You set a strong password for your email months ago. It had uppercase letters, numbers, and a symbol. Now you need to log in on a new device and you cannot remember it. You try a few variations — none of them work. You start the password reset process, which takes ten minutes and requires access to your recovery email, which you also cannot remember the password for.
A password hint is a reminder that helps you recall a password without storing the password itself. It is not a substitute for a password manager, but if you prefer to remember your passwords rather than store them, a well-written hint can save you from the password reset cycle.
What makes a good password hint
A good hint reminds you of the password without telling someone else what it is. This is a balance: too vague and it does not help you, too specific and it helps anyone who finds it.
A good hint is personal. It references something only you would understand — a memory, a pattern you used, or a decision you made when creating the password.
A good hint does not contain the password. Never write “password is BlueSky2026!” as a hint. If someone finds the hint, they have your password.
A good hint is specific enough to trigger your memory. “My favorite color and the year I graduated” is better than “something I like” — but only if you used your favorite color and graduation year in the password.
Here are examples of good hints:
- For a password based on a childhood pet and a number: “First pet + apartment number”
- For a password based on a phrase: “First line of the song I played at my wedding”
- For a password based on a pattern: “The pattern I use for all my financial accounts”
Here are examples of bad hints:
- “My password” — useless
- “BlueSky2026!” — this is the password itself
- “The same one I always use” — tells an attacker to try your common passwords
Where to store hints
The location of your hint matters as much as the hint itself. If the hint is stored next to the account it unlocks, anyone who finds one has both.
Do not store hints in your browser’s password field. Some browsers and websites have a “password hint” or “notes” field. Do not use it. If someone accesses your browser or your account, they see the hint too.
Store hints separately from the account. A notebook at home, a note in your phone, or a document on your computer — as long as it is not next to the password itself.
Keep hints in one place. If you scatter hints across sticky notes, notebooks, and apps, you will lose track of which hint goes with which account. One notebook or one digital note for all your hints is easier to manage.
Do not store hints in your email. If someone accesses your email, they could find your hints and use them to access your other accounts.
A simple system
Here is a system that works for people who prefer to remember passwords rather than use a password manager:
Step 1: Create passwords using a pattern you can remember. For example, a base phrase plus a site-specific addition. Your base phrase might be “Green-Mountain-42” and you add the first three letters of each site.
Step 2: Write down the pattern, not the passwords. Your hint might say: “Base phrase + first 3 letters of site name. Base phrase is my favorite landscape + the year I moved.”
Step 3: Store the hint in a secure location. A notebook in a drawer, a note locked on your phone, or a document in a private folder.
This way, you have a reminder that helps you reconstruct any password in your system, but someone who finds the hint cannot use it without also knowing which sites you use and what your base phrase actually is.
When hints are not enough
Password hints work for a small number of accounts where you have a consistent system. They do not work well when:
You have many accounts with different passwords. If each password is unique and not based on a pattern, a hint for each one becomes a long list that is hard to manage.
You need to share access with someone. If a family member or coworker needs to access an account in an emergency, a hint does not help them. A shared password or a password manager with a shared vault is better.
You are worried about physical security. If someone could find and read your notebook, hints are less secure than a password manager protected by a master password.
In these cases, a password manager is a better solution. It stores all your passwords securely, generates strong unique passwords for each account, and requires you to remember only one master password.
What to do if you lose your hints
If you lose your hint sheet and cannot remember your passwords:
- Use the password reset process on each account — most services send a reset link to your recovery email or phone
- If you cannot access your recovery email, contact the service’s support team
- Once you regain access, set up a new system — either a better hint system or a password manager
Losing your hints is inconvenient, but it is not a security emergency unless someone else found them. If you think someone else has your hints, change the passwords for your most important accounts immediately.
Related guides
- How to Create a Strong Password — building passwords that are strong but memorable
- How to Organize Account Information — keeping track of your accounts and recovery information
- How to Avoid Reusing the Same Password — creating different passwords without memorizing dozens