Tips for choosing a strong password:
- Don't use something that's easy to guess - like names of your family/ pets, birthday, nickname, football team etc.
- Never write down your password or share it
- Try to use a different password for every site, but definitely use passwords for your important accounts (email, bank account, and any sites where you store card details) only once
- If you have trouble remembering your passwords, all BT customers get Norton Password Manager at no extra cost.
For the latest advice on password security, go to NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre).
Are you changing your password because you're concerned?
If you think someone might have accessed your device or email, you'll need to take a few extra precautions.
- Run anti-virus software on any device that might have been accessed
- Run anti-virus on any device where you use email
After changing your email password, go into your account and check...
- Your contacts, for any that have been added or deleted (see Contacts trash folder)
- That no emails that have been added to your account (BT ID > Manage email)
- For any strange auto-forwarding or auto-reply settings, and anything in the Rules section you didn't set up
- Your personal details in BT ID > Your Details
For more information see How can I tell if my email account is no longer secure?
Look out for 'phishing' emails
One way fraudsters get people's passwords is with 'phishing' emails.
These look like emails from a real company but usually link out to a bogus site where you're asked for your username and password to "validate your account" or "resolve a security issue".
If you think someone might have accessed your account, see our guide to re-securing your account.