6 small habits for safer online accounts
A practical starting point for the accounts you use every day—without turning your weekend into an IT project.
Online security is easy to postpone because it sounds like a large, technical job. Start smaller. Pick your main email account, then work through these habits one at a time. This isn’t a promise that nothing can go wrong; it’s a manageable way to add protection.
1. Give each account its own strong password
A password manager can help you create and keep track of strong passwords instead of reusing a favorite. Begin with the account you’re working on today. You don’t need to reorganize every login in one sitting.
Source: Federal Trade Commission
2. Switch on the second check
Look in the account’s security settings for multi-factor authentication. It adds another credential beyond your password, making it harder for someone to sign in with stolen login details. Follow the service’s setup and recovery instructions carefully.
Source: Federal Trade Commission
3. Let updates do their job
Enable automatic software updates where available on your phone and computer. Updates can include protection against security threats. If a restart is required, choose a convenient time rather than indefinitely dismissing the reminder.
Source: Federal Trade Commission
4. Treat urgency as a reason to pause
An unexpected message about a payment failure or account problem may be phishing. Don’t use its link to investigate. Open the service yourself or contact the company through a website or number you already trust.
Source: Federal Trade Commission
5. Keep another copy of important files
Back up valuable files to an external drive or an appropriate cloud backup service. The FTC recommends backups as another layer of protection. Decide what you would most regret losing, then check that it is included.
Source: Federal Trade Commission
6. Choose a stopping point
Our suggested first session is deliberately modest: one account, one better password, one extra sign-in check. Write down the next account to tackle. A short, repeatable routine is a more realistic plan than waiting for a completely free afternoon.
Sources & further reading
- Creating Strong Passwords and Other Ways To Protect Your Accounts — Federal Trade Commission
- How To Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams — Federal Trade Commission
Written from the guidance linked above; no hands-on product testing is claimed. Sources checked September 7, 2026.