diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 83d6414..10fdbd9 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -51,18 +51,21 @@ mkdir -p ~/docker/authelia/config/secrets
 openssl rand -hex 32 > ~/docker/authelia/config/secrets/jwt_secret
 openssl rand -hex 32 > ~/docker/authelia/config/secrets/session_secret
 openssl rand -hex 32 > ~/docker/authelia/config/secrets/storage_secret
+
+# Replace with your actual SMTP password — never commit this
 echo "your-smtp-password" > ~/docker/authelia/config/secrets/smtp_password
 
 chmod 600 ~/docker/authelia/config/secrets/*
 ```
 
 ### 4. Create .env files
-`~/docker/authelia/.env`:
-```
+```bash
+cat > ~/docker/authelia/.env << 'EOF'
 MY_DOMAIN=yourdomain.com
 SMTP_USER=authelia@yourdomain.com
 DOCKER_MY_NETWORK=caddy_net
 TZ=America/New_York
+EOF
 ```
 
 ### 5. Generate password hashes
@@ -73,15 +76,14 @@ docker run --rm authelia/authelia:4.39.20 authelia crypto hash generate argon2 -
 Paste the output into `users.yml` for each user. Tell users to use "Forgot Password" on first login to set their own.
 
 ### 6. Create or verify Docker network
+If the network doesn't exist yet, create it:
+```bash
+docker network create caddy_net
+```
 If Caddy is already running with an existing network, find its name and use that instead:
 ```bash
 docker network ls
 ```
-
-If the network doesn't exist yet, create it:
-```bash
-docker network create caddy_net```
-
 Update `DOCKER_MY_NETWORK` in `authelia/.env` to match.
 
 ### 7. Start Authelia
@@ -199,10 +201,7 @@ cd ~/docker/authelia && docker compose up -d
 2. Add user block with hash
 3. Restart Authelia: `docker compose restart authelia`
 4. Tell user to use "Forgot Password" to set their own password
-1. Edit `~/docker/authelia/config/users.yml`
-2. Add user block with hash
-3. Restart Authelia: `docker compose restart authelia`
-4. Tell user to use "Forgot Password" to set their own password
+
 
 ## Logging in