What Not to Share With a Tech Support Technician

The passwords, codes, financial details and files you should keep to yourself when getting computer help, and safer ways to give a technician access.

A technician needs enough access to fix your problem, and no more. The trouble is that "enough" is rarely explained, so people either hand over everything or panic and refuse to share anything. This guide sets out a sensible middle path.

Banking passwords, PINs and card security codes. Genuine repair work does not require them.
One-time codes sent by text, email or an authenticator app. These exist so that only you can approve a login or payment.
Your full card details for "verification" calls.
Recovery phrases for crypto wallets, or backup keys for accounts.
Online banking access during a remote session.

If someone asks for any of these, treat it as a red flag, whatever the explanation.

Some things are reasonable to provide but should be handled carefully:

Item	When it may be needed	Safer approach
Computer login password	Technician needs to sign in to test	Create a temporary account or change the password afterwards
Wi-Fi password	Connecting devices	Use a guest network, or change after
Email or cloud account login	Fixing a sync problem	Log in yourself while they guide, then sign out
Router admin login	Changing settings	Be present, and change after if shared
Device or operating system account	Reset or licence issues	Sign in yourself

The principle is that you remain in control: you type the password, you stay present, and you change it afterwards if it was given out.

Protect your files before the repair

Back up important files to an external drive or cloud storage so a repair slip does not become a loss. See our backup guide.
Move highly sensitive documents such as scans of passports, tax records or client files to a drive you keep.
Sign out of accounts and consider removing saved cards from your browser.
Turn off auto-fill of passwords in browsers if you are handing a device over.

If you use a password manager, lock it before the technician begins, and do not share the master password.

Ask the right questions

A professional technician will not mind if you ask:

What do you need access to, and why?
Will you copy any of my files, and where will they be stored?
When will they be deleted?
Who else will handle the device?

The answers should be clear and short. For broader preparation, see questions to ask before hiring tech support.

Special cases

Laptops used for work

If the device holds employer or client data, check your obligations. You may need to tell your employer before it leaves your hands, and some organisations prohibit third-party repair.

Children's devices

Remove any saved payment methods, and be present throughout. Use the guide on parental controls to review settings afterwards.

Shared family computers

Make sure each person's accounts are signed out, and let everyone know who will have access.

After the work

Change any passwords you shared.
Remove temporary accounts or access.
Check email and financial accounts for unusual activity over the next week.
Turn on two-factor authentication where you have not already. See two-factor authentication explained.

Finding people who respect boundaries

When you book through Compito, you can describe exactly what access you are comfortable with in your request and confirm it by message before accepting an offer. Providers are ID-verified, and you can read reviews left after completed bookings. See how it works and the safety page.

A worked example: the printer visit

A technician visits to fix a printer and a slow laptop. The laptop needs a login, so the owner types it in themselves and stays beside the technician. The technician does not need email, so the owner leaves it signed out. At the end, the owner changes the laptop password and notes the visit in a simple log. Nothing else was shared. It took no extra time, and the owner could afterwards say exactly what the technician had been able to see.

A tiered way to think about access

Level	Examples	Approach
Never share	Banking passwords, one-time codes, card PINs, recovery phrases	Refuse, whoever is asking
Share briefly, in person	Device login, Wi-Fi password	Type it yourself, change afterwards
Share with a plan	Access to a specific folder or app	Limit to what the job needs, and agree what is copied
Fine to share	Make and model, error messages, symptoms	Share freely and in detail

Practical ways to limit what a technician can see

Create a temporary user account for the visit and delete it afterwards.
Move personal documents into a folder you take with you on a drive.
Use a guest Wi-Fi network for the technician's own device.
Log out of email, social media, banking and shopping.
Ask the technician to tell you before opening anything personal such as photos or documents.

What a reasonable technician will do

A good technician will explain why something is needed, will not look through personal files beyond what the job requires, will not ask for codes sent to your phone and will accept that you stay present. If they react badly to simple questions about data, that tells you something.

If you need to hand over a device

For repairs that take the machine away, back it up first, sign out of accounts, consider a temporary password and ask whether the data is copied. Note the condition and accessories handed over. Afterwards, change the passwords you gave out, and keep a record of the date and what was agreed.

Frequently asked questions

Do technicians need my computer password?

Often they need to sign in to test, but there are alternatives such as a temporary account or you entering it yourself. Change it afterwards if it was shared.

Is it okay for them to take my laptop with my files on it?

Commonly yes, provided you are comfortable with their handling of data. Back up first and sign out of sensitive accounts.

What if I already shared something I should not have?

Change the affected passwords from a safe device, contact your bank if financial details were involved, and monitor your accounts closely.

Find tech support providers near you

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