A new study conducted by PSONO has revealed that Iceland ranks first among countries whose residents are most likely to forget their passwords, with over 13,000 searches for “password reset” made by Icelandic citizens.
The study, which analyzed search trends and behaviors across 55 countries, provides insight into global password management habits, revealing that the small Nordic nation leads the world in password forgetfulness.
With a composite score of 98.6, Iceland ranks highest on the list. Despite its small population of just under 400,000, the high volume of searches for “password reset” suggests that Icelanders struggle significantly with managing their passwords.
According to the study, Facebook and Microsoft are the most frequently forgotten platforms in Iceland. On average, residents reset their passwords every 48 months, and each person manages about 50 accounts
Luxembourg follows closely behind Iceland, ranking second with a composite score of 90.5. Although the country has a smaller population, it recorded nearly the same number of “password reset” searches as Iceland, with Gmail being the most commonly forgotten platform. Luxembourg residents also reset their passwords every 48 months, but they manage around 55 accounts on average, which is higher than Iceland.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) takes third place, with a composite score of 86.7. Despite 101,705 password reset searches, the UAE’s larger population means that a smaller percentage of residents face password management issues compared to Iceland and Luxembourg.
However, UAE residents have the shortest average time between resets, resetting their passwords every 24 months. Gmail tops the list of most forgotten platforms in the country.
In fourth place is Estonia, with a composite score of 83.5. The Baltic state saw over 17,000 searches for password resets, with Gmail and Microsoft being the platforms residents forget most often. Like Iceland and Luxembourg, Estonians reset their passwords every 48 months but manage slightly fewer accounts on average (45 per person).
Latvia ranks fifth with a composite score of 79.7. The country’s residents reset their passwords approximately every 60 months, the second-longest time interval in the study. Despite managing 45 accounts per person, Latvians frequently forget their Gmail passwords, driving a significant number of searches for password resets.
The United Kingdom places sixth with a composite score of 68.1. A significant 627,000 individuals search for password resets in the UK, making it one of the largest contributors to the global total. With an average of 70 accounts per person, UK residents primarily forget Gmail and Microsoft passwords, reflecting the challenges of managing numerous online profiles.
Ireland ranks seventh with a composite score of 55.4. Residents typically reset their passwords every 48 months, and Microsoft and Facebook are the most forgotten platforms. Despite managing an average of 70 accounts, password forgetfulness remains a frequent issue in the country.
Slovenia, in eighth place, scored 50.3. The country recorded 17,677 searches for password resets, and residents most frequently forget their Gmail and Samsung account passwords. Slovenian users reset their passwords every 60 months on average and manage around 50 accounts each.
New Zealand comes in ninth with a score of 48.9, boasting the longest time between password resets—72 months. Despite this, over 51,000 New Zealanders searched for “password reset,” primarily for Gmail and Facebook accounts.
Rounding out the top 10 is the United States, with a composite score of 41.3. Despite over 3 million password reset searches, the U.S. ranks lower due to its large population. U.S. residents manage an average of 80 online accounts—the highest in the study—and primarily forget passwords for Xfinity, Gmail, and Hulu.
A spokesperson from PSONO commented on the study, offering advice to combat password forgetfulness: “When it comes to managing your digital life, forgetting passwords is a common frustration, but there are practical steps to reduce the hassle. Start by using a password manager, which securely stores your login details and can generate strong, unique passwords for each account. Regularly reviewing and updating your passwords is also crucial—try setting a reminder every few months to refresh them, especially for your most important accounts. Finally, avoid using the same password across multiple platforms, as this increases vulnerability.”
The study highlights that while password forgetfulness is a global issue, habits and behaviors vary significantly across countries.
Data for this study was collected by examining search trends related to “password reset” across 55 countries. Factors such as the number of searches, percentage of the population engaged in these searches, most forgotten platforms, average time between password resets, and the number of online accounts managed per person were analyzed. A composite score was calculated to rank the countries.