Finding an attachment together
Fictional example: Emil wants to save an attachment from an email. His daughter could ask him to send his credentials and do everything herself. Instead, they sit together at his device. Emil signs in himself while she explains the next step. She does not open unrelated messages. By the end, Emil can locate the saved attachment. The help solves a specific task without also giving his daughter permanent access to his entire mailbox or creating another copy of his password.
Keep the task narrow and understandable
Start by asking what should work by the end of the session. Printing a document, finding a setting and replying to a message are different tasks. Agree which areas may be opened. Ask to see only what is relevant and explain new steps before taking them. Permission to help with a printer is not blanket permission to browse photographs, banking accounts or health records. If the person asks to pause or says no, stop that part of the activity and clarify what they want.
Credentials stay with the account owner
During sign-in, the helper can look away or pause screen sharing. Passwords, recovery keys and valid confirmation codes do not belong in appointment notes or family chats. When a confirmation is requested, explain which action the owner has just initiated and is being asked to approve. An unexpected approval should not be accepted simply because a helper is present. If its origin is unclear, stop and open the official service directly. Helping means explaining, not quietly making decisions on somebody else’s behalf.
Arrange ongoing support deliberately
Where regular assistance is needed, investigate the provider’s supported roles, sharing controls or representative arrangements. Gmail, for example, offers separate delegation for certain mailbox tasks; other services have different options and limits. These permissions still need to be voluntary, appropriate to the purpose and open to review. Banking, healthcare and government services may require particular authorisations and conditions. Sharing a password does not replace those arrangements. Ask the relevant provider what is available for the person’s actual needs and circumstances.
Finish with an understandable outcome
If helpful, write down the completed action and remaining questions without copying private content or credentials. Let the person try the new function themselves. End any screen-sharing session and check whether another device remains signed in. If credentials were already shared, calmly discuss a suitable replacement and review active sessions. The next helper should be able to understand the task without taking over every account again. Supporting independence remains a worthwhile aim even when ongoing practical help is genuinely necessary.
Your checklist
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Common questions
Is sharing passwords within the family harmless?
Trust does not remove the need to control credentials. Shared secrets can be passed on accidentally or stored on other devices. Prefer suitable limited official access where available.
What if the person cannot type independently?
Discuss accessible controls and appropriate official assistance. Necessary help should fit the individual; hidden access or collecting every password is not a good default solution.
Can I simply improve their settings?
Agree changes first. A setting convenient for you may be unfamiliar or unsuitable for somebody else. Explain its effect and, where relevant, how to reverse it.
Sources and further information
Primary sources from public authorities, consumer organisations and providers. A source may be in another language; follow the guidance that applies to your service and where you live.
- Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr: Les 10 règles de base pour la sécurité numériqueSource review date:
- Google: Delegate and collaborate on emailSource review date:
- FTC: What’s a verification code and why would someone ask me for it?Source review date:
