Make your account more secure - Google Account Help

Step 1: Do a Security Checkup ... 2-Step Verification helps prevent a hacker from getting into your account, even if they steal your password. To avoid common ... MakeyouraccountmoresecureAtGoogle,wetakeonlinesecurityseriously.ToprotectyourGoogleAccount,westronglyrecommendfollowingthestepsbelowregularly. Note:Ifyou’reajournalist,activist,orsomeoneelseatriskoftargetedonlineattacks,learnabouttheAdvancedProtectionProgram. Step1:DoaSecurityCheckup GotoSecurityCheckuptogetpersonalizedsecurityrecommendationsforyourGoogleAccount,including: Addorupdateaccountrecoveryoptions Yourrecoveryphonenumberandemailaddressarepowerfulsecuritytools.Thiscontactinfocanbeusedtohelp: Blocksomeonefromusingyouraccountwithoutyourpermission Alertyouifthere’ssuspiciousactivityonyouraccount Recoveryouraccountifyou’reeverlockedout Learnhowtoaddorchangeyourrecoveryphonenumberoremailaddress. Turnon2-StepVerification 2-StepVerificationhelpspreventahackerfromgettinginto youraccount,eveniftheystealyourpassword.Toavoidcommonphishingtechniquesassociatedwithtextmessagecodes,chooseastrongersecondverificationstep: Securitykeys(Mostsecureverificationstep) GooglePrompts(Moresecurethantextmessagecodes) Increasedsecurity:AdvancedProtection Ifyou’reajournalist,activist,orsomeoneelseatriskoftargetedonlineattacks,considerenrollingintheAdvancedProtectionProgramforahigherlevelofsecurity.AdvancedProtectionusessecuritykeystoprotectagainstphishingandincludesotherprotectionslikeblockingunsecureapps. Removeriskyaccesstoyourdata Considerremovingaccountaccessforanynon-essentialappstobetterprotectsensitiveinformation. Manageappswithaccesstoyouraccountandlearnmoreabouttherisks. Turnoffaccessforappsthatuselesssecuresign-intechnology. Turnonscreenlocks Screenlockshelpprotectyourdevicesfrombeingusedwithoutyourpermission.LearnhowtosetscreenlocksonanAndroiddevice. Note:Forinfoonaddingascreenlockonotherdevicesandcomputers,visitthemanufacturer’ssupportsite. Step2:Updateyoursoftware Ifyourbrowser,operatingsystem,orappsareout-of-date,thesoftwaremightnotbesafefromhackers.Keepyoursoftwareupdatedtohelpprotectyouraccount. Updateyourbrowser Makesureyou’reusingthelatestversionof yourbrowser. LearnhowtoupdateGoogleChrome. Note:Forinfoonupdatingotherbrowsers,visitthedeveloper’ssupportsite. Updateyouroperatingsystem Makesureyou’reusingthelatestversionoftheoperatingsystemonyourdeviceorcomputer. UpdateAndroiddevices LearnhowtocheckandupdateyourAndroidversion. UpdateChromebooks LearnhowtoupdateyourChromebook’soperatingsystem. Note:Forinfoonupdatingotherdevicesandcomputers,visitthemanufacturer’ssupportsite. Updateyourapps Makesureyou’reusingthelatestversionoftheappsonyourphoneorcomputer. UpdateAndroidapps LearnhowtoupdateyourAndroidappsonAndroiddevicesandcompatibleChromebooks. ConsiderturningonautomaticappupdatesforyourAndroiddevicestohelpmakesureyou’realwaysusingthelatestversion. Note:Forinfoonupdatingappsonotherdevicesandcomputers,visitthemanufacturer’ssupportsite. TurnonGooglePlayProtect GooglePlayProtecthelpskeepAndroiddevicessafefromharmfulapps.LearnhowtoturnonGooglePlayProtect. Step3:Useunique,strongpasswords It’sriskytousethesamepasswordonmultiplesites.Ifyourpasswordforonesiteishacked,itcouldbeusedtogetintoyouraccountsformultiplesites. Makesuretocreateastrong,uniquepasswordforeachaccount. Manageyourpasswords Apasswordmanagercanhelpyougenerateandmanagestrong,uniquepasswords.ConsiderusingonefromChromeoranothertrustedpasswordmanagerprovider. Tip:TofindoutifanypasswordssavedinyourGoogleAccountmaybeexposed,areweak,orarereusedformultipleaccounts,youcanusePasswordCheckup. Helpprotectyourpasswordfromhackers TogetnotifiedifyouenteryourGoogleAccountpasswordonanon-Googlesite,turnonPasswordAlertforChrome.Thatway,you’llknowifasiteisimpersonatingGoogle,andyoucanchangeyourpasswordifitgetsstolen. Note:Turnon2-StepVerificationforanextralayerofaccountsecurity. Step4:Removeapps&browserextensionsyoudon’tneed Asmoreappsareinstalledonadevice,itcanbecomemorevulnerable.Installonlyessentialappsandbrowserextensionsondevicesthathaveaccesstosensitiveinformation.Avoidinstallingunknownappsorappsfromunknownsourcestoprotectyourdeviceandpersonalinfo. Learnhowto: DeleteordisableappsonAndroiddevices UninstallextensionsonChrome UninstallappsorextensionsonChromebooks Note:Forinfoonremovingappsandextensionsfromotherdevicesandbrowsers,visittheapplicablesupportsite. Step5:Protectagainstsuspiciousmessages&content Hackerscanuseemails,textmessages,phonecalls,andwebpagestopretendtobeinstitutions,familymembers,orcolleagues. Avoidsuspiciousrequests Nevergiveoutyourpasswords.Googlewillneveraskforyourpasswordinanemail,message,orphonecall. Don’treplytosuspiciousemails,texts,instantmessages,webpages,orphonecallsthataskforyourpersonalorfinancialinfo. Don’tclicklinksinemails,messages,webpages,orpop-upsfromuntrustworthywebsitesorsenders. Avoidsuspiciousemails Gmailisdesignedtohelpprotectyouraccountbyautomaticallyidentifyingsuspiciousemails.Youcanalsousethesetipstohelpyouidentifysuspiciousemailsandsettings: CheckifaGmailmessagemightbefake. Seeiftheemailaddressandthesendernamematch. IfyougetasuspiciousemailinGmail,reportspamorphishing tohelpusstopsimilaremailsinthefuture. CheckyourGmailsettingstomakesurethere’snounfamiliaractivity. Tip:Ifyou'reusingGmailonyourcomputer,pointtoalinkwithoutclickingonit.Atthebottomleft,lookatthewebaddressandmakesureit'swhatyouexpect. Avoidsuspiciouswebpages GoogleChromeandSearcharedesignedtowarnyouaboutsuspiciouscontentandunwantedsoftware. LearnhowtomanagethesewarningsinChromeandSearch. Ifyounoticesuspiciousactivityonyouraccount Followthestepstohelpsecureyouraccount. Relatedresources GmailSecurityandPrivacySettings   Wasthishelpful?Howcanweimproveit?YesNoSubmittrueGeneralsecurityinformationMakeyouraccountmoresecureAvoidgettinglockedoutofyourGoogleAccountSeedevicesthathaveusedyouraccountReviewsecuritynotificationsPreventphishingwithPasswordAlertChangeunsafepasswordsinyourGoogleAccountSigninonadevicethat'snotyoursLockoreraseyourlostphoneorcomputerWhenGooglemightsendyouatextHelpprotectagainstharmfulappswithGooglePlayProtectPoliciesbyproductGetGoogle'sstrongestaccountsecuritywiththeAdvancedProtectionProgramBlockorunblockpeople'saccountsImportpasswordstoyourGoogleAccountSave,manage&protectyourpasswordsSearchClearsearchClosesearchGoogleappsMainmenuSearchHelpCentertrue70975false