diff --git a/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_management.app.src b/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_management.app.src
index 3eb690bdb..fe927c097 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_management.app.src
+++ b/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_management.app.src
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {application, emqx_management,
  [{description, "EMQ X Management API and CLI"},
-  {vsn, "4.4.11"}, % strict semver, bump manually!
+  {vsn, "4.4.12"}, % strict semver, bump manually!
   {modules, []},
   {registered, [emqx_management_sup]},
   {applications, [kernel,stdlib,emqx_plugin_libs,minirest]},
diff --git a/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt_auth.erl b/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt_auth.erl
index 19aa48081..eea93f725 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt_auth.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_management/src/emqx_mgmt_auth.erl
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@
         , del_app/1
         , list_apps/0
         , init_bootstrap_apps/0
-        , need_bootstrap/0
         , clear_bootstrap_apps/0
         ]).
 
@@ -83,21 +82,8 @@ add_default_app() ->
     end.
 
 init_bootstrap_apps() ->
-    case need_bootstrap() of
-        true ->
-            Bootstrap = application:get_env(emqx_management, bootstrap_apps_file, undefined),
-            init_bootstrap_apps(Bootstrap);
-        false ->
-            ok
-    end.
-
-need_bootstrap() ->
-    {atomic, Res} = mnesia:transaction(
-        fun() ->
-            Spec = [{#mqtt_app{id = '$1', desc = ?BOOTSTRAP_TAG, _ = '_'}, [], ['$1']}],
-            mnesia:select(mqtt_app, Spec, 1, read) =:= '$end_of_table'
-        end),
-    Res.
+    Bootstrap = application:get_env(emqx_management, bootstrap_apps_file, undefined),
+    init_bootstrap_apps(Bootstrap).
 
 clear_bootstrap_apps() ->
     {atomic, ok} =
@@ -113,13 +99,7 @@ init_bootstrap_apps(File) ->
     case file:open(File, [read, binary]) of
         {ok, Dev} ->
             {ok, MP} = re:compile(<<"(\.+):(\.+$)">>, [ungreedy]),
-            case init_bootstrap_apps(File, Dev, MP) of
-                ok -> ok;
-                Error ->
-                    %% if failed add bootstrap users, we should clear all bootstrap apps
-                    clear_bootstrap_apps(),
-                    Error
-            end;
+            init_bootstrap_apps(File, Dev, MP);
         {error, Reason} = Error ->
             ?LOG(error,
                 "failed to open the mgmt bootstrap apps file(~s) for ~p",
@@ -145,8 +125,8 @@ add_bootstrap_app(File, Dev, MP, Line) ->
             case re:run(Bin, MP, [global, {capture, all_but_first, binary}]) of
                 {match, [[AppId, AppSecret]]} ->
                     Name = <<"bootstraped">>,
-                    case add_app(AppId, Name, AppSecret, ?BOOTSTRAP_TAG, true, undefined) of
-                        {ok, _} ->
+                    case force_add_app(AppId, Name, AppSecret, ?BOOTSTRAP_TAG, true, undefined) of
+                        ok ->
                             add_bootstrap_app(File, Dev, MP, Line + 1);
                         {error, Reason} ->
                             throw(#{file => File, line => Line, content => Bin, reason => Reason})
diff --git a/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_auth_mnesia_data_export_import_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_auth_mnesia_data_export_import_SUITE.erl
index da27fa2ee..dc9a3e19f 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_auth_mnesia_data_export_import_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_auth_mnesia_data_export_import_SUITE.erl
@@ -66,6 +66,70 @@ t_importee430(_) ->
     {ok, _} = emqx_mgmt_data_backup:export(),
     remove_all_users_and_acl().
 
+t_import_test(_) ->
+    SimpleAdmin = <<"simpleAdmin">>,
+    SimplePassword = <<"simplepassword">>,
+    SimplePasswordHash = emqx_dashboard_admin:hash(SimplePassword),
+
+    Admins = [<<"Admin1">>, <<"Admin2">>, <<"Admin3">>, <<"Admin4">>, <<"Admin5">>],
+    Passwords = [<<"password1">>, <<"PAssword2">>,<<"3&*)dkdKlkd">>,<<"&*qwl4kd>">>,<<"PASSWORD5D">>],
+
+    %% add some users
+    add_admins(Admins, Passwords),
+    %% Allow force import simple password.
+    ok = emqx_dashboard_admin:force_add_user(SimpleAdmin, SimplePasswordHash, <<"test">>),
+
+    ct:pal("1111~p~n", [ets:info(mqtt_admin)]),
+    ct:pal("~p~n", [ets:tab2list(mqtt_admin)]),
+    check_admins_ok(Admins, Passwords),
+
+    {ok, #{filename := FileName}} = emqx_mgmt_data_backup:export(),
+
+    remove_admins(Admins),
+    ok = emqx_dashboard_admin:remove_user(SimpleAdmin),
+    ct:pal("0000~n"),
+    check_admins_failed(Admins, Passwords),
+    {error, _} = emqx_dashboard_admin:check(SimpleAdmin, SimplePassword),
+
+    ok = emqx_mgmt_data_backup:import(FileName, <<"{}">>),
+    ct:pal("2222~n"),
+    check_admins_ok(Admins, Passwords),
+    ok = emqx_dashboard_admin:check(SimpleAdmin, SimplePassword),
+
+    remove_admins(Admins),
+    ok = emqx_dashboard_admin:remove_user(SimpleAdmin),
+
+    remove_all_users_and_acl(),
+    ok.
+
+add_admins(Admins, Passwords) ->
+    lists:foreach(
+        fun({Admin, Password}) ->
+            ok = emqx_dashboard_admin:add_user(Admin, Password, <<"test">>)
+        end, lists:zip(Admins, Passwords)),
+    ok.
+
+check_admins_ok(Admins, Passwords) ->
+    lists:foreach(
+        fun({Admin, Password}) ->
+            ?assertMatch(ok, emqx_dashboard_admin:check(Admin, Password), {Admin, Password})
+        end, lists:zip(Admins, Passwords)),
+    ok.
+
+check_admins_failed(Admins, Passwords) ->
+    lists:foreach(
+        fun({Admin, Password}) ->
+            ?assertMatch({error, _}, emqx_dashboard_admin:check(Admin, Password), {Admin, Password})
+        end, lists:zip(Admins, Passwords)),
+    ok.
+
+remove_admins(Admins) ->
+    lists:foreach(
+        fun(Admin) ->
+            ok = emqx_dashboard_admin:remove_user(Admin)
+        end, Admins),
+    ok.
+
 remove_all_users_and_acl() ->
     mnesia:delete_table(emqx_user),
     mnesia:delete_table(emqx_acl).
diff --git a/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_bootstrap_app_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_bootstrap_app_SUITE.erl
index d2c12cc39..734ec8e5e 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_bootstrap_app_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_bootstrap_app_SUITE.erl
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ t_load_ok(_) ->
     ok = file:write_file(File, Bin1),
     application:set_env(emqx_management, bootstrap_apps_file, File),
     {ok, _} = application:ensure_all_started(emqx_management),
-    ?assert(emqx_mgmt_auth:is_authorized(<<"test-1">>, <<"secret-1">>)),
-    ?assert(emqx_mgmt_auth:is_authorized(<<"test-2">>, <<"secret-2">>)),
-    ?assertNot(emqx_mgmt_auth:is_authorized(<<"test-1">>, <<"new-secret-1">>)),
-    ?assertNot(emqx_mgmt_auth:is_authorized(<<"test-2">>, <<"new-secret-2">>)),
+    ?assertNot(emqx_mgmt_auth:is_authorized(<<"test-1">>, <<"secret-1">>)),
+    ?assertNot(emqx_mgmt_auth:is_authorized(<<"test-2">>, <<"secret-2">>)),
+    ?assert(emqx_mgmt_auth:is_authorized(<<"test-1">>, <<"new-secret-1">>)),
+    ?assert(emqx_mgmt_auth:is_authorized(<<"test-2">>, <<"new-secret-2">>)),
     application:stop(emqx_management).
 
 t_bootstrap_user_file_not_found(_) ->
@@ -84,13 +84,17 @@ t_load_invalid_username_failed(_) ->
     File = "./bootstrap_apps.txt",
     ok = file:write_file(File, Bin),
     check_load_failed(File),
+    ?assert(emqx_mgmt_auth:is_authorized(<<"test-1">>, <<"password-1">>)),
+    ?assertNot(emqx_mgmt_auth:is_authorized(<<"test&2">>, <<"password-2">>)),
     ok.
 
 t_load_invalid_format_failed(_) ->
-    Bin = <<"test-1:password-1\ntest-2password-2">>,
+    Bin = <<"test-1:password-1\ntest-2 password-2">>,
     File = "./bootstrap_apps.txt",
     ok = file:write_file(File, Bin),
     check_load_failed(File),
+    ?assert(emqx_mgmt_auth:is_authorized(<<"test-1">>, <<"password-1">>)),
+    ?assertNot(emqx_mgmt_auth:is_authorized(<<"test-2">>, <<"password-2">>)),
     ok.
 
 check_load_failed(File) ->
@@ -98,5 +102,4 @@ check_load_failed(File) ->
     application:stop(emqx_management),
     application:set_env(emqx_management, bootstrap_apps_file, File),
     ?assertMatch({error, _}, application:ensure_all_started(emqx_management)),
-    ?assertNot(lists:member(emqx_management, application:which_applications())),
-    ?assert(emqx_mgmt_auth:need_bootstrap()).
+    ?assertNot(lists:member(emqx_management, application:which_applications())).
diff --git a/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_engine.app.src b/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_engine.app.src
index 8c1feb42f..99dfb77a8 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_engine.app.src
+++ b/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_engine.app.src
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {application, emqx_rule_engine,
  [{description, "EMQ X Rule Engine"},
-  {vsn, "4.4.13"}, % strict semver, bump manually!
+  {vsn, "4.4.14"}, % strict semver, bump manually!
   {modules, []},
   {registered, [emqx_rule_engine_sup, emqx_rule_registry, emqx_rule_engine_jwt_sup]},
   {applications, [kernel,stdlib,rulesql,getopt,jose]},
diff --git a/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_engine.appup.src b/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_engine.appup.src
index 6a11776ed..544e21d30 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_engine.appup.src
+++ b/apps/emqx_rule_engine/src/emqx_rule_engine.appup.src
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 %% -*- mode: erlang -*-
 %% Unless you know what you are doing, DO NOT edit manually!!
 {VSN,
-  [{"4.4.12",
+  [{"4.4.13",[{load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},
+   {"4.4.12",
     [{load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_engine_jwt_worker,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {update,emqx_rule_engine_jwt_sup,supervisor},
@@ -220,7 +221,8 @@
      {load_module,emqx_rule_engine,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_runtime,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},
    {<<".*">>,[]}],
-  [{"4.4.12",
+  [{"4.4.13",[{load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},
+   {"4.4.12",
     [{load_module,emqx_rule_registry,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_rule_engine_jwt_worker,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {update,emqx_rule_engine_jwt_sup,supervisor},
diff --git a/changes/v4.4.14-en.md b/changes/v4.4.14-en.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c4a0cb64d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/v4.4.14-en.md
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# v4.4.14
+
+## Enhancements
+- Add a password complexity requirement when adding or modifying Dashboard users via the API. Now passwords must contain at least 2 of alphabetic, numeric and special characters, and must be 8 to 64 characters long [#1696](https://github.com/emqx/emqx-enterprise/pull/1696).
+
+## Bug fixes
+
+- Fix dashboard password validator is too simple. Now dashboard password must contain at least two different kind of characters from groups of letters, numbers and special characters. [#1696](https://github.com/emqx/emqx-enterprise/pull/1696).
+- Fix the problem that adding or importing Dashboard users via the API fails to add complex passwords due to incorrect checksum of the passwords [#1696](https://github.com/emqx/emqx-enterprise/pull/1696).
+
+- Fix load bootstrap_app_file's apps is not sync when reboot. [#1697](https://github.com/emqx/emqx-enterprise/pull/1697).
diff --git a/changes/v4.4.14-zh.md b/changes/v4.4.14-zh.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0d6679046
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/v4.4.14-zh.md
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# v4.4.14
+
+## 增强
+
+- 通过 API 添加、修改 Dashboard 用户时，增加对密码复杂度的要求。现在密码必须包含字母、数字以及特殊字符中的至少 2 种，并且长度范围必须是 8~64 个字符 [#1696](https://github.com/emqx/emqx-enterprise/pull/1696)。
+
+## 修复
+
+- 修复通过 API 添加或者导入 Dashboard 用户时，对密码进行了错误的校验，导致复杂密码添加失败的问题 [#1696](https://github.com/emqx/emqx-enterprise/pull/1696)。
+
+- 修复 boostrap_apps_file 文件更新后没有同步更新至数据库导致文件中新加 apps 未生效 [#1697](https://github.com/emqx/emqx-enterprise/pull/1697)。
diff --git a/data/relup-paths.eterm b/data/relup-paths.eterm
index c72c4bc50..1f075e888 100644
--- a/data/relup-paths.eterm
+++ b/data/relup-paths.eterm
@@ -57,7 +57,14 @@
         <<"4.4.2">>,<<"4.4.3">>,<<"4.4.4">>,<<"4.4.5">>,<<"4.4.6">>,
         <<"4.4.7">>,<<"4.4.8">>,<<"4.4.9">>],
    otp => <<"24.3.4.2-1">>}}.
+{<<"4.4.14">>,
+ #{from_versions =>
+       [<<"4.4.0">>,<<"4.4.1">>,<<"4.4.10">>,<<"4.4.11">>,<<"4.4.12">>,
+        <<"4.4.13">>,<<"4.4.2">>,<<"4.4.3">>,<<"4.4.4">>,<<"4.4.5">>,
+        <<"4.4.6">>,<<"4.4.7">>,<<"4.4.8">>,<<"4.4.9">>],
+   otp => <<"24.3.4.2-1">>}}.
 {<<"4.5.0">>,
  #{from_versions =>
-       [<<"4.4.10">>,<<"4.4.11">>,<<"4.4.13">>,<<"4.4.8">>,<<"4.4.9">>],
+       [<<"4.4.10">>,<<"4.4.11">>,<<"4.4.13">>,<<"4.4.14">>,<<"4.4.8">>,
+        <<"4.4.9">>],
    otp => <<"24.3.4.2-1">>}}.
diff --git a/deploy/charts/emqx/Chart.yaml b/deploy/charts/emqx/Chart.yaml
index 523793eef..092af1ab7 100644
--- a/deploy/charts/emqx/Chart.yaml
+++ b/deploy/charts/emqx/Chart.yaml
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ type: application
 
 # This is the chart version. This version number should be incremented each time you make changes
 # to the chart and its templates, including the app version.
-version: 4.4.13
+version: 4.4.14
 
 # This is the version number of the application being deployed. This version number should be
 # incremented each time you make changes to the application.
-appVersion: 4.4.13
+appVersion: 4.4.14
diff --git a/include/emqx_release.hrl b/include/emqx_release.hrl
index f31e4650b..f3d8a27da 100644
--- a/include/emqx_release.hrl
+++ b/include/emqx_release.hrl
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
 
 -ifndef(EMQX_ENTERPRISE).
 
--define(EMQX_RELEASE, {opensource, "4.4.13"}).
+-define(EMQX_RELEASE, {opensource, "4.4.14"}).
 
 -else.
 
diff --git a/lib-ce/emqx_dashboard/src/emqx_dashboard.app.src b/lib-ce/emqx_dashboard/src/emqx_dashboard.app.src
index 38a5ee5a2..37b805ca3 100644
--- a/lib-ce/emqx_dashboard/src/emqx_dashboard.app.src
+++ b/lib-ce/emqx_dashboard/src/emqx_dashboard.app.src
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {application, emqx_dashboard,
  [{description, "EMQX Web Dashboard"},
-  {vsn, "4.4.12"}, % strict semver, bump manually!
+  {vsn, "4.4.13"}, % strict semver, bump manually!
   {modules, []},
   {registered, [emqx_dashboard_sup]},
   {applications, [kernel,stdlib,mnesia,minirest]},
diff --git a/src/emqx.app.src b/src/emqx.app.src
index 6d9aeb76f..1f75f4220 100644
--- a/src/emqx.app.src
+++ b/src/emqx.app.src
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
   %% the emqx `release' version, which in turn is comprised of several
   %% apps, one of which is this.  See `emqx_release.hrl' for more
   %% info.
-  {vsn, "4.4.13"}, % strict semver, bump manually!
+  {vsn, "4.4.14"}, % strict semver, bump manually!
   {modules, []},
   {registered, []},
   {applications, [ kernel
diff --git a/src/emqx.appup.src b/src/emqx.appup.src
index b8cbdf684..69feb6a5d 100644
--- a/src/emqx.appup.src
+++ b/src/emqx.appup.src
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 %% -*- mode: erlang -*-
 %% Unless you know what you are doing, DO NOT edit manually!!
 {VSN,
-  [{"4.4.12",
+  [{"4.4.13",
+    [{load_module,emqx_cm,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {load_module,emqx_relup,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {load_module,emqx_app,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},
+   {"4.4.12",
     [{load_module,emqx_cm,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_relup,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_app,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},
@@ -393,7 +397,11 @@
      {apply,{application,set_env,
                          [gen_rpc,insecure_auth_fallback_allowed,true]}}]},
    {<<".*">>,[]}],
-  [{"4.4.12",
+  [{"4.4.13",
+    [{load_module,emqx_cm,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {load_module,emqx_relup,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
+     {load_module,emqx_app,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},
+   {"4.4.12",
     [{load_module,emqx_cm,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_relup,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]},
      {load_module,emqx_app,brutal_purge,soft_purge,[]}]},