Mac Kung Fu, 2nd Edition

Tip 74

Let OS X Create Passwords

If you’re looking for a memorable yet secure password (that is, one involving numbers, capital letters, and symbols), you can let OS X do the hard work, as follows:

1. Open Keychain Access, which is the application in OS X that handles password and certificate security. You’ll find it in the Utilities folder of the Applications view in Finder.

2. Once the app has started, click File→New Password Item. Don’t worry—we’re not actually going to create a new item for the keychain. Instead, we’re simply going to make use of its password tool.

3. In the dialog box that slides into view, click the small key icon alongside the Password textbox. This will open the Password Assistant, which is what we’re interested in.

4. In the Password ...