How to Run a Security Checkup on Your Google Account

Google breaks down the possible security issues and items into specific categories: Your devices, Recent security events, Third-party access, ... PCMageditorsselectandreviewproductsindependently.Ifyoubuythroughaffiliatelinks,wemayearncommissions,whichhelpsupportourtesting.Learnmore. Home How-To Security By LanceWhitney June7,2019 facebook twitter flipboard socialshare Flipboard Pinterest Reddit LinkedIn Email Copied Error! CopyLink https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-run-a-security-checkup-on-your-google-account Comments Likealotofpeople,youronlinelifeisprobablyheavilytiedtoGoogle,fromsearchandGmailtoGoogleCalendarandYouTube.YourPC,phone,andtabletmayconnecttoyourGoogleaccount.YoumightevenownaPixelorotherAndroidphonethatrequiresaccesstoGooglesitesandservices. AsaGoogleuser,howcanyoukeepalltheinformationfromyouraccountinchecksonooneelsecanaccessit?GoogleitselftriestohelpwithSecurityCheckup,asitethatdisplaysyoursecuritysettingsandconnecteddevicessoyoucanreviewthemandmakeanynecessarychanges. Let'sseehowthisworksonthePCandmobile. HowtoRunaGoogleSecurityCheck ThereismorethanonewaytoviewGoogle'sSecurityCheckupsite.Usinganybrowser,surftoaGooglewebsite,suchasGoogle'ssearchpage,Gmail,GoogleCalendar,GoogleDocs,orGooglePlay.SigninwithyourGoogleaccountifprompted.ClickyourprofilephotooriconintheupperrightandselectthebuttonforGoogleAccount.Alternatively,youcantakeamoredirectroutebyjustopeningyourGoogleAccountsite. You'renowatthehomepageforyourGoogleaccount.IfGooglehasdetectedanypotentialsecurityissues,theSecuritysectionsays:"Securityissuesfound."Inthatcase,clickthelinktoSecureaccount.Ifnoissueswerediscovered,thesectioninsteadsays:"Wekeepyouraccountprotected."Inthatcase,clicktheGetStartedlinkifyouwanttoreviewthesettingsanyway. Googlebreaksdownthepossiblesecurityissuesanditemsintospecificcategories:Yourdevices,Recentsecurityevents,Third-partyaccess,andSign-in&recovery.Ayellowexclamationpointnexttoacategoryindicatesoneormorepossibleissues;aGreencheckmarkisasignofacleanbillofhealth.However,youshouldstillreviewallthecategories.Let'slookateachone. CheckConnectedDevices SelectthecategorycalledYourdevices.Thiscategorydisplaysanydevicescurrentlysignedinaswellasdevicesthatyouhaven'tusedinalongtime,suchasanoldAndroidphoneortabletthatyoumaynolongerown.Toremoveadeviceyounolongeruse,clicktheRemovebuttonnexttoit. TocheckonadevicesignedintoyourGoogleaccount,clicktheellipsisbutton()nexttoit.Ifyou'reunfamiliarwiththatdevice,clicktheentryfor"Don'trecognizethisdevice?"Googlethenpromptsyoutochangeyourpassword.Youcanalsosimplyremovethedevicefromthismenu. Ifyouchangeyourpassword,youwillhavetosignbackintoallofyourdevices.Asinconvenientasthismaysound,itisanoptionyou'llwanttotakeifyouthinkthatadeviceorpasswordmayhavefallenintothewronghands. InspectSecurityEvents BackontheSecurityCheckuppage,selectthecategoryforRecentsecurityevents.Thiscategoryshowsrecordedevents,ifany,suchassign-inswithyourGoogleAccountonspecificdevicesandchangedpasswords.Googlewillflageventsthattakeplaceondifferentdevicesandwillaskyoutoconfirmwhetherornotthisactionwastakenbyyou. Respondtothequestionofwhetherornotyoutooktheseactions.Ifyes,Googlewillviewtheactionasapproved.Ifyoudon'trecognizeadeviceorrecentevent,letGoogleknowaboutit.Youwillthenbepromptedtochangeyourpassword. VieweveryrecentsecurityeventconcerningyourGoogleaccountanddevicesbyclickingShowothersatthebottomoftheRecentsecurityeventssection.Ifoneormoreeventsdon'tlookfamiliar,clickthelinkatthebottomfor"Don'trecognizeanevent?"Inthatcase,Googlewillagainpromptyoutochangeyourpassword. MaintainThird-PartyServices BackontheSecurityCheckuppage,selectthecategoryforThird-partyaccess.Thiscategoryraisesaflagifyou'veenabledanythird-partyservicestoaccessyourGoogleaccount.Forexample,ifyousetupaccesstoGmailthroughyouremailsoftware,thenthatwouldbeflaggedasthird-partyaccess. Ifyouknowforcertainthatyoudon'tuseanyGoogleservicesthroughathird-partyapporaccount,clicktheTurnoffbuttontodisablethattypeofaccess. Otherwise,selecttheentrytoShowotherstorevieweachspecifictypeofaccess.ClicktheRemoveaccessbuttontodisableaccessforanyitemsyounolongerusewithaGooglesiteorservice. VerifySign-inandRecovery BackontheSecurityCheckuppage,chooseSign-in&recovery.Ifyouhavetwo-factorauthenticationenabled,you'lllikelysee"2-StepVerification"instead. RecommendedbyOurEditors 8WaysGooglePlanstoTackleSecurityandPrivacyin2019 GoogleHastheKeytoKeepingYouSecure,ButYouDon'tNeedIt HowtoManageYourGooglePrivacySettings Sign-in&recoverydisplaysanyrecoverymethodsyou'vesetupincaseyou'reeverlockedoutofyouraccount.Itmayalsoshowyouallthetrustedmobiledevicesyoucanusetoverifyyouridentity. Tosetorchangeyourrecoveryphonenumber,clickthepenciliconnexttothatentry.YouthenneedtoenteryourGooglepasswordtochangethenumber.Dothesamewithyourrecoveryemailifnecessary. Ifyouseeanytrustedmobiledevicesthatyouwanttoremove,clicktheInfoiconforthisentry.Atthewindow,clickthelinkfor"recentlyuseddevices." AtthepageforRecentlyuseddevices,revieweachdevicetomakesureyourecognizeit.Ifadeviceseemsunfamiliar,clickittoseemoredetails,suchastheversionofChromeandthelastlocationused.Ifyoucan'tlocatethedeviceorareconcernedaboutsuspiciousactivitywithit,clickthelinkforLostthisdevice?YoucanalsoremovethephoneimmediatelybyclickingRemove. Googleasksforyourpasswordandthentakesyoutoapagewitheventsandotherdetailsrelatedtothatdevice.Scrolldownthepage.Ifeverythinglooksokay,clicktheLooksGoodbutton.Otherwise,clickthelinkforSomethingLooksWrong.YoucanthenchangeyourGooglepasswordorexploreotheroptionssuchastryingtocallthephone,signingoutofit,orcontactingyourcarrier. Whenyou'redone,returntoyourGoogleAccountpage.You'llfindmoresettingsbyclickingtheentryforSecurityontheleftsideofthescreen.Buttheoneswe'vecoveredherearethecoresettingsandshouldhelpyoubetterprotectyourGoogleaccountanddevices. LikeWhatYou'reReading? SignupforSecurityWatchnewsletterforourtopprivacyandsecuritystoriesdeliveredrighttoyourinbox. Email SignUp Thisnewslettermaycontainadvertising,deals,oraffiliatelinks.SubscribingtoanewsletterindicatesyourconsenttoourTermsofUseandPrivacyPolicy.Youmayunsubscribefromthenewslettersatanytime. Thanksforsigningup! Yoursubscriptionhasbeenconfirmed.Keepaneyeonyourinbox! Signupforothernewsletters TableofContents TableofContents ReturntoTheTop HowtoRunaGoogleSecurityCheck CheckConnectedDevices InspectSecurityEvents MaintainThird-PartyServices VerifySign-inandRecovery Advertisement DigDeeperWithRelatedStories WhatIstheLog4jExploit,andWhatCanYouDotoStaySafe? By NeilJ.Rubenking IsThisFacebookEmailaFake? By NeilJ.Rubenking TheBestAuthenticatorAppsfor2022 By MichaelMuchmore StopTrackersDead:TheBestPrivateBrowsersfor2022 By MichaelMuchmore PCMagStoriesYou’llLike Editors'Choice AboutLanceWhitney Survivingalongandvariedcareerinpublishing,advertising,andIT,LanceWhitneynowwearsafewdifferenttechnologyhats.Byday,he'sajournalist,softwaretrainer,andsometimeWebdeveloper.Bynight,he'sasleep.Thesedays,hewritesnewsstories,columns,andreviewsforCNETandothertechnologysitesandpublications.He'swrittentwobooksforWiley&Sons:Windows8FiveMinutesataTimein2012,andTeachYourselfVISUALLYLinkedInin2014.ContactLanceviaFacebook,Twitter,orLinkedIn. 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