable password, you might want to try one of the following: Removing the vowels from a word or phrase (e.g., "my favorite movie" becomes "mfvrtmv"). Shifting your hands when typing (for example, using the motion that you'd use to type "wikiHow" with your hands shifted down one row on the keyboard). Doubling your password (e.g., creating a password, typing a space or a separating character, and retyping the password).
Pick a compound word or phrase that stands out to you. You most likely have several words, a phrase, a title (e.g., an album or a song), or something similar that stands out to you for some reason. Such words/phrases make great password bases because they're emotionally relevant to you, but not anyone else. For example, you might pick the name of your favorite song from a specific album, or your favorite phrase from a specific book. Make sure that you don't pick a word or phrase that people know you like. EXPERT TIP Brandon Phipps 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 Brandon Phipps Technology Specialist Use a passphrase for better security. A passphrase is a password consisting of at least 14 characters inspired by phrases meaningful to you. For example, transform the sentence "I eat ice cream in summer" into "!8!ceKRAM!n$umm3R." You'll remember your passphrase easily while keeping your data secure.
Select a password strategy. You can apply one of the common password strategies mentioned above (removing vowels), or you can select your own. Some experts even recommend finding several random words and stringing them together without modifying them past that point.
Substitute your favorite numbers for letters. If you have a favorite number or two, replace a couple of letters in the password with them.
Add a character that you like to your password. If you have a favorite character on your keyboard, replace a letter with it, or add it to the beginning of the password to help remember it. Most services require this step when creating a password.
Add an abbreviation for your password's service. For example, if the password is for your work email address, you might add "work email" (or "wrk ml", etc.) to the end of the password. This way, you can use the same base password for most services without repeating the exact password anywhere. It's incredibly important not to repeat your password more than once (e.g., don't use your Facebook password for your email account, etc.).
Consider doubling your password. If your password is only at 8 characters and your selected service (e.g., Facebook) allows for 16 or more characters, simply type the password twice. For added security points, hold down the ⇧ Shift key while typing the second half of the password (e.g., "h@r0ldh@r0ld" would become "h@r0ldH@R)LD").
Create variations of your password. While adding an abbreviation to the end of your password will help you remember a specific service's password, you'll eventually need to change your passwords altogether. If you're happy with your current password, try typing the password while holding down the ⇧ Shift key, or capitalize random letters. If you replaced any letters with numbers, you might switch back to using letters and use numbers for different letters in the password.
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