Keep credentials in a shared vault
When several people manage legitimate accounts, passwords saved in personal browsers or scattered across notes can be difficult to control. A team password manager provides a central, protected place for credentials, while individual access lets each person use their own login to the vault. This makes it easier to manage membership and remove access when someone changes roles.
Give each team member only the access needed for their work. Keep account passwords in the vault rather than in chat, email, or shared documents. Use a clear naming system so colleagues can distinguish accounts and find the right entry without revealing secrets in filenames or notes.
A shared vault should not mean a shared master password. Each person should protect their own vault access with a strong, unique password and two-factor login. Decide who administers the vault and how access changes are approved. Keep a record of responsibilities and recovery procedures, but do not place the vault’s master password in an ordinary team document.
Use unique, long passwords
Every account should have its own password. Reusing a password creates a link between accounts: if one credential is exposed, someone may try it elsewhere. A password manager can generate and store long, hard-to-guess passwords, so team members do not have to remember each one.
Do not make shared account passwords depend on personal details, team names, or predictable patterns. When a password has been shared outside the vault, or there is reason to think it has been exposed, change it and update the vault entry. Avoid sending the replacement through the same channel that may have exposed the old one.
Some services support individual seats or named users rather than a single shared login. Where available and permitted by the service’s rules, individual access can make it clearer who is responsible for an action and simplify changes to team membership. Do not use shared credentials in ways that violate a platform’s terms.
Choose a two-factor method thoughtfully
Two-factor login adds a check beyond the password. An authenticator app generates temporary codes on a device. It does not depend on text delivery and can work without a mobile connection, but access may be disrupted if the device is lost or unavailable. Teams should decide in advance how a replacement device will be set up and who can use recovery options.
Text-message codes are familiar and easy to use, but they depend on access to the relevant phone number and delivery network. A number can be unavailable during travel, after a device change, or if a mobile account is compromised. Treat text messages as a useful barrier, not as a substitute for a strong password or careful handling of recovery details.
A hardware security key provides a physical way to confirm a login. It can offer strong protection against phishing when the service supports it, but the key must be available when needed. Keep a suitable spare under controlled access if the service allows more than one key to be registered. Store it securely and document who is responsible for it; do not leave it attached to a shared workstation.
Store recovery methods separately
Recovery codes can help regain access if a normal second factor is unavailable. Generate them through the service’s official account settings, then store them offline in a protected place, such as a sealed record kept in a secure location. Do not keep the only copy in the same phone, browser, or vault that may be inaccessible during recovery.
Agree who may access recovery materials and under what circumstances. Limit access to people with a genuine operational need, and review the arrangement when responsibilities change. If a code is used, replace the set when the service permits it and update the protected record. Recovery details are credentials too: do not paste them into tickets, messages, or routine handover notes.
Plan for a lost phone or staff change
If a phone used for authentication is lost, act through the service’s official recovery process. From a trusted device, revoke or remove the lost device where possible, review recent account activity, and reset credentials if there is reason to suspect exposure. Use an approved recovery code or another registered factor rather than asking a colleague to send secrets through chat. Contact the mobile provider if the phone number or SIM may also be at risk.
For a team handover, remove departing members’ vault access and update shared account credentials when they knew them or could access them. Check that recovery methods still belong to the team, not to a former member’s personal device or email address. A written process for access, backups, and recovery helps the team respond calmly while respecting each platform’s rules.