How Often Should You Change Your Passwords? Expert Opinions for 2025

You’ve seen it a hundred times: the pop-up notification warning you, “Your password will expire in 10 days.” With a sigh, you log in, change Summer2025! to Autumn2025!, and check the task off your mental to-do list. It feels like a responsible security step, a digital ritual we’ve been taught for decades. But what if this familiar habit is not only a waste of time but is actively making your accounts less secure? It’s true. The world of cybersecurity has moved on, and the leading experts—including government bodies like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and tech giants like Microsoft—are now championing a radically different approach.

The old rules are dead. It’s time to learn the new ones. In this guide, we’ll dismantle the myths, explain the modern expert consensus, and give you a practical, actionable framework for password security that actually works in 2025.

1. The Old Rule vs. The New Rule: A Quick Comparison

Before we dive deep, let’s get straight to the point. The entire philosophy around password security has shifted. Here’s a quick comparison to show you how much has changed.

Feature	Old Rule (Outdated)	New Rule (Modern Best Practice)
Primary Focus	Complexity & Rotation. Forcing frequent changes and complex character mixes.	Length & Uniqueness. Prioritizing long, unique passphrases that are hard for computers to guess .
Password Changes	Mandatory & Scheduled. Required password changes every 30, 60, or 90 days.	Trigger-Based. Passwords are only changed when there is evidence of a compromise (e.g., a data breach) .
Password Length	Short is Acceptable. Often allowed minimums of 8 characters.	Long is Essential. A minimum of 12-16 characters is recommended .
Complexity Rules	Strictly Enforced. Must include uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols.	Discouraged. These rules create predictable patterns that hackers exploit .
Key Security Layer	The Password Itself. Relied on the password as the sole line of defense.	Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). Considers MFA non-negotiable as the most critical security layer .

2. The Old Rule: Why We Were Told to Change Passwords Every 90 Days

For years, the gold standard for corporate and government IT policy was mandatory password expiration, typically every 60 or 90 days. The logic seemed sound: if a hacker managed to steal a password, a forced reset would limit the time they had to use it. This “limited exposure window” was a core concept in early cybersecurity frameworks. The idea was to stay one step ahead by constantly rotating the keys to our digital kingdom.

This policy became so ingrained that it trickled down from enterprise environments into the public consciousness, becoming accepted as universal best practice. We were taught that complexity and frequent changes were the cornerstones of good password hygiene.

3. The Unintended Consequences: How Frequent Changes Backfired

While the theory was well-intentioned, its real-world application was a disaster for security. Faced with the frustrating task of creating and remembering a new password every few months, people did what people always do: they found shortcuts.

Research and observation revealed that mandatory expiration policies led directly to predictable, low-security behaviors :

The Sequential Tweak: Users made tiny, predictable changes. Password123! became Password124!, and Q3-Report! became Q4-Report!. Hackers are well aware of this and build it into their attack algorithms.
Password Reuse: Overwhelmed by too many passwords, users would reuse the same one across multiple services. When one site was breached, all their accounts became vulnerable.
Writing It Down: The infamous sticky note on the monitor became a real security threat. Passwords were written in notebooks, saved in unsecured text files, or stuck to desks—completely defeating the purpose of a secret credential.

Instead of making us safer, the 90-day rule created a culture of “password fatigue” that encouraged weak practices and made attackers’ jobs easier.

4. The New Consensus: What Experts at NIST and Microsoft Say Now

Recognizing the failures of the old model, cybersecurity leaders have officially reversed course. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a U.S. government agency that sets the standard for cybersecurity, published updated guidelines (NIST Special Publication 800-63B) that fundamentally changed the game.

The new expert consensus is clear: stop forcing periodic password changes.

According to NIST, passwords should only be changed when there is evidence of compromise. This means you change a password because it has been, or is suspected to have been, stolen—not because a calendar date has arrived. Microsoft has fully aligned with this guidance, advising administrators to move away from password expiration and focus on more effective security measures.

The modern approach is to build a stronger defensive wall rather than constantly changing the lock. The focus has shifted to:

Creating long, strong, and unique passwords (or passphrases).
Protecting those passwords with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
Using password managers to eliminate the need for human memory.
Actively monitoring for breaches.

5. When You Should Change Your Password: The Trigger-Based Approach

If not on a schedule, when is the right time to change your password? Modern security relies on a “trigger-based” model. You should change your password immediately in response to specific security events.

Here are the critical triggers:

You Receive a Data Breach Notification: If a company emails you to say they’ve been hacked and user data was exposed, change your password on that service instantly. Crucially, if you reused that password anywhere else, change it on all those accounts too. you can use our tool Password Leak Checker to see if your data has been exposed.
You See Suspicious Account Activity: This includes login notifications from unfamiliar locations, emails being sent from your account that you didn’t write, or changes to your profile information.
You Suspect a Phishing Attack: If you clicked on a suspicious link and entered your credentials on what might have been a fake website, assume the password is stolen and change it right away.
Your Device is Infected with Malware: Viruses and keyloggers can capture everything you type, including your passwords. After cleaning your device, you must change the passwords for all your important accounts.
You Inadvertently Shared a Password: If you shared a password over text, email, or verbally in an insecure environment, consider it compromised and change it.
A Device is Lost or Stolen: If a laptop, tablet, or phone is lost or stolen—especially if it had saved logins or an unlocked password manager—change your critical passwords from a different device.
An Employee with Privileged Access Leaves (Business Context): In a business setting, all credentials an employee had access to should be rotated immediately upon their departure.

6. The Pillars of Modern Password Security (Instead of Frequent Changes)

Giving up the 90-day rule doesn’t mean becoming complacent. It means replacing an ineffective habit with a set of far more powerful security practices.

Pillar 1: Length and Uniqueness – Your First Line of Defense

The single most important characteristic of a strong password is length. A short, complex password like J%7b*wQ1 can be cracked by modern computers in minutes, while a long, simple passphrase like correct horse battery staple could take centuries.

Embrace Passphrases: NIST recommends using memorable passphrases of multiple words. They are easier for you to remember but exponentially harder for a computer to guess.
Aim for Length: Your passwords should be a minimum of 12-16 characters, and longer is always better. NIST guidelines allow for passwords up to 64 characters.
Uniqueness is Non-Negotiable: Use a different, unique password for every single online account. This compartmentalizes the damage from a data breach. If your password for a small forum is stolen, your bank account remains safe.
Generate Passphrase here.

Pillar 2: Password Managers – Your Digital Vault

How can anyone possibly remember dozens of unique, 16+ character passphrases? You don’t. You use a password manager. NIST strongly encourages their use for this very reason.

A password manager is a secure, encrypted application that:

Generates long, random, and strong passwords for you.
Securely stores them in a digital “vault.”
Automatically fills them in when you log into websites.

You only need to remember one strong master password to unlock your vault. This is the single best tool for implementing a modern password strategy.

Pillar 3: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) – The Essential Backup

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is arguably the most critical security control you can enable. It requires a second piece of evidence to prove your identity, typically “something you have” (like your phone) in addition to “something you know” (your password).

Even if a hacker steals your password, they cannot access your account without this second factor. Common MFA methods include:

An authenticator app (e.g., Google Authenticator, Authy).
A one-time code sent via SMS (less secure, but better than nothing).
A physical security key (e.g., YubiKey).

Enable MFA on every account that offers it, especially your email, banking, and social media accounts.

Pillar 4: Proactive Monitoring – Staying Ahead of Threats

Instead of changing passwords just in case, modern security involves actively monitoring for real threats.

Breach Alerts: Many password managers now include a service that automatically checks if any of your saved passwords have appeared in a known data breach and will alert you to change them. Click here to monitor your password for breaches.
Password Screening: NIST recommends that systems check new passwords against a “blacklist” of commonly used, expected, or previously compromised passwords to prevent users from choosing weak options like 123456 or password.

7. A Practical Guide: How Often to Change Passwords by Account Type

While the “change when compromised” rule applies universally, your level of vigilance can vary based on the account’s importance.

Account Tier	Examples	Password Strategy
Tier 1: High-Stakes	Primary Email, Password Manager, Banking & Financials, Government Services	No scheduled changes. Use a very long, unique passphrase (20+ characters). Protect with the strongest MFA available (authenticator app or security key). Be extremely vigilant about phishing and suspicious activity.
Tier 2: Everyday	Social Media, Major Shopping Sites, Cloud Storage	No scheduled changes. Use a unique, long password from your manager (16+ characters). Enable MFA. A good practice is to do a quick “security checkup” once a year to review permissions and linked apps.
Tier 3: Low-Risk	Online Forums, News Site Logins, “Burner” Accounts	No scheduled changes. Still use a unique, randomly generated password from your manager. The main goal here is to prevent password reuse that could expose your more important accounts.

8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

So, how often should I really change my passwords in 2025?
You should only change a password when you have a reason to believe it has been compromised, such as after a data breach, seeing suspicious activity, or falling for a phishing scam. Otherwise, mandatory scheduled changes are no longer recommended.
My IT department still makes me change my password every 90 days. Why?
Many organizations are slow to update legacy policies or operate under older compliance frameworks. While the trend is shifting, it takes time. They may also have other security controls that they feel justify the policy.
Is a password like P@$$w0rd123! still considered strong?
No. This type of password uses predictable substitutions (“leetspeak”) that are easily cracked. A longer, simpler passphrase like four tiny green robots is significantly stronger. Length is more important than complexity.
Are password managers really safe? Isn’t it risky to put all my eggs in one basket?
Reputable password managers use strong, end-to-end encryption. The data in your vault is unreadable without your master password, which the company itself cannot access. The security benefit of having a unique, strong password for every site far outweighs the risk.
What is the single most important thing I can do to protect my accounts?
Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) everywhere you can. It’s your best defense against password theft.

9. Your 2025 Password Security Checklist

Use this checklist to modernize your security habits:

Install a Reputable Password Manager: Start using it to store all your credentials.
Switch to Long Passphrases: Go through your most important accounts (email, banking) and replace old passwords with unique passphrases of 16+ characters.
Enable MFA Everywhere: Prioritize your email, financial accounts, and password manager. Use an authenticator app over SMS when possible.
Turn on Breach Monitoring: Activate this feature in your password manager or use a dedicated service.
Stop Changing Passwords on a Schedule: Break the 90-day habit for good.
Perform an Annual Cleanup: Once a year, review your accounts, delete ones you no longer use, and check security settings.

The era of password expiration is over. The future of account security is smarter, not busier. By adopting these modern pillars—long passphrases, a password manager, and MFA—you can build a defense that is both more convenient and vastly more effective at keeping criminals out.