How to change your Twitter password and keep an account secure

Twitter users have been advised to change their passwords after the site discovered a bug that meant “unmasked” user details had been stored internally.

The social media site said there was no indication any details had been compromised or misused, but is encouraging users to update their password as a precaution.

Here is how to complete the process.

– Settings

On both the Twitter website and its mobile apps, users need to go to Settings to change their password. This is reached by clicking on their profile image in the top corner of the screen and then selecting the “Settings and privacy” option.

– Change password

Once within this menu, mobile users need to tap the Account option on the list to reach the password settings. For those on the website, password options appear third in the list of Settings on the left-hand side of the screen.

– Password strength

When choosing a password, users should ensure they do not use obvious personal details such as a pet name or birthday. To make a password stronger, users should also look to include a range of numbers and capital letters.

As a general rule, users should also avoid using the same small collection of passwords across multiple services. Doing so increases the amount of information and accounts at risk should any of these passwords ever be compromised.

Downloading a password manager app is a good way to secure and keep track of a range of passwords across different services.

– Two-factor authentication

As a means to further increase security around passwords, many services – including Twitter – now offer what is called two-factor or login verification.

This system adds another layer of security to an account by asking users each time they login to confirm it is them by entering a special code sent to their mobile phone.

This feature can also be turned on within the Twitter Settings.