Exchange passkeys on a shared family computer: profiles, prompts and what to avoid
A passkey makes signing in quick and resistant to phishing, but its security depends on who controls the device where it lives. On a personal phone that is clear. On a shared family laptop it is not. If a passkey for your exchange account is saved in a browser or password manager that everyone in the household uses, then anyone who can unlock that profile may be able to sign in as you. This guide explains how passkeys behave on shared computers and how to use them there without handing your account to the rest of the family.
Where a passkey is actually saved
When you create a passkey on a computer, the browser usually offers to save it in the operating system's credential store, the browser's password manager or a third-party manager. Each of these is tied to a user profile. If the family shares one operating system account and one browser profile, your passkey is effectively shared too. Check the account settings on Binance, OKX, Bybit or Bitget to see which passkeys are registered, then open the password manager to see where yours is stored.
Use a separate profile with its own lock
The simplest fix is a separate user account on the computer, protected by a password or PIN that only you know. Your browser profile, password manager and passkeys then belong to you alone. Lock the computer or sign out of your profile when you step away. If a separate operating system account is not practical, at least use a separate browser profile with its own password manager lock, although this is weaker.
Prefer the phone as the authenticator
Many browsers let you sign in on a computer using a passkey stored on your phone, usually by scanning a code shown on the screen and confirming on the phone. This keeps the passkey on a device only you control and leaves nothing on the shared computer. For exchange accounts, this option is often the best balance between convenience and control in a shared household.
Clean up after occasional use
If you ever saved a passkey on a shared profile, remove it from the password manager and delete it from the list of registered passkeys in your exchange account. Review the active sessions and sign out of the shared computer. Repeat this check whenever a family member gets new access to the device or the computer is passed on.
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Scenario checkpoint
- Check which passkeys are registered on your exchange account and where each one is stored.
- Create your own computer user account with a private PIN before saving any exchange passkey.
- Sign in on shared computers with a passkey stored on your phone instead of saving one locally.
- Remove passkeys and end sessions on any shared profile you used in the past.