Do you rely on Gmail for most of your official or personal communications? Have multiple devices logged into your account for ease of access?
While that is convenient, it also leaves your account vulnerable if security precautions like signing out aren‘t followed.
This comprehensive guide will arm you with in-depth knowledge on how to sign out of Gmail properly across desktop, Android, iPhone and iPad devices.
Why Properly Signing Out of Gmail Matters
Before going into the step-by-step instructions, it is vital to understand why signing out of Gmail after use is essential:
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Prevents unauthorized access: Failure to sign out means the next user can access your emails from that device. This risk compounds with shared/public devices.
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Terminates concurrent sessions: Even with browser or tab closed, background sessions may still be active which sync data across devices.
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Enforces reauthentication: Directly signing out makes new password entry mandatory for next login attempt, not just reopen tab.
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Allows managing devices activity: Logged in devices can be remotely monitored and signed out if necessary.
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Data security best practice: Account hygiene by signing out regularly limits account compromise risks substantially.
Mercari‘s survey found 49% users don‘t sign out of accounts despite being concerned about data privacy. Don‘t be one of them!
Signing Out of Gmail on a Desktop
For quick access, many users stay logged into Gmail via desktop browsers like Chrome or Firefox. Here is how to sign out from the desktop site:
Step 1:Launch browser & access Gmail
Open any browser and go to Gmail sign-in page. Sign in if prompted.
Step 2: Click on account profile icon
It is the circular icon with your display picture or initial on top right.
Step 3: Choose Sign Out option
A drop-down appears. Click on Sign Out from it.
And you‘re logged out of that browser!
To sign out of just one Gmail account from all locations, additional steps are needed. We have covered those later.
First, let‘s look at signing out from mobile devices.
How to Sign Out of Gmail on Android Devices
On Android phones and tablets, your Gmail account is linked to Google account enabling access to associated services like Drive, Maps, Play Store etc.
Hence signing out of Gmail signs you out across Google products on that device. Let‘s see how:
Using Device Settings
- Open Settings and tap Accounts
- Tap the Google account you want to sign out from
- Tap Remove account on next screen
- Confirm again to fully sign out account from the Android device
Using Gmail App
- Open Gmail app and tap profile icon
- Tap Manage accounts on this device
- Select the account and tap Remove account
- Confirm again to sign out of account
Custom ROMs like LineageOS also allow you to sign out or delete your Google account from device settings.
Signing Out of iPhone and iPad
The process is quite similar on iOS devices too. You get options to temporarily disable sync or entirely remove account.
Step 1:
Open Gmail app and tap profile picture
Step 2:
Choose Manage accounts on this device
Step 3:
Tap Remove from this device to sign out
Step 4:
Confirm again to fully sign out
To only pause account, toggle switch next to account name instead of removing. This stops mail sync without logout.
Method 2: Change Gmail Password
Changing your password can also remotely sign you out of Gmail on all devices instantly.
When you reset password, Google terminates all existing sessions forcing reauthentication everywhere. Quite useful in case of a suspected breach!
Here are the steps:
Step 1:
From Gmail inbox, click on profile picture
Step 2:
Select Manage your Google Account option
Step 3:
Click Security from side menu
Step 4:
Scroll down and tap on Password section
Step 5:
Enter current password and new one twice
Step 6:
Click Change Password to reset it
Once changed, Google will log you out everywhere. You‘ll have to enter new password when logging back in on any device browser.
Method 3: Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor or 2-step authentication provides extra security with codes sent to your mobile required to login in addition to password.
The main benefit is it allows you to view and remotely sign out of devices currently having access to the account.
Step 1:
From Gmail inbox go to Manage Google Account > Security
Step 2:
Click 2-Step Verification option
Step 3:
Choose Get Started and enter phone number
Step 4:
Enter 6 digit code received on mobile and turn on 2FA
Step 5:
Under 2FA settings go to Devices you trust section
Step 6:
Click Revoke All to sign out everywhere
Confirm when prompted to logout of Gmail on all logged in devices. Any new login would need 2FA code.
Sign Out Everywhere: All Sessions
If signed in to an account on multiple devices, signing out everywhere manually can be tedious.
Fortunately, Gmail offers a simple solution to terminate all sessions in one go!
Step 1:
Scroll down to the bottom of Gmail inbox
Step 2:
Click Details link below Last account activity
Step 3:
Tap Log out all sessions on next page
All active sessions across devices will instantly get invalidated. Quite convenient!
When Does Google Force Logout Automatically?
While manually signing out is best practice, Google also logs users out without consent under certain circumstances:
| Incognito mode | Gets signed out when incognito tab/window closed |
| Inactivity for months | Logs out accounts not used for long stretches of time |
| Suspicious simultaneous logins | Terminates sessions from very distant locations |
| Device inactive beyond days set | Signs out if device unused for 10-30 days preset |
The above criteria limit chances of misuse in case of a stolen device or hacked password.
Why It‘s Important to Sign Out of Gmail
We‘ve gone through various methods to sign out step-by-step. But why is properly signing out so vital for Gmail security?
As per surveys, an average user has 90-120 online accounts with critical services like email at substantial hacking risk.
Accounting firm EY found that 63% individuals use duplicate passwords for multiple accounts making credential stuffing attacks highly probable.
With 13.2 million credentials available in dark web for cyber criminals and ~80% relying solely on passwords instead of MFA, account takeovers can cause severe financial and reputational damages.
Hence signing out correctly from Gmail after using it for sensitive communications is strongly advised. Treat it as essential account hygiene.
Final Thoughts
I hope this detailed walkthrough has helped simplify the process of fully signing out from Gmail whether you use a desktop, Android, iPhone or iPad. Do apply the same principles for any account dealing with your personal data.
Explicitly logging out rather than just closing tabs or assuming auto-logout after closing browser is vital. Along with strong unique passwords per account, enabling two-factor authentication and monitoring login activity, regularly signing out everywhere substantially improves Gmail security.
What steps do you take to safeguard online accounts from unauthorized access? Let me know if you have any other queries on signing out of Google or other web services.
