The Password Guide: 7 Steps To Creating Unhackable Passwords
With everything we do online—both at work and in our personal lives—it’s no surprise that we end up managing passwords for dozens (if not hundreds) of accounts. The problem? Too many of us use weak passwords, making it easier for hackers to break in.
So, how can you create strong passwords that actually keep your accounts safe without making them impossible to remember? Here are some simple but effective ways to step up your security.
that will keep your online and local accounts safe? Here are several ideas that can help you protect your data.
1. Eight Characters Minimum
Most websites require a minimum of 8 characters, and for good reason. Anything shorter is much easier to crack. The longer the password, the better—but there’s a trade-off. A 24-character password is incredibly strong, but it’s also harder to remember.
If you go longer, try using a phrase or a mix of words that mean something to you (more on that later). Some systems don’t allow spaces, so you can swap them out with special characters or numbers to keep things secure.
2. No Family Names
It might be tempting to use your pet’s name or your child’s birthday, but hackers know this trick. They often pull personal info from social media to guess passwords.
Instead, think outside the box. If you want to use a name, go for something random—maybe the main character from your favorite childhood book or a historical figure that’s meaningful to you.
3. Use Special Characters In Words
One of the easiest ways to make your password stronger without making it harder to remember is to swap letters for similar-looking symbols.
For example:
-
"Charles" → "Ch@r!e$"
-
"Password" → "P@$$w0rd"
You can do this with nearly any word, making your password unique without having to memorize something completely random.
4. Use Passphrases, Not Passwords
If remembering a random password feels impossible, try a passphrase instead. This could be:
-
A favorite quote
-
Lyrics from a song
-
A book title
Once you have your phrase, mix in numbers and symbols to make it even stronger.
For example:
-
"I love coffee every morning" → "1L0v3C0ff33EvryMorn!"
-
"Wake me up before you go" → "WkMeUpB4UGo!"
A good passphrase is both secure and memorable—the perfect balance!
5. Replace The Vowels With Numbers
If you like using words in your passwords, you can make them more secure by replacing vowels with numbers.
For example:
-
"Great" → "GR8"
-
"I am too sexy" → "IM2S3Xy!"
This trick makes your passwords harder to guess while keeping them easy to recall.
6. Reverse The Website Name
If you need a quick way to create a strong password for each site you use, try reversing the website name and adding symbols and numbers.
For example, for a Google account:
-
"Google" → "Elg00g!2010" (using "0" instead of "o" and adding a meaningful year)
This method ensures each password is unique without you having to come up with something new every time.
7. Use a Password Generator
If you don’t want to think about passwords at all, a password generator is your best bet. These tools create completely random passwords, making them nearly impossible to crack.
The only downside? They’re also impossible to remember, so you’ll need to store them somewhere safe—like in a password manager.
Want an Easier Way? Use a Password Manager
If all of this sounds like too much work, there’s a simpler solution—use a password manager like Keeper. Instead of remembering dozens of passwords, you only need one master password. Keeper securely stores and auto-fills your logins, making it:
✅ Faster—No more password resets or support calls
✅ More secure—It generates and stores unique passwords for every site
✅ A money-saver—Less time wasted means more productivity for your business
Our team at Four Winds IT uses Keeper in-house, and it saves us hours every month. But if you’re not ready to use a password manager, at the very least, make sure your team knows how to create strong passwords.
Check out our full guide on network security for more ways to protect your business:
