It’s 2015, and you’ve probably lost your phone. Easy to do that with lots of alcohol or a hectic swarm of people trying to party. But if you haven’t actually lost your phone (those who need to find a lost or stolen Android phone can park it right here) and simply misplaced it at a location where it can be recovered, you probably want to make sure prying eyes won’t be your social downfall.
Thankfully we’ve got the perfect antidote with 3 simple steps to sign out of all your Google accounts from a remote location. You’ll need to be able to access the desktop version of Google so find a PC and follow these instructions:
- Head to Gmail.com and sign in.
- Scroll all the way to the bottom and look for the “Recent Activity” Label on the bottom right. Beneath that should be a “Details” link. Click it.
- A popup window opens showing you where and when your account is being used. At the top of the page is a button that says “Sign out all other sessions.” Click it.
And you’re done. What we just did was force all browsers, devices and apps that use your Google account to sign out. This makes it so that someone who might have your phone will have to put your password in the next time they try and gain access, effectively ensuring nosy eyes won’t be glancing over your personal data.
We strongly note that this should only be used in a case where you know, without a shadow of doubt, exactly where your device is and who has it so you can recover it at your earliest convenience. The reasoning is because Google’s device location tools won’t work if you aren’t signed in on that device, and since you just signed out of everything, well, that wouldn’t be possible.
So to recap: make sure you know where exactly your device is before proceeding, use the instructions above to secure your account, and speed over to the place you left your phone and recover it at your earliest convenience. Everyone else? Head here and here if you’re still not sure of your device’s whereabouts and level of security. Here’s to a more responsible 2015!
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