How Long Should a Password Be to Stay Secure Today?

[mosararty]

Security advice has changed a lot over the years. Some experts emphasize password complexity, while others say length is far more important. When creating passwords for important accounts, what rules do you follow? Do you aim for 16+ random characters, use passphrases, or rely on automatically generated passwords?

 

[Azzazekon]

I know this thread is a bit old, but I wanted to chime in because this is such an important question. I personally go for passphrases now—something like four random words stuck together, which is easy to remember but long enough to stay safe. What’s your take on using a password manager instead of trying to memorize everything?

 

[Vestevoyn]

I follow the 16+ random character rule myself, but for everyday sites I rely on a generator. For creating strong passwords I regularly visit the Strong Password Generator tool because it lets me set length and character types, which I find handy.