Your Google account likely stores a lot of important information, from your home address in Google Maps and your work emails in Gmail, to family pictures in Google Photos and personal conversations in Google Chat. You don’t want anyone else gaining access to that data—and nor does Google.
To minimize the chances of anyone else accessing your account, Google has created a Security Checkup tool that you can use in any web browser. It takes you quickly and simply through a security audit, warning you about potential issues without overloading you with settings and menu screens.
If you’re logged into Google in your web browser, you can get to the Security Checkup tool from this page. Alternatively, you can find it from your Google account page, by clicking Security and sign-in (the Checkup should appear at the top).
Devices and sign-ins
The Security Checkup will alert you to pressing problems that have been identified, but you can work through each section in turn, whether or not there are related issues. To start, you can see the devices that you’re currently signed into Google on under Your devices. It will also list their location, operating system, and when you last used them.
If there’s anything you don’t recognize here, or there’s a device you no longer have, you can disconnect it from your account remotely. It’s best to err on the side of caution here—if you accidentally disconnect a device that is actually genuine and that you are still using, the worst that’s going to happen is you’ll need to sign in again on that device.
Then we’ve got the Sign-in and recovery section. This contains crucial information about how your account is accessed, so make sure everything here is in order, and up to date. For example, you might be asked to confirm your backup email address and phone number, which will be crucial (and trusted) communication channels for Google to use should you somehow get signed out of your account.
Many devices now use passkeys, where you use something like a PIN code or a fingerprint scan to access your accounts. You can also see a list of passkeys you’ve set up here—and again, as with the list of devices, passkeys can be revoked if you see something that might be a problem (such as an authorization you don’t recognize).
Then you have the Your saved passwords section. If you’re using Android and Google Chrome to save login credentials to your Google account, then the stored passwords will appear here. Google will warn you if any passwords have been repeated or aren’t strong enough (usually because they’re not long or complex enough).
Browsing and activity
The Safe Browsing section of the Security Checkup is specifically for users of the Chrome browser, and gives you extra, proactive protection against dangerous websites and extensions. However, it also requires a greater level of data sharing with Google (so it can check your activity), and can feel restrictive for those who feel confident recognizing threats themselves—so the choice is yours.
Open Recent security activity, and you see a detailed list of all security-related activity on your Google account across the last 28 days. This will include activity such as devices you’ve signed in on, or deleted data you’ve recovered (something a hacker could potentially attempt to do). If anything here looks suspicious, you can alert Google.
Under Your third-party connections, you can see apps, sites, and services that have some kind of connection to Google. Maybe you use your Google credentials to log into them, for example, or they’re utilities that you use to manage your Google Photos account. Google-made smart home devices may also appear here.
The rules are the same as they are with connected devices: If you see anything that shouldn’t be there, you can break the link. The app or site in question will no longer have access to your Google account and its data. If you need to use it again, you’ll need to reapprove the connection. It’s a good idea to regularly review this list, to make sure older services that you no longer regularly use have been removed.
The final part of the Google Security Checkup is Gmail Settings, and from here you can view and make changes to email accounts you’ve blocked, and email accounts you’ve connected to. If you see anything that’s not right, you’re able to make changes. And with that done, your security checkup is complete—and your Google account should be significantly more secure than it was before.
2025 PopSci Best of What’s New