Create a strong password
Learn how to create strong, unique passwords so your accounts are well-protected against hackers.
Features are subject to availability. The steps may look different depending on your device.
Create a strong password
A strong password is like a sturdy lock for your home. It protects your emails, files, and other content from being accessed by anyone but you.
Meet password requirements
With a few easy guidelines, you can create strong passwords to protect your account:
- Use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols (except symbols or characters with accents, like ñ or â).
- Avoid common passwords like “password123”; they will be easier to guess.
- Don’t create a password beginning or ending with a blank space.
Make your password unique
It’s important to always use a different password for each of your online accounts, like email and banking.
Reusing passwords could compromise your most personal information. If you use the same password for all your accounts and one has a password leak, you risk a hacker getting access to many of your accounts.
Make your password longer and more memorable
Long passwords are stronger, so make your password at least 12 characters long. Increasing a password from 8 characters to 12 dramatically increases its ability to prevent a bad actor from figuring it out.
To create a long password you won’t forget, you might use:
- A lyric from a song or poem
- A meaningful quote from a movie or speech
- A passage from a book
- A series of words that are meaningful to you
- An abbreviation: create a password using the first letter of each word in a sentence
Don’t forget to incorporate lowercase and uppercase letters, numbers, and symbols into these options.
Don’t use personal info
Avoid creating passwords from information that others might know about you or could easily find out.
You should avoid using information like your nickname or initials, the name of your child or pet, your birthday or birth year, your phone number and your street name or street number. Avoid using any easily accessible information that people can learn from your social media profiles.
Don’t use common words & patterns
Make it harder to guess your password by avoiding very common words, phrases, and patterns. These might include words like “password” or “letmein”, sequences like “abcdef” or “123456”, or keyboard patterns like “qwerty” or “qazwsx”.
Store passwords securely
If you need to write your password down, don’t leave it on your computer or desk where someone could easily find it. Make sure any written passwords are stored somewhere secret or locked up securely.
Using a trusted password manager helps to make sure you’re using unique, strong passwords and storing them securely. Google’s Password Manager will generate and store your passwords, and fill them in when you reach a login page on any of your devices. Password Manager also checks to see if you’re using weak passwords and recommends you update them.
Related lessons
How your Google Account connects your life
A Google Account is useful in so many areas of your internet life. Learn how and why to protect this account well.
Begin lessonGet to know your Google Account security tools
Control the privacy of your Google Account by learning about your account’s security tools and where they are located.
Begin lessonAdd recovery options
Add recovery options, like a phone number and email address, to your Google Account to make it easier to regain access to your account if you are locked out.
Begin lessonSet up 2-Step Verification
Learn how to set up 2-Step Verification, and how using it helps prevent your account from being accessed.
Begin lessonAdd an extra layer of security with Security Keys
Maximize your security by setting up a security key for your Google Account using either your phone’s built-in key or a physical key from the Google store.
Begin lessonUse Security Checkup to get prepared
You can use Security Checkup to get personalized security recommendations so you can improve the safety of your Google Account.
Begin lessonSet up your Inactive Account Manager
Set up the Inactive Account Manager to give someone access to your Google Account after it becomes inactive. Making a long-term plan for your data ensures the safety of your information.
Begin lessonStay signed in or out of your Google Account
Stay signed in to your Google Account for a personalized experience across all Google services. Sign out of your Google Account when using a shared or public device that might put your personal information at risk.
Begin lessonEnroll in Advanced Protection
The Advanced Protection Program offers the maximum amount of security for users who keep highly sensitive information on their devices.
Begin lesson