How to Generate Secure Passwords Online (Length, Entropy, Managers, Myths)

Weak passwords are still the #1 avoidable security risk. The good news: generating strong, unique, high‑entropy passwords is now effortless with tools like our Password Generator. This guide explains what “secure” really means, how entropy works, and common myths that waste time without adding safety.

What makes a password strong?

• Length first: 16+ characters (longer beats clever complexity tricks).
• True randomness: Not a phrase you “made random” in your head.
• Uniqueness per site: Reuse = single breach becomes multi‑account compromise.
• No patterns: Avoid keyboard walks, seasons+year, or branded terms.

Length vs complexity

A 20‑character random password using [A–Z a–z 0–9 symbols] has vastly higher search space than an 8‑character “complex” password you crafted manually. Length scales multiplicatively; forced complexity rules often produce predictable patterns (capital first letter, number at end, !).

Entropy (rough intuition)

If a generator chooses uniformly from 62 characters (A–Z a–z 0–9), each character adds about log2(62) ≈ 5.95 bits of entropy. A 16‑char password ≈ 95 bits. At 18 chars ≈ 107 bits. That’s beyond practical brute force with modern constraints.

entropy_bits ≈ length * log2(charset_size)
example: 16 * log2(62) ≈ 95.2

Use a password manager

Password managers eliminate reuse and make 20+ character random strings easy. If you can’t use one, store a printed sealed copy for critical accounts rather than dumbing passwords down for memorability.

When to rotate passwords

Rotate when: breach notification, shared credential exposure, or you accidentally reused it elsewhere. Blind scheduled rotation can encourage pattern reuse—focus on uniqueness and strong generation instead.

Common myths

• “Adding a number and symbol makes it unbreakable” – patterns reduce search space.
• “Passphrases are always better” – only if the words are selected randomly (e.g. diceware), not if you invent a poetic line.
• “I reuse for low‑value sites safely” – low‑value sites still leak and can pivot to password reset flows.

Generate securely right now

Use our Password Generator tool to produce a long, random password locally—processing is client‑side for privacy. Need to store a file with a strong archive key? Try Password ZIP tool next.

Related tools

• Password Generator – create random high‑entropy credentials.
• Password ZIP – generate and test archive password strength.
• SHA256 Generator – hash values for integrity (not for password storage—use proper password hashing algorithms serverside).
• HMAC SHA256 – compute keyed hashes for message authentication.

Next steps

Standardize: use a manager, upgrade weak and reused passwords first, enable multi‑factor where available. Then explore our full tool index for more productivity and security utilities.

This article uses structured data (Article) + internal linking to reinforce topical relevance around password generation and security hygiene.