Solve the Password Problem

Quick Win

Going crazy trying to create strong passwords — and remember them? Consolidate them with a password manager.

Try This Today

1. Get a password manager. These applications create and store strong passwords for all your accounts — and they’re an important part of online safety.
   
2. Create a master password for the password manager. Avoid the usual suspects — your cat’s name, your birthday — and consider using a “passphrase,” a collection of words that is meaningful to you and is longer and more difficult to hack than a short password. Memorize your master password and, when you’re home, write it down and store it in a safe place.
3. Follow your password manager’s instructions for setting and storing your log-in information for your online accounts.

Why

“Password fatigue” has made its way into our common lexicon, and it’s no wonder. Trying to remember all our passwords (let alone usernames!) is exhausting. It can also lead to bad digital habits, such as using the same password for multiple accounts, which more than half of the 3,000 U.S. adults who responded to a 2018 Google and Harris poll reported doing. Changing your approach by using a password manager, a form of “cognitive offloading,” can help keep your information secure and lighten your mental load.