Guide
How to Create a Strong Master Password (You'll Actually Remember)
By PasswordPick editors · Updated 2026-10-08
Your master password is the one password you must memorize — it encrypts your entire vault. Make it at least 16 characters (or 5+ random words); never reuse it anywhere; never store it in the vault it protects.
Method 1 — diceware passphrase: string 5–6 random words together (correct-horse-battery-staple style). Easy to type, hard to crack, ~70+ bits of entropy. Use a generator, don't pick the words yourself.
Method 2 — sentence with mutations: take a personal sentence ('My dog Otto ate 3 socks in 2019!') and use it verbatim. Long, memorable, unique — length beats complexity.
What NOT to do: song lyrics, quotes, pet names + birth years, keyboard walks (qwerty123), or anything you've used before. Attackers try all of these first.
Back it up on day one: write it on paper, store in two separate safe places (or split across trusted people). Enable biometrics for daily unlock, set up emergency access (1Password/Bitwarden family plans include it), and export an encrypted backup quarterly.
Then turn on 2FA for the vault itself. A strong master password plus authenticator app means even a keylogger + database leak still doesn't reach your logins.
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