Security Guides

Why Length Beats Complexity

Many people believe that adding special characters like @, #, and $ makes passwords stronger. While complexity helps, length is far more important.

Here's why: Each additional character exponentially increases the number of possible combinations a hacker must try. A 12-character password has trillions more combinations than an 8-character one.

Recommended Lengths

• Minimum: 12 characters for regular accounts
• Recommended: 16+ characters for important accounts
• Maximum security: 20+ characters for banking and email

The Math Behind It

A password with only lowercase letters but 16 characters has 26^16 possible combinations. That's over 43 quintillion possibilities! Even with powerful computers, this would take centuries to crack.

The Four Pillars of Password Strength

1. Length

As we covered in our previous guide, length is the most important factor. Each character adds exponential complexity.

2. Character Variety

Using a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols increases the "character set" size. More variety = more possible combinations.

3. Unpredictability

Avoid common patterns like:

• Dictionary words (password, admin, welcome)
• Keyboard patterns (qwerty, 123456, asdfgh)
• Personal information (birthdays, names, addresses)
• Simple substitutions (p@ssw0rd, 4dmin)

4. Uniqueness

Never reuse passwords across sites. If one service is breached, hackers will try that password everywhere else.

How We Calculate Strength

Our tool analyzes your password against these factors and estimates crack time based on modern hardware capabilities. We assume attackers can try billions of combinations per second.

What is a Password Manager?

A password manager is a secure vault that stores all your passwords. You only need to remember one master password to access everything.

Why Use One?

• Generate strong passwords: Create unique, random passwords for every account
• Auto-fill: Log in with a single click
• Sync across devices: Access passwords on phone, laptop, and tablet
• Security alerts: Get notified if a site you use is breached

Top Recommendations

Getting Started

1. Choose a password manager
2. Create a strong master password (write it down and store it safely)
3. Install browser extensions and mobile apps
4. Start changing passwords on your most important accounts

Using the Password Strength Checker

Step 1: Enter Your Password

Go to the Checker page and type or paste your password in the input field. Don't worry—your password never leaves your browser!

Step 2: Review the Analysis

As you type, you'll see:

• Strength meter: Visual indicator of overall strength
• Detailed metrics: Length, character types, and patterns
• Crack time estimate: How long it would take to brute force

Step 3: Improve if Needed

If your password is weak, try:

• Adding more characters
• Mixing in numbers and symbols
• Avoiding dictionary words
• Using a passphrase instead

Using the Password Generator

Step 1: Configure Settings

On the Generator page, choose:

• Password length (we recommend 16+)
• Character types to include
• Whether to use symbols (some sites don't allow them)

Step 2: Generate

Click "Generate Password" and copy the result. Use the regenerate button if you want a different one.

Step 3: Store Safely

Save the generated password in your password manager. Never write passwords in plain text files or on paper left in plain sight.