> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://vida.io/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Manage Computer Agent Credentials Safely

> Connect skills, channels, browser sessions, and reusable helpers without putting credentials in prompts or files.

Computer Agents can work across customer systems, but each connection should use the narrowest
supported credential flow. Keep secrets separate from instructions, Tasks, helper arguments, and
workspace files.

## Choose the correct connection

| Need                                       | Use                                                                                    |
| ------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| A skill requires an API key or setup value | The skill's setup or managed Secret flow.                                              |
| A service supports OAuth                   | The skill authentication flow.                                                         |
| Slack or another messaging service         | The channel connection flow for the selected Agent.                                    |
| A website login                            | The Computer Agent's Browser, with a temporary access link when a person must sign in. |
| A reusable helper calls an API             | An Agent-level managed secret declared by the helper.                                  |

Do not paste credentials into chat and ask the Agent to remember them.

## Keep credentials at the right scope

Use an Agent-level secret for a helper or skill that belongs to one Agent. An organization-level
value can be an inherited fallback when several authorized Agents intentionally share the same
credential.

Channel connections are Agent-specific. Verify the connection from the exact Agent that will use it,
especially when several Agents use the same Computer.

## Complete interactive sign-in safely

When a person must authenticate in the Browser:

1. create a temporary Browser access link
2. confirm the selected Agent before signing in
3. complete authentication without sharing the password in chat
4. close the access session
5. test the intended skill, channel, or browser workflow

Do not send a long-lived Browser or private Canvas link to an unintended recipient.

## Use secrets in reusable helpers

Helpers should declare the secret identifiers they require and accept only business inputs when
called. The helper reads the credential through the managed runtime; callers should never pass the
secret value as an argument.

After changing a helper secret, refresh and validate the helper registry and run a safe
representative test.

## Rotate or remove access

Before deleting or replacing a credential, identify the skills, helpers, Tasks, and channels that
depend on it. Add the replacement, verify the capability, then remove the old credential.

Periodically remove unused credentials and browser sessions. Review destination-system audit logs
when available.

See [Skills, accounts, and credentials](/docs/computer-agents/skills-and-access) and
[Reusable helpers and browser automation](/docs/computer-agents/reusable-helpers).