password
Loading your saved state.
password
A secret string of characters (word, phrase, or combination of letters, numbers, and symbols) used to authenticate a user for access to a system, computer, or service. Synonymous with Passwort.
Ich habe mein Kennwort für das Online-Banking vergessen.
I forgot my password for online banking.
'Kennwort' (password) is made up of the verb 'kennen' (to know) and the noun 'das Wort' (the word). So it is literally a 'word for knowing' or a word that you have to know in order to identify yourself.
Nur wer das Kennwort kennt, darf eintreten.
Only someone who knows the password may enter.
The meaning depends strongly on context. In connection with computers, the internet, or accounts, it means 'Passwort' (password). In stories about spies, soldiers, or secret meetings, it means 'Losung' (watchword) or 'Parole' (password).
Bitte geben Sie Ihr Kennwort ein, um sich anzumelden.
Please enter your password to log in.
In a digital context, 'Kennwort' (password) is often used with certain verbs: you have to 'eingeben' (enter), 'ändern' (change), or 'zurücksetzen' (reset) a password. Unfortunately, you can also 'vergessen' (forget) your password.
Aus Sicherheitsgründen sollten Sie Ihr Kennwort regelmäßig ändern.
For security reasons, you should change your password regularly.
The term 'Kennwort' (password) is often used in a more formal or technical setting, for example in user manuals, on official websites, or in IT departments.
Die Software fordert Sie auf, ein neues Kennwort festzulegen.
The software prompts you to set a new password.
code
'der Code' and 'das Kennwort' can both be a secret string of characters that gives you access to something. 'das Kennwort' fits especially with a user account, an app, or a computer, and usually means a password. 'der Code' is broader: it can also be a sequence of numbers for a door, a phone, or a confirmation. Learners may confuse the words because you can use both to log in or unlock something. As a practical rule: for an account, people often say 'Kennwort' or 'Passwort'; for numbers used to unlock something, 'Code' often sounds more natural.
Nach dem Urlaub hatte Anna ihr Kennwort für den Firmencomputer vergessen.
After her vacation, Anna had forgotten her password for the company computer.
Für die Eingangstür brauchst du einen sechsstelligen Code.
You need a six-digit code for the front door.