Best Practices10 minSeptember 21, 2025

The Ultimate Guide to Symbols in Strong Passwords

Everything you need to know about using special characters in passwords.

Introduction

Special characters and symbols are a crucial component of strong passwords, yet many users are confused about which symbols to use and where to place them. This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about using symbols effectively in your passwords.

Why Symbols Matter

Entropy Boost

Adding symbols to your character set significantly increases password entropy:

| Character Set | Size | Bits per Char | 16-Char Entropy | |--------------|------|---------------|-----------------| | Alphanumeric only | 62 | 5.95 | 95 bits | | + Common symbols | 94 | 6.55 | 105 bits |

Result: Adding symbols increases entropy by ~10 bits for a 16-character password.

Attack Resistance

Symbols make brute force attacks significantly harder:

Without symbols (62 characters):

16-char password: 47 octillion combinations

With symbols (94 characters):

16-char password: 40 undecillion combinations

That's 850× more combinations to try.

Common Symbols in Passwords

Standard ASCII Symbols

Most systems accept these 32 symbols:

! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ + - = [ ] { } | ; : ' " , . < > ? / \ `

Most Commonly Used

Users tend to favor these symbols:

! (exclamation mark)
@ (at sign)
# (hash/pound)
$ (dollar sign)
* (asterisk)
_ (underscore)

Note: Predictable symbol placement reduces security. Use random generation instead.

Symbols to Avoid

Some symbols can cause issues:

Problematic symbols:

" (double quote) - Can break some systems
' (single quote) - SQL injection concerns
` (backtick) - Command injection risks
\ (backslash) - Escape character issues

Recommendation: Stick with standard symbols from our Strong Password Generator.

Symbol Placement Strategies

❌ Bad: Predictable Placement

End of password (most common):

Password123!
Welcome2024!

Beginning of password:

!Password123
@Welcome2024

Between words:

My!Password!123
Super@Secure@Pass

Why it's bad: Hackers know these patterns. See common mistakes to avoid.

✅ Good: Random Distribution

Throughout the password:

K9#mL2$pQ7@nR4!v
Xt8&Yz3*Bw6%Jq1^
Fp5!Hd9@Mk2#Ns7$

Why it's good: No predictable pattern, maximum entropy.

How Many Symbols?

Minimum Requirements

Most systems require:

At least 1 symbol (if complexity is enforced)
Some require 2+ symbols

Optimal Amount

For a 16-character password:

Too few (1-2 symbols):

Password123!

Predictable placement
Low symbol density

Optimal (4-6 symbols):

K9#mL2$pQ7@nR4!v

Well distributed
High entropy
Not excessive

Too many (10+ symbols):

!@#$%^&*()!@#$%^

Harder to handle
Diminishing returns
May cause compatibility issues

Recommendation: Let our Strong Password Generator determine optimal symbol distribution.

Symbol Combinations

Avoid Predictable Sequences

❌ !@#$ (keyboard sequence)
❌ !!! (repeated symbol)
❌ () (paired symbols)
❌ <> (paired symbols)

Use Random Selection

✅ #$@! (random order)
✅ *&^% (random selection)
✅ !#%* (non-sequential)

Symbols and Password Managers

Auto-Fill Compatibility

Password managers handle all symbols:

Store any symbol
Auto-fill reliably
Copy/paste works perfectly

No need to worry about symbol complexity when using a password manager.

Mobile Keyboard Access

On mobile devices, symbols require extra taps:

Switch to symbol keyboard
Find the symbol
Switch back to letters

Solution: Use password manager's auto-fill feature.

System-Specific Symbol Support

Most Systems Accept

✅ Web applications
✅ Operating systems
✅ Email services
✅ Banking apps
✅ Cloud services

Some Systems Restrict

❌ Legacy systems (may limit to basic symbols)
❌ Some banking systems (security through obscurity)
❌ Older applications

If symbols are rejected: Use maximum length with alphanumeric characters instead.

Symbols in Different Contexts

Web Passwords

Full symbol support:

K9#mL2$pQ7@nR4!v

Most modern websites accept all standard symbols.

Database Passwords

Be cautious with:

Single quotes '
Double quotes "
Backticks `

Safer choice:

K9#mL2$pQ7@nR4!v (using safe symbols)

Command-Line Passwords

Avoid shell metacharacters:

| (pipe)
& (ampersand)
; (semicolon)
> < (redirects)

Better for CLI:

K9#mL2$pQ7@nR4!v (using safe symbols)

WiFi Passwords

Most routers accept:

K9#mL2$pQ7@nR4!v

Some older routers limit to alphanumeric only.

Symbols and Accessibility

Screen Readers

Some symbols are announced differently:

@ = "at sign"
# = "hash" or "pound"
* = "asterisk" or "star"

Impact: Minimal, as passwords are typically auto-filled or copied.

Visual Similarity

Some symbols look similar:

1 vs l vs |
0 vs O
, vs .

Solution: Use our generator's "Exclude similar characters" option.

Common Symbol Myths

Myth 1: "More symbols = more secure"

Reality: Distribution matters more than quantity.

Password!!!! (5 symbols) < K9#mL2$pQ7@nR4!v (4 symbols)

Myth 2: "Symbols must be at the end"

Reality: Random placement is more secure.

End placement is the most common pattern hackers test.

Myth 3: "Complex symbols are better"

Reality: All symbols add equal entropy.

! is as good as ~ for security purposes.

Myth 4: "I should use rare symbols"

Reality: Stick to common symbols for compatibility.

Rare symbols may not work on all systems.

Symbols in Password Policies

Modern Policies (Recommended)

NIST Guidelines:

Allow all printable ASCII characters
Don't mandate specific symbol placement
Focus on length over complexity

Legacy Policies (Outdated)

Old requirements:

Must include at least 1 symbol
Symbol must not be first or last character
Specific symbols required

Problem: Creates predictable patterns.

Learn more about enterprise password policies.

Generating Passwords with Symbols

Using Our Tool

Our Strong Password Generator automatically:

Includes optimal number of symbols
Distributes them randomly
Avoids problematic symbols
Ensures compatibility

Manual Generation (Not Recommended)

If you must create manually:

Start with random letters and numbers
Replace 25-30% with random symbols
Ensure even distribution
Avoid patterns

Better approach: Use our generator.

Symbols and Password Strength

Strength Comparison

8 characters, no symbols:

Abc12345

Entropy: 48 bits
Strength: Weak

8 characters, with symbols:

K9#mL2$p

Entropy: 52 bits
Strength: Fair

16 characters, with symbols:

K9#mL2$pQ7@nR4!v

Entropy: 105 bits
Strength: Excellent

Key insight: Length matters more than symbols, but symbols help.

Special Cases

Passphrase with Symbols

Without symbols:

correct horse battery staple

Entropy: ~51 bits

With symbols:

correct-horse#battery$staple

Entropy: ~55 bits

Random password (same length):

K9#mL2$pQ7@nR4!vXt8&Yz3*

Entropy: 157 bits

Compare passphrases vs random passwords.

PIN Codes

No symbols allowed:

1234 (weak)
7392 (better)

Solution: Use maximum length (usually 6-8 digits).

Biometric Backup

Some systems require alphanumeric-only backup:

K9mL2pQ7nR4vXt8Y (no symbols)

Use maximum length to compensate.

Testing Symbol Support

Before Committing

Test that your password works:

Generate password with symbols
Set it on the account
Log out
Log back in to verify
Test on all devices

If Symbols Fail

Option 1: Try different symbols Option 2: Use alphanumeric only with longer length Option 3: Contact support about symbol support

Best Practices

1. Use Standard Symbols

Stick to common symbols:

! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) _ + - = [ ] { } | ; : , . < > ?

2. Let Tools Decide

Use our Strong Password Generator to:

Select appropriate symbols
Distribute them randomly
Ensure compatibility

3. Don't Overthink It

Bad: Spending 10 minutes choosing perfect symbols
Good: Generating random password in 2 seconds

4. Store in Password Manager

Password managers handle all symbols seamlessly.

5. Test Before Relying

Always verify the password works before closing the signup page.

Conclusion

Symbols are an important part of strong passwords:

Key takeaways:

✅ Add ~10 bits of entropy per 16 characters
✅ Use 4-6 symbols in a 16-character password
✅ Distribute randomly throughout
✅ Stick to standard ASCII symbols
✅ Let our Strong Password Generator handle it

Avoid:

❌ Predictable placement (end, beginning)
❌ Repeated symbols
❌ Problematic symbols (quotes, backticks)
❌ Manual symbol selection

Ready to create passwords with optimal symbol usage? Use our Strong Password Generator to generate secure passwords with perfectly distributed symbols.

Ready to Create a Strong Password?

Use our free Strong Password Generator to create secure passwords instantly.