Recovery, Sharing & Lost Devices

Start with Your Primary Email

Email often receives reset links and security notices for other accounts. Protect it with a unique credential and supported phishing-resistant authentication. Check recovery addresses, forwarding rules and active sessions.

A recovery option can become the easiest route into an account. Use only contact details and devices you control; remove obsolete ones carefully after a replacement is tested.

Keep Recovery Codes Away from the Locked Door

If the only recovery code is inside a vault you cannot unlock, it may not help. Follow the provider’s guidance for a protected offline or otherwise independently accessible copy. Store it away from casual access, screenshots and public shared folders.

Recovery codes are secrets, often usable only once. Mark used codes and generate a replacement set through the genuine service when needed. Do not send them to support.

Sharing Needs a Boundary

Prefer delegated access, family/team sharing features or separate accounts over handing out your personal sign-in. Give only the access needed and review it when someone’s role changes.

A guest Wi-Fi phrase is intended to be shared with a defined group. Keep it separate from your private Wi-Fi, router administration and other accounts. A QR code containing it is also a copy of the secret.

If a Device Is Lost

1. Use the service’s documented recovery and device-management pages from a trusted device.
2. Revoke the lost device’s sessions or authenticators where supported.
3. Review account activity and recovery details.
4. Replace credentials that were exposed—not merely those that existed on a well-protected device.
5. Re-establish a tested backup sign-in method before the next emergency.