Minimum password length
Applies to
- Windows 11
- Windows 10
This article describes the recommended practices, location, values, policy management, and security considerations for the Minimum password length security policy setting.
Reference
The Minimum password length policy setting determines the least number of characters that can make up a password for a user account. You can set a value of between 1 and 14 characters, or you can establish that no password is required by setting the number of characters to 0.
Possible values
- User-specified number of characters between 0 and 14
- Not defined
Best practices
Set minimum password length to at least a value of 8. If the number of characters is set to 0, no password is required. In most environments, an eight-character password is recommended because it's long enough to provide adequate security and still short enough for users to easily remember. A minimum password length greater than 14 isn't supported at this time. This value will help provide adequate defense against a brute force attack. Adding complexity requirements will help reduce the possibility of a dictionary attack. For more info, see Password must meet complexity requirements.
Permitting short passwords reduces security because short passwords can be easily broken with tools that do dictionary or brute force attacks against the passwords. Requiring long passwords can result in mistyped passwords that might cause account lockouts and might increase the volume of Help Desk calls.
In addition, requiring long passwords can actually decrease the security of an organization because users might be more likely to write down their passwords to avoid forgetting them. However, if users are taught that they can use passphrases (sentences such as "I want to drink a $5 milkshake"), they should be much more likely to remember.
Location
Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Account Policies\Password Policy
Default values
The following table lists the actual and effective default policy values. Default values are also listed on the policy's property page.
| Server type or Group Policy Object (GPO) | Default value |
|---|---|
| Default domain policy | Seven characters |
| Default domain controller policy | Not defined |
| Stand-alone server default settings | Zero characters |
| Domain controller effective default settings | Seven characters |
| Member server effective default settings | Seven characters |
| Effective GPO default settings on client computers | Zero characters |
Policy management
This section describes features, tools, and guidance to help you manage this policy.
Restart requirement
None. Changes to this policy become effective without a device restart when they're saved locally or distributed through Group Policy.
Security considerations
This section describes how an attacker might exploit a feature or its configuration, how to implement the countermeasure, and the possible negative consequences of countermeasure implementation.
Vulnerability
Types of password attacks include dictionary attacks (which attempt to use common words and phrases) and brute force attacks (which try every possible combination of characters). Also, attackers sometimes try to obtain the account database so they can use tools to discover the accounts and passwords.
Countermeasure
Configure the Minimum password length policy setting to a value of 8 or more. If the number of characters is set to 0, no password will be required.
In most environments, we recommend an eight-character password because it's long enough to provide adequate security, but not too difficult for users to easily remember. This configuration provides adequate defense against a brute force attack. Using the Password must meet complexity requirements policy setting in addition to the Minimum password length setting helps reduce the possibility of a dictionary attack.
Note
Some jurisdictions have established legal requirements for password length as part of establishing security regulations.
Potential impact
Requirements for long passwords can actually decrease the security of an organization because users might leave the information in an unsecured location or lose it. If long passwords are required, mistyped passwords could cause account lockouts and increase the volume of Help Desk calls. If your organization has issues with forgotten passwords because of password length requirements, consider teaching your users about passphrases, which are often easier to remember and, because of the larger number of character combinations, much harder to discover.