Is a 12-Character Password Strong Enough?
A 12-character password with mixed character types is strong enough for most accounts. It meets NIST's minimum length and could take tens of thousands of years to crack.
| Length | Entropy | Estimated Crack Time |
|---|---|---|
| 12 characters | ~78 bits | 34,000 years |
Do not copy a 12-character example from the internet
Any password printed on a website, including this one, is already public. Use the generator above to make a new 12-character password in your browser.
When to Use a 12-Character Password
Use 12-character passwords as a solid default for most accounts. For banking, email, or password managers, consider 16 characters for extra margin.
How to Generate a Strong 12-Character Password
Click Generate above. This page is set to 12 characters. A password printed on a website is already public, so this page does not list samples you can copy. Make a new one here, then save it in a password manager.