How often have you visited a website and tried to sign into your account only to realize you’ve forgotten your password? Maybe it’s an app on your smartphone, such as your mobile banking app, and you’re now locked out because you’ve entered the wrong one too many times. It doesn’t help that experts constantly urge people to change their passwords regularly to ensure they stay safe and secure, as then you need to remember the latest one you picked.

If this sounds familiar and you’re frustrated with how often you forget passwords, this complete guide for keeping track of your passwords will prove essential.

How Much Time Have You Wasted Resetting Passwords?

How much time do you spend resetting credentials and passwords? ExpressVPN’s study on password practices dived into this a bit more and found that people spend an average of three minutes and 46 seconds resetting their credentials when forgotten.

The study concluded that we waste hours each year resetting passwords. That is a massive chunk of time that could be better spent elsewhere.

A Pen and Paper Isn’t the Ideal Solution

If your first inclination is to write down all your passwords on paper or in a notebook, this may seem wise, but it could be more secure. That paper could easily be lost or end up in the wrong hands. A physical record of your most sensitive passwords isn’t a secure solution.

Use a Passphrase and Capitalise on the Length

While using lower and uppercase letters combined with random symbols and numbers makes for a strong password, there may be a simpler solution. Did you know that the password’s length also helps determine how strong and secure it is? The longer the password, the harder it will be to hack. 

So, with that said, why not pick a passphrase? This can be much easier for you to remember. You can also make it stronger by replacing letters with symbols or numbers that look similar such as using the zero instead of an “O” or “3” instead of an “E”.

Password Manager Apps Can Be Very Helpful

Then there are password manager apps that provide a safe place to keep all your passwords. Instead of remembering all those passwords, you just have to remember the password for the actual app. If you use this tip, make sure to pick a trusted app with reliable reviews and security measures like encryption.

If you’re like many others who spend far too much time trying to remember passwords and getting frustrated by it, then these tips are sure to help.