Google password manager now lets families share details across one account

(Image credit: Passwork)

People using Google’s password manager tool can now share their login credentials with their family members thanks to a new update.

The newly-released version 24.20 of Google Play services, features a number of bug fixes, utility and connectivity improvements, including the option to share passwords with Google accounts listed as part of the family group.

“With this new feature, you can now securely share your passwords with your family group in Google Password Manager,” the support document reads. “When you share a password, your family members will receive a copy of it in their Google Password Manager, ready to be used.”

The feature was first announced in February 2024, during Safer Internet Day, Engadget reported.

Users that already have a family group will now see a “share” button in Google’s Password Manager. However, the feature seems to be limited to Android for now, and might not yet be enabled in the desktop version of Chrome.

With biometric solutions and passkeys, traditional passwords have been on their way out for quite some time now. They are considered outdated, and not as secure, since they can be stolen, or leaked. However, until that day comes and passwords are completely eliminated, there is a need to keep them as secure as possible, which can be done by using the best password generators.

While ideally, people should not be sharing their passwords with anyone, there will always be instances when that happens, such as when family members share access to streaming services, VPNs, and similar. Sharing passwords via social media accounts, by writing them down on a piece of paper, or in similar manner, will always be extremely risky, which is why a feature such as this one can be seen as a good move by Google.

We still advise against sharing passwords, though.

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Sead is a seasoned freelance journalist based in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He writes about IT (cloud, IoT, 5G, VPN) and cybersecurity (ransomware, data breaches, laws and regulations). In his career, spanning more than a decade, he’s written for numerous media outlets, including Al Jazeera Balkans. He’s also held several modules on content writing for Represent Communications.