The 5 Passwords You Can't Afford to Forget

Passwords are a tricky thing. They're difficult to make strong enough to keep your accounts secure, and even more difficult to remember!

There are dedicated password managers available that can securely store all of your passwords in one place, although many of them charge a monthly subscription. Web browsers will often offer to save your passwords for you or even generate strong new ones when you create an account. These automatically generated passwords are excellent because they're incredibly difficult to guess, but they're also almost impossible to remember if you ever need to type them in yourself.

I have customers with notebooks full of passwords and account details collected over many years. Often they're crossed out, scribbled over or simply out of date. While it's generally recommended not to write passwords down, I completely understand why people do. Every website tells us we should have a strong, unique password that's different from every other account we own, and keeping track of all of these unique passwords can seem impossible if you don’t make a note of them.

If you do decide to write important passwords down, I'd much rather see them kept safely in a notebook stored somewhere secure than saved in a document on your computer.

After all, hackers can't hack a piece of paper in a safe!

One other tip that's become increasingly popular is using a passphrase instead of a traditional password. Rather than trying to remember something like P@55w0rd!9X, try combining three or four random words into one long phrase. Something like RiverBananaRocketGarden is much easier to remember but can still be incredibly secure because of its length.

I know from experience how frustrating and stressful it can be if something goes wrong with your computer or phone and you suddenly lose access to your emails, backups or online accounts.

The good news is that, in most cases, these accounts can be recovered... provided you know how to get back into them.

That's why I've put together a list of the five passwords I think are the most important to know and keep a record of (somewhere safe and secure).

Your Email Password

Why it's important: Your email account is usually the key to recovering almost every other online account you own.

A lot of people log into their email account once on a new device and never have to type the password again. Years later, when they buy a new phone or computer, they suddenly realise they can't remember it.

Your email account is incredibly important because it's often used to reset the passwords for everything else.

You've probably come across two-factor authentication (2FA) before. After entering your password, you're asked to type in a security code that's been sent to your phone or email. This extra layer of security is one of the best ways to protect your accounts, but it also means having access to your email becomes even more important.

Likewise, if you've ever forgotten the password to an online account, you'll know that most websites simply email you a password reset link.

If you ever lose your phone or computer and need to start again on a new device, being able to sign back into your email is often the first step towards recovering everything else.

Your Microsoft Account Password

Why it's important: Your Microsoft account gives you access to much more than just your Windows computer.

Windows is still the most widely used operating system for desktop computers, and your Microsoft account connects many different Microsoft services together.

It's used to sign into Windows, download apps from the Microsoft Store, manage Microsoft 365 subscriptions for programs like Word, Excel and PowerPoint, sync your favourites in Microsoft Edge, and access OneDrive for backing up your files and photos.

If you're an Xbox owner, that uses the same Microsoft account too.

Your Apple Account Password

Why it's important: Your Apple account keeps your iPhone, iPad, Mac and iCloud all connected together.

Your Apple account is used for downloading apps, purchasing subscriptions, backing up your photos and documents to iCloud, and restoring your device if it ever needs replacing.

If you use Apple services like Apple TV+, Apple Arcade or an iCloud email address, they all use the same login.

If you also own a Mac, your Apple account makes it easy to keep everything synced between your phone and computer.

Your Google Account Password

Why it's important: Your Google account connects many of the services people use every day without even realising it.

If you browse the internet using Google Chrome, there's a good chance you already have a Google account.

It can sync your bookmarks across multiple devices, save passwords, give you access to YouTube subscriptions and playlists, and allow you to save favourite places and reviews in Google Maps.

Even if you don't use Gmail as your main email address, you can still have a Google account linked to another email address.

Your Backup Email Password

Why it's important: If you're ever locked out of your main email account, a backup email can help you get back in.

I've found that quite a few customers don't have a backup or recovery email address set up, but it can be incredibly useful if something ever goes wrong.

This doesn't even have to be a separate brand-new email account. If you have a partner or another trusted family member, you can use each other's email addresses as recovery accounts.

That way, if you're ever locked out of your main email, password reset links can still reach you.

A separate email account can also be useful for signing up to websites you're not completely sure about, helping keep marketing emails away from your main inbox. (Just don't use someone else's email address for that... they probably won't thank you!)

Bonus Tip: Consider Using a Password Manager

Password managers can be a great way of storing your passwords securely without needing to remember every single one.

Many web browsers, such as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge, already include built-in password managers, while Apple devices also have their own secure password storage.

There are also dedicated password manager apps available, although some charge a subscription fee.

Whatever method you choose, the important thing is to have a system that works for you and means you're not relying purely on memory.

Final Thoughts

Passwords can feel like a bit of a nuisance... until the day you actually need one.

Spending half an hour making sure you know where your important passwords are, updating any out-of-date recovery details, and checking you can still access your key accounts could save you hours of stress in the future.

If you're ever unsure where to start, or you'd like some help checking your accounts, backups and security settings, I'd be more than happy to help. Sometimes a little bit of preparation today can prevent a very big headache tomorrow.