With a password manager like 1Password, you only have to remember one password: the master password that unlocks everything else.
So it needs to be strong. It also needs to be something you won’t forget.
There are many ways to make one. The four-random-words method is strong, but many people find it too long to type. The song method works best for most people. Here’s how it works.
The song method
We want a strong password of at least 10 characters.
- Pick a song you know by heart. Something you’ll never forget.
- Write down the first letter of the first eight words.
“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you” becomes:
hbtyhbty - Capitalize the first letter of each phrase.
HbtyHbty - Swap in a number or two. A lowercase b looks like a 6:
H6tyH6ty - Add a symbol or two. Put a dash between the phrases and an exclamation point at the end:
H6ty-H6ty!
That’s it. You have your password.
Now you can sing it every time you type it, and you will never forget it.
Important: Don’t use “Happy Birthday.” It’s the example, so it’s the first song anyone would try. Pick your own.
A few rules
- Use it only for 1Password. Your master password should never be used anywhere else.
- Write it down once and keep it somewhere safe at home, like with your important papers. Not on a sticky note on the monitor.
- Save your 1Password Emergency Kit. When you create your account, 1Password gives you a PDF with your Secret Key. Print it and keep it with your password.
Want help setting up 1Password?
What if you never had to remember another password again?
I can set up 1Password for you, move all your saved passwords into it from Chrome, Safari or that notebook in your desk, and show you how to use it on your Mac, PC and iPhone.
It will make your life much, much easier.