How to create strong passwords you can remember

A leaked password doesn’t just sit on one website. It spreads, like spilled ink creeping across paper, touching anything it can reach. One login turns into many, and the damage often happens quietly, while you’re making tea or scrolling the news.

The good news is you don’t need to be “good with tech” to fix this. You can make strong passwords you can remember by leaning on a few simple truths: length beats cleverness, every account needs its own password, and memory works better with pictures and patterns than with chaos.

You’ll leave with three practical methods you can use today: passphrases, a sentence-to-password trick, and a password manager for the accounts you don’t want to think about again.

What makes a password strong (and why most people get it wrong)

Hackers don’t sit there guessing “Fluffy123” one try at a time. They use tools that test huge numbers of passwords quickly, and they recycle leaked logins from past breaches. That’s why short, common, or reused passwords fall so fast.

A strong password is built on three pillars:

1) Length (first and always)
The longer it is, the harder it is to crack by guessing.

2) Uniqueness (one per account)
If you reuse a password, a breach on one site can open doors elsewhere.

3) Variety (only if you can still remember it)
Upper and lower case, numbers, and symbols help, but they’re not the main event. Length is.

A few quick myths worth binning:

• “I swapped ‘a’ for ‘@’, so I’m safe.” Not if the word is short or common. Attack tools try these swaps automatically.
• “Password2026!” looks complex.” It’s still predictable, and predictable is fragile.
• Security questions can “secure” your account. If the answers are real facts (first school, birthplace), they can be guessed or found.

If you want a plain-language guide to what organisations recommend, Google’s own advice on creating a strong password is clear and practical: https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/32040?hl=en

Length beats complexity, so go longer

If you change only one thing, make your passwords longer.

A 16-character password made of normal words can outlast an 8-character jumble that looks “complex”. Why? Because brute-force guessing is a numbers game. Each extra character multiplies the possible combinations.

A simple target:

• Minimum: 12 characters (for low-value accounts)
• Better: 16+ characters (for email, banking, main accounts)
• Best (when you can): a long passphrase you can picture

You can check length without any tool. Type it out and count quickly in blocks of four. If you can’t reach 12 without effort, it’s a sign the password is too “cute” and not sturdy.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation explains the logic behind strong passwords in a user-friendly way, including why longer passphrases can be safer than short ones: https://ssd.eff.org/module/creating-strong-passwords

Reusing passwords is how one leak becomes many hacks

Reusing passwords is the most common way people get caught out. When criminals get a batch of leaked logins, they don’t stop at the site that leaked them. They try the same email and password on other popular services. This is called credential stuffing, but the idea is simple: “Try the same key in lots of doors.”

Picture this: your old shopping password also opens your email. Your email then resets your bank login. That’s the chain.

If you suspect you’ve reused passwords, start with the accounts that can reset everything else:

Email first, then banking and payments, then your Apple ID or Google or Microsoft account, then your main social accounts.

For a readable overview of common password mistakes and what to do instead, this guide is a solid companion: https://www.staysafeonline.org/articles/passwords

3 easy ways to create strong passwords you can remember

You don’t need one perfect method. You need one you’ll actually stick with.

Below are three approaches. Pick the one that fits your life, then use it consistently. Consistency is what turns “new system” into “muscle memory”.

Use a passphrase: 4 random words plus a small twist

A passphrase is exactly what it sounds like: a phrase, not a single word. It’s long, it’s easier to remember, and it can be very hard to guess if the words are chosen well.

Step by step:

1. Pick four or five random words. Avoid famous quotes, memes, or anything tied to your life.
2. Add separators (a hyphen, full stop, or underscore).
3. Add a small twist: one capital letter and one number that isn’t a date, plus a symbol if the site requires it.

Two example formats (don’t copy these, use your own words):

• Example: River-Paint-Garden-Toast!7
• Example: cider.Forest8.Kettle.Magnet?

Why it works: it’s long, it doesn’t rely on personal info, and it avoids the “one word plus a year” habit.

To make it stick in your head, turn the words into a quick mental picture. Imagine a river painting a garden, then toast popping out of the soil. Silly images are sticky.

Avoid “memory traps” that feel unique but aren’t:

• Pet names, football teams, favourite bands
• Street names, postcodes, birthdays
• Anything you’ve posted publicly, even once

If you want more memory-friendly ideas (without turning passwords into a guessing game), PCMag has a helpful set of tips for remembering strong passwords: https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/tricks-for-remembering-strong-passwords

Turn a sentence you can picture into a password you can type fast

Some people hate random words. If that’s you, use a sentence you can see clearly, then compress it into something you can type quickly.

The trick is to use a made-up, vivid sentence, not a well-known line from a song, film, or book. If it’s famous, it’s guessable. If it’s on your social media, it’s guessable.

A simple method:

• Write a sentence you can picture.
• Take the first letter of each word.
• Keep one or two short words in full (optional).
• Add one number and one symbol.
• Mix upper and lower case in a way you can repeat.

Worked example from start to finish:

Made-up sentence:
“I dropped a blue mug at 6am, and it bounced twice on tiles!”

Compress it:

• First letters: IDabma6aibtot!
• Make it easier to type and read: IDabMug6aIb2oT!

What makes this stronger is not the cleverness. It’s the length and the fact it isn’t a quote anyone else knows.

Two quick warnings that save a lot of pain:

• Don’t use famous sayings, song lyrics, prayers, or sports chants.
• Don’t base the sentence on your real life (“I met Jamie in Leeds in 2019”). Real details leak.

Keeper has a short, practical overview of making memorable, strong passwords if you want extra examples and guidance: https://www.keepersecurity.com/blog/2024/08/30/best-practices-for-creating-strong-passwords-youll-remember/

Use a password manager for the truly random ones

A password manager stores your logins, generates strong passwords, and fills them in for you. It’s like having a locked notebook that also types for you.

This is the best option for:

• Accounts you rarely log into (old shopping sites, utilities, forums)
• Anything high-risk (email, banking, work logins)
• People with lots of accounts, which is most of us now

How to use one without overthinking it:

• Create one strong master passphrase (a long passphrase is ideal).
• Let the manager generate long, random passwords for everything else.
• Keep your recovery option updated (recovery email, phone, or recovery codes).

The manager only works if your master password is strong and private. Don’t share it, don’t reuse it, and don’t store it in plain text.

A simple system for unique passwords on every site (without losing your mind)

The main reason people reuse passwords is not laziness. It’s overload. Too many logins, too many rules, too many “your password must include…” messages.

There are two sane approaches:

• Use a password manager and generate unique passwords automatically.
• If you won’t use a manager, use a strong passphrase and a private transform rule.

Be careful with patterns. A pattern that seems smart can become a weakness if someone works it out.

If you do not use a manager, use a private transform rule (and keep it non-obvious)

This method starts with one strong passphrase, then applies a personal change so each site gets a different password, without turning into something predictable like “BasePassword + SiteName”.

Guidelines for a safer rule:

Start with a strong base: a 4 to 5-word passphrase with separators.
Add a private transform: a change that only you know, and that doesn’t reveal the website name.

Examples of transform ideas (keep them private, and don’t copy these directly):

• Move a symbol to a different spot depending on the type of site (banking vs shopping).
• Swap two letters every time, using a rule you can remember (like swapping the 2nd and 5th characters).
• Use a punctuation “signature” that changes position (not the same ending every time).

What to avoid, because attackers try it:

• Birthdays, anniversaries, house numbers
• Pet names or family names
• The website name in plain text (even shortened)
• A fixed ending like “!1” or “2026!”

A quick predictability checklist:

• Would someone who knows you guess it in 10 tries?
• If one password leaks, could the next one be guessed from it?
• Does it look like a word plus a year plus a symbol?

If the answer is yes, the rule is too easy.

A quick priority plan for replacing weak or reused passwords

You don’t need a perfect clean-up day. You need momentum.

Set a 30-minute timer and replace the top five today:

1. Your main email account (it resets everything)
2. Banking and payments
3. Apple ID or Google or Microsoft account
4. Your main social accounts
5. Shopping accounts (stored cards, addresses)

After that, work through the rest when you can.

Many browsers and password managers can also alert you if a saved password appears in known leaks. Turn those alerts on if you use them. Treat an alert like a smoke alarm, not a judgement.

Extra steps that make passwords matter less

Passwords are one layer. A good layer, but still one layer. Two extra steps can stop most account takeovers even if a password leaks.

Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) where you can

2FA means you need a second proof, not just the password.

Common options include:

Authenticator app: often the best mix of security and ease.
Text message codes: better than nothing, but can be weaker than an app.
Security key: strong protection for high-value accounts.

When you set up 2FA, save your backup codes somewhere safe. If you lose your phone, those codes can save your account.

Try passkeys when a site offers them

Passkeys let you sign in using your device, usually with a fingerprint, face scan, or PIN. You don’t type a password at all.

This helps because it cuts out two big problems at once:

• Phishing, where a fake site tricks you into typing your login
• Password reuse, because there’s no reusable password to steal

Use passkeys first on your key accounts, and keep a strong password as a fallback when required.

Conclusion

Strong passwords aren’t about perfect behaviour. They’re about a simple habit: go long, go unique, and pick a method that fits your brain. Passphrases work for most people, sentence-based passwords work for quick typing, and password managers carry the load when you’ve got too many accounts to track.

Do four things today: choose one passphrase style, change your email password, enable 2FA, and consider a password manager for the rest. Small changes now block the most common account takeovers later, and you’ll feel the difference the next time a breach hits the headlines.