Why you add people to your accounts
Adding people to your online accounts means giving them access to see information, make changes, or manage things on your behalf. You might add a family member to your email so they can help if you get locked out. You might add a trusted friend to your bank account so they can pay bills while you're away. You might add a coworker to a shared document so you can work together without passing files back and forth.
The reason to do this carefully is that whoever you add can usually see everything in that account and do most of the things you can do. If you add the wrong person, or if someone gains access without permission, they can read your messages, spend your money, or change your passwords. This section walks you through how to add people the right way, and what to check before you hand over access.
Key Takeaways
- Most accounts let you add people through a "Share", "Add User", or "Manage Access" button, usually found in Settings or Account.
- You can usually choose what each person can see and do — some accounts let you give read-only access so they cannot change anything.
- Always use the person's real email address or phone number, because that is how the account sends them the invitation.
- Check what permissions you are giving before you confirm, because different accounts call the same power by different names.
- Remove people from your accounts as soon as you no longer need them to have access, because old invitations can stay active.
Finding where to add people in your account
The location changes depending on what service you use, but the button or link is almost always in Settings or Account. Look for words like "Manage Access", "Add User", "Share", "Permissions", "People", or "Collaborators". On your phone, this is usually a menu icon (three horizontal lines) or a gear icon in the top corner or bottom of the screen.
If you cannot find it, search the help section for the service name plus "add user" or "share account". For example, search "Gmail add user" or "PayPal add authorized person". The help page will show you the exact steps for that service. Do not guess and click random buttons, because some buttons delete the account or change your password instead.
Entering the person's contact information
When you find the right button, the account will ask you for the person's email address or phone number. Use the one they actually check regularly — if you enter an old email they abandoned, they will never get the invitation. If you are not sure which email they use, ask them first.
Some accounts let you add people by their username instead of email. Only do this if you are certain you have the right person. Usernames can be similar or straightforward to mix up, and you cannot undo the mistake by sending a message to the wrong email address.
Choosing what they can see and do
Before you send the invitation, the account will usually ask what permissions you want to give. Permissions are the powers you are handing over — what they can read, what they can change, whether they can add other people, and so on. Different services use different names for the same power. One service might call it "Editor", another might call it "Can Edit", and another might call it "Full Access".
Read the description next to each permission level before you choose. If the account offers "View Only" or "Read Only", use that if the person only needs to see information. If they need to make changes, look for "Editor" or "Can Edit". If they need to manage the whole account or add other people, look for "Admin" or "Owner". When in doubt, give the smallest permission that lets them do what you actually need them to do.
Some accounts let you give permission to specific parts of the account instead of the whole thing. For example, you might let someone see your calendar but not your email, or edit one shared folder but not another. If the account offers this, use it — it keeps people from seeing things they do not need to see.
Sending the invitation and confirming access
Once you have entered the person's contact information and chosen their permissions, the account will show you a summary of what you are about to do. Read it. Check that the email address is correct, that the permissions match what you intended, and that you are not accidentally adding them to the wrong account. Then click the button to send the invitation.
The person will receive an email or text message asking them to accept the invitation. They have to click the link and sometimes sign in to their own account before they get access. This is normal and it is a safety feature — it proves they actually own that email address or phone number. If they do not accept within a few days, you can send the invitation again.
Removing people when you no longer need them
People you add stay in your account until you remove them. If someone changes jobs, moves away, or you straightforward no longer need them to have access, go back to the same Settings or Account section where you added them. Look for a list of people with access, and find a "Remove", "Delete", or "Revoke Access" button next to their name. Click it and confirm.
Removing someone is when ready — they lose access right away and cannot see anything new. However, they may still have copies of things they downloaded or screenshots they took while they had access. If you are removing someone because you do not trust them anymore, consider changing your password as well, because some accounts let a removed person use old session tokens to stay logged in.
What to do if someone has access you did not give them
If you see a person in your account that you did not add, remove them when ready. Then change your password to something new that nobody else knows. If the person is still showing up after you remove them, or if you see activity in your account that you did not do, contact the service's support team and tell them your account may have been compromised.
Do not assume the person hacked you — sometimes a family member adds themselves thinking they are helping, or a coworker adds themselves to a shared account without asking. But if you do not recognize the name and cannot figure out how they got there, treat it as a security problem and change your password right away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add someone without them knowing?
Most services send an invitation email or text, so the person will know. Some services let you add people silently if you already know their username, but this is rare and usually only works for shared documents or folders, not whole accounts. If you are thinking about adding someone without telling them, reconsider — it usually breaks trust when they find out.
What if I add the wrong person by mistake?
Remove them when ready using the same Settings section where you added them. Look for their name in the list of people with access and click "Remove" or "Revoke Access". They lose access right away. If you are worried they saw something sensitive before you removed them, change your password.
Can I give someone access to just one email or one folder instead of the whole account?
It depends on the service. Gmail, Outlook, and most email services do not let you share a single email — you either share the whole account or nothing. But Google Drive, OneDrive, and Dropbox let you share individual folders or files. Check your service's help section for what is possible.
Do I have to use their email address, or can I use their phone number?
Most services accept either one, but email is more reliable because people change phone numbers more often. If you use a phone number and they switch carriers or get a new number, they may lose access. When in doubt, ask for their email address.
What happens to their access if I delete my account?
When you delete your account, everyone you added loses access when ready. The account and all its contents are gone. If you are planning to delete your account, remove people first and let them know so they can save anything they need.