Trying to keep on top of securing all your various digital accounts can seem daunting, but sometimes the simplest checks are the most effective. Case in point: Seeing how many different devices you’re logged into at the moment.
This is useful for two reasons. First of all, it might flag up a device that has accessed your account without your permission or knowledge—perhaps an unwelcome and uninvited guest, someone who has got hold of your login credentials.
Second, it can show you where your accounts might still be active on older hardware that you’re no longer using—maybe gadgets you’ve sold or given away. These devices might not be currently compromised, but they could be if you’re still logged in on them.
You can easily do do this for your Google account, and it’s also possible to do it for your Apple account—the ones you’re probably logged into on your main desktop or laptop computer. It’s worth checking—you might have more active logins than you realize.
Check (and revoke) access to your Apple account
Checking Apple account logins.
Credit: Lifehacker
The easiest place to manage the devices logged in to your Apple ID is from a Mac or an iPhone. From a Mac, open the Apple menu then System Settings, then click your name at the top of the sidebar. You’ll see a list of all of the devices you’re currently logged in to, and you can click on any of them to get more details.
These devices might include your phone and laptop, but also your Apple Watch, HomePod smart speakers, and streaming devices that you’ve signed into Apple TV Plus. The information you can get on each device will vary, but might include a serial number and the software version the device is running, which can help you work out what’s what.
To disconnect a device from your Apple ID, click Remove from Account. Remember that you can always sign in again on these devices, so you’re not cutting them off for good—but if someone is using your device without your permission, then they’ll suddenly find their access has been cut off.
You can find the same list of devices and options in other places as well. On an iPhone, for example, open up the iOS Settings screen, then tap your name at the top. In a web browser, you can head to your Apple ID account page, then click Devices. Devices can be unlinked from any of these locations too.
On the same screens—on macOS, iOS, and the web—you’ll also notice a Sign-In & Security page. Once you’ve disconnected any suspicious devices from your Apple account, head to this page to make sure it’s difficult for anyone to sign in as you again. You can manage changing your password, turning on two-factor authentication, and adjusting your account recovery settings from here.
