What makes a strong password in 2026?
- Length matters most. Current guidance from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the UK National Cyber Security Centre favours long passwords. Use at least 12–16 characters, or three or more random words.
- Random, not clever. Swapping letters for symbols (p@ssw0rd) is the first thing cracking tools try.
- Unique for every account. Reusing a password means one data breach unlocks everything. A password manager makes this easy.
- Turn on two-step verification (2FA or passkeys) for email, banking and social media.
| Password | Approx. strength | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 8 random characters | ~50 bits — fair | Low-value sites only |
| 12 random characters | ~75 bits — strong | Most accounts |
| 16 random characters | ~100 bits — very strong | Email, banking, password manager |
| 4 random words | ~41 bits (~48 with a number) | Wi-Fi, things you type often |
| 6 random words | ~62 bits (~69 with a number) | Master passwords you must remember |
Passphrases: easy to remember, hard to guess
The UK NCSC suggests “three random words” for passwords you need to remember. A passphrase like Otter-Lunar-Teapot-Quilt-42 is long, easy to type on a phone and much harder to crack than a short complex password. The words must be picked at random, not from a quote or song lyric.
crypto.getRandomValues in your browser. Nothing is sent over the internet, and the password disappears when you close the page.Password Generator FAQs
Is this password generator safe?
Yes. Passwords are created on your device with your browser’s cryptographic random number generator and are never sent or stored.
How long should my password be?
At least 12 characters for most accounts and 16 or more for email, banking and your password manager. For passphrases, use five or six random words.
Should I use symbols?
They add strength, but length adds more. Some sites limit symbols, so turn them off if a site rejects your password.
What is a passphrase?
A password made of several random words, like Maple-Orbit-Velvet-Kayak. It is long, easy to remember and hard to guess.