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How to identify devices with access to your Google account

Written By Carl Lamiel
Published • October 16th, 2017
GuidesInternet & Telecoms
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If you’re feeling a bit uneasy with your Google accounts or are raising suspicion regarding which devices have access to it, there are ways to check those things with a few simple clicks. Keep your accounts secured by following our quick guide below.

Just when we thought that everything could be secured, we cannot be so sure. With hacks happening left and right, one should not be complacent and regularly review his/her account to ensure that they are still safe. This is a quick brief on what you can do with a Google account in case you find something out of the ordinary.

First step: Visit your Google Account settings. Type in myaccount.google.com on your browser, and type again your password when required (presuming you are logged in). From there, you can see a lot of sections available, but we’re focusing on the Sign-in and Security section.

Next: Check your online account activities. Under the Sign-in and Security column, click on Device activities and Security Events to get a glimpse of the following:

Review events
Under this section, you will be seeing all activity in your account such as logins from new devices or locations that you do not usually log in with. This section will only show the most recent activity from the past 28 days, so it’s best to check this every now and then.

Recently used devices
This section contains a list of devices that you have logged in with your Google account, which also indicates the last date you have logged in using them. Despite logging out, these devices are already registered in your account and are continuously given a token to have an easier access once you log in. With that being said, there are options for you to revoke access to a device you have lost or do not own.

If you noticed something suspicious about your account based on these two areas, you may opt to do the following:

Change your password

To prevent further incidents in the future, one must change the password you use to prevent unauthorized access. If your account contains sensitive documents, we recommend having it changed twice or thrice a year.

Enable two-factor authentication

Google has long offered two-factor authentication for you to confirm your login. This can be done with your registered mobile number via SMS, via Phone Call, or you can authorize through the Google App on Android and iOS if you don’t feel typing out codes at a given time of the day.

Remove apps that you authorized to access the account

Lastly, start anew and revoke the access to the most recent apps you’ve granted permissions on your account. These accounts may have been accidentally granted specific functions that perform a few tasks, especially for those that you do not know or trust.

That’s it for a quick roundup on how you can keep your Google account secure. If you have something to add, please write them in the comments section below.