Client Resource
How to Safely Share Passwords with Me
Sometimes it is necessary for you to share passwords with me briefly so that I can log in and perform certain tasks on your behalf, but it isn't safe to send passwords in text or email. What to do?
How to share a password with me (the right way)
Sometimes I'll need temporary access to something you own: a Google account to set up Analytics, a domain registrar to update DNS settings, or a hosting login to configure something. (The Nameservers & Cloudflare guide covers your registrar access options specifically.)
Please don't send passwords in a text message or email. Neither is encrypted in a way that protects you if someone intercepts the message or gets into your inbox later. Instead, use a one-time secure link. It disappears after it's opened, so even if someone found the link afterward, there'd be nothing there.
The easiest free option is OneTimeSecret (no account needed):
1
Go to onetimesecret.com
No sign-up required. You'll see a simple text box right on the home page.
2
Paste the password (and username, if needed) into the box
If you're sharing both a login and a password, put both in there. You can also add an optional passphrase for an extra layer; then you'd send me the passphrase separately by text.
3
Click "Create a secret link" and copy the link it gives you
Send me that link by email, text, or whatever's convenient. The moment I open it, the secret is gone permanently.
4
Change the password once I'm done
The link expires after one view, but changing the actual password is the cleanest way to close the loop, especially for something like a Google account or hosting login.
If you use 1Password
1Password has a built-in "Share Item" feature that does the same thing. Open the item, click the share icon, and send me the link. Works great if you're already in that ecosystem. No need to go to a separate site.
That said, I try to ask for direct credential access only when there's genuinely no other way. Whenever possible, I'll ask you to create me a separate account with the specific access I need, and we can remove it when the project's done. Cleaner all around.
Questions about this? Let me know. I'm always happy to help.