Passkeys on shared front desk computers

Passkeys require additional planning when multiple staff members use the same front desk computer. Each staff member should use an individual browser profile or operating system account so their passkey remains separate from other users.

Understand where passkeys are stored

A passkey is stored in the specific browser profile or operating system user account where it was created. For example:

• A passkey created by Maria in her Chrome profile is not available when Pedro uses his Chrome profile on the same computer.
• A passkey created in the Windows user account Receptionist is not available when someone uses a different Windows account.

Option A: Use individual browser profiles

Individual browser profiles are recommended for most shared front desk computers. Chrome and Edge support multiple named profiles on the same computer, and each profile has its own bookmarks, passwords, and multi-factor authentication settings.

1. In Chrome or Edge, select the profile icon in the upper-right corner of the browser.
2. Select Add a new profile, or the equivalent option in your browser.
3. Name the profile after the staff member, such as Maria or Front Desk: Maria.
4. Ask each staff member to open their own browser profile before signing in to Cloudbeds and setting up their passkey.

Each browser profile is treated as a separate device by the passkey system. A passkey created in Maria's profile is available only in that profile, even when other profiles are used on the same computer.

Sync a browser profile across devices

To use the passkey on other computers or devices, the staff member must sync their browser profile:

• Chrome: Sign in to the profile with a Google account and enable sync. The passkey will be available in Chrome when the staff member signs in with the same Google account.
• Edge: Sign in with a Microsoft account and enable sync.

Without sync, the passkey is available only on the computer and browser profile where it was created.

Option B: Use individual operating system accounts

As an alternative to browser profiles, each staff member can use an individual Windows or macOS account on the shared computer:

• Windows: Each account has its own Windows Hello profile, including a separate fingerprint or PIN. Passkeys created in one Windows account are not available in another account.
• macOS: Each macOS account stores its Touch ID information separately.

Individual operating system accounts provide stronger separation than browser profiles. This option requires IT setup and is most appropriate for properties that already manage a separate operating system account for each staff member.

Remove access when a staff member leaves or changes roles

When a staff member leaves, remove their browser profile or operating system account from the shared computer. Their passkey is tied to that profile or account, so an administrator does not need to reset multi-factor authentication for this scenario.

If the passkey must also be removed from Cloudbeds, such as when the staff member enrolled a personal device, the property owner or administrator can remove the specific verification method from Account > Settings > Users. The user can also remove it from the Sign-in & security section of their profile.

Add a backup verification method

Every user should add at least one backup verification method in addition to a passkey. If a browser update, profile change, or operating system reset makes the passkey unavailable, the backup method allows the user to sign in and enroll a new passkey without an administrator reset.

Go to Account > My Profile > Sign-in & security > Two-factor authentication > Manage methods > Add a verification method. For complete instructions, see Managing Your MFA Methods From Your Profile.