Our online accounts contain lots of private information, from bank account numbers to personal addresses and birthdates. Unfortunately, scammers have gotten really good at finding ways to get into places they shouldn’t—almost half of Gen Zers and millennials have had their social media accounts hacked.^{Disclosure 1} The most common reason? Having a weak password.^{Disclosure 2} Creating secure passwords can help you protect yourself from fraudsters and keep your mind at ease.

Use these tips to create strong and secure passwords that will help keep your accounts and personal information safe.

Tip 1: Make your passwords complex.

When it comes to passwords, the more complex they are, the better:

• Passwords should be at least 12 characters long, though 14 or more is best.^{Disclosure 3}
• Include a variety of letters (both uppercase and lowercase), numbers, and special characters to make them much harder to guess.
• Avoid using common words, phrases, and predictable patterns.
• Don’t include any details from your life that could be easily scooped by perusing your social media profiles, like your pets’ names, your birthday, where you’re from, etc.

Consider using a passphrase instead of a password. Passphrases are longer than 14 characters and include a random mix of words, spaces, and symbols, making them tougher to crack.^{Disclosure 4}

Tip 2: Don’t reuse unique passwords.

Thirty percent of hacked passwords are due to reusing the same one, so make sure every online account has its own totally unique, complex password.^{Disclosure 2} This means “Fido1” and “Fido2” wouldn’t be the most secure options. Reusing passwords or only changing one small part can make it easier for a hacker to access multiple accounts.

Tip 3: Use a password manager.

Password managers can take the guesswork out of password security by automatically generating and storing all of your passwords in one single, secure app.^{Disclosure 5} They work across all of your devices too, making it easy to sign into your accounts whether you’re on your phone, computer, or tablet.