Your Android phone isn't just a standalone device; it's a hub that interacts with a whole bunch of other devices. So, when you take pictures and back them up to Google Photos, you can view them in an album on your TV using the Google Photos app. Or your Nest Smart Display may be tracking your sleep on your nightstand and sharing that information with Google Fit on your phone and your smartwatch.
The convenience of this interconnected ecosystem is clear. However, from a security perspective, it’s a liability if you lose track of a device that has access to your Google account. That's why it's critical to keep tabs on what may be connected so that the old tablet, phone, or Chromebook you sold or gave away won't come back to haunt you.
How to view and manage your connected devices
1. Navigate to your Google Account management
On any web browser
Go to myaccount.google.com.
2. View connected devices to see if any don't belong
Once you have accessed Google Account management, select ‘Security’ from the navigation bar. Then, scroll down to the ‘Your devices’ section. You’ll see a list of the devices where you’re logged into your Google account. Click on the ‘Manage all devices’ link to see more details.
On the ‘Your devices’ page, you’ll see your logins grouped by type of device. For example, I have Windows computers, Android devices, iPhones, a Chrome device, and a ‘helpful home device.’ Selecting any individual login, which Google calls a session, will reveal more details regarding the app or service and the type of information it has access to via your Google account.
3. Get rid of unnecessary connected devices
If you spot something odd, don't panic. You can select the option to ‘Sign out’ that device remotely. This severs the connection between that device or app and your Google account.
If you realize that you did, in fact, want to be signed into that app or device, reconnecting is as simple as signing in again. So, it’s better to err on the side of caution.
What to do if you have multiple Google Accounts
Your phone and other devices might be using more than one Google account. Maybe you have one account for personal use and another for work. It's convenient, sure, but it also means there are more accounts you need to keep an eye on.
On your Google Account webpage, click on your profile picture. Select another account, if you see it, or select 'Add another account' to log into your additional account(s).
This is a good time to check your password, too
Now that you have your linked devices under control, the next step is to make sure your passwords are secure. With the latest advances in GPU processing power for cracking passwords, that ‘strong’ password you crafted a few years ago may be much easier to hack than you think. Check out my story on NIST's current guidance for creating strong passwords, with a chart to evaluate your current password effectiveness.
Final thoughts
There you have it – a simple guide to keeping track of what’s linked to your Android phone. Make this a regular check-up, just like you would with your car or health, to ensure your personal information stays protected.
Updated on 12/31/2024 with current instructions for checking connected devices and new screenshot.
[Image credit: Screenshot via Techlicious, Android phone mockup via Canva]
For the past 20+ years, Techlicious founder Suzanne Kantra has been exploring and writing about the world’s most exciting and important science and technology issues. Prior to Techlicious, Suzanne was the Technology Editor for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and the Senior Technology Editor for Popular Science. Suzanne has been featured on CNN, CBS, and NBC.
From cris on August 01, 2024 :: 1:59 am
so my problem is that for a while now ive been noticing an instant 5 or 6 apps including a few game apps and others i cant recall all in which i never installed…. so i initially thought my sister whom resides with me and is like that and would do weird data breach hacking type of things and we use the same wifi. but no ive definitely been uncovering some suoer weird things like now i see there are two current sessions of the exact same which is me full me in my current session… but twice..as in someone mirroring me which would make everything else ive been goig through besides my sister alone but all to make sense… bc this is how it showed: currently active session blahblah7567 motorola power 23, currently active session blahblah7567 motorola power 23
two separate devices but the same model and year and both active sessions on my android???? wtf whos copyed me and all in my privacy???
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From Cheryl on March 11, 2025 :: 8:34 pm
Hi Chris my name is Cheryl I am being hacked and mirrored and cloned and everything I ever owned I have been tortured abused and just destroyed and living in fear as I am still going through it my TV is having my recordings playing on it my internet just goes in and out my sound is now getting blocked on my new TV my settings and I am getting light on every night of my life but I just thought it was kind of ironic I looked on my Google account and found that I had four different devices including the next advice connected to my Google account your comment just struck me kind of funny because I myself have two Motorola phones identically the same I use like three or four different phones from my grandchildren when they come over to play is what they were supposed to be for but I am being haunted by a nasty little narcissist that is on this internet in all kinds of groups and just giving advice like he’s some great guy using every country every IP address just sitting in my face doing horrible things so I don’t know I just thought I would take a chance to throw this coming out there the way you spoke it just kind of reminded me of him a little bit and I know how easy he’s on the internet as I just found $39 MB of data stored on this page I stumbled across this post so there’s some really bad people in this world and I have been 34 years with this man never seen any of this coming I can’t look him in the eyes and understand who he is I cry too many splits in my face I am 57 years old and he’s putting me in the street because the internet and he thinks he’s a magical wizard now and not to mention all the dating that’s that he’s in as he sits in my face and does those two my biggest prayer in the face of this Earth is that no one has to come across a narcissist I can’t even describe who he is anymore but I am on the hunt for these devices that I just found there’s four of them that he’s using thanks maybe you could help me if I need somebody that’s smart with the internet to help me I I just am so lost and prayed I can’t take anymore
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From Lin on March 30, 2025 :: 12:42 am
I am having same issue. Were you able to resolve.
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From Michelle on September 05, 2024 :: 3:04 pm
I had a Samsung phone that was stolen and I have been being hacked ever since. I used find my phone and tried securing it and factory resetting it but it couldn’t be seen so nothing happened. How can I permanentmove access to my phone???ly
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From Stephanie Spomer on November 20, 2024 :: 1:09 am
CLICKBAIT or REALLY UNEDUCATED AUTHOR!!
This article has ABSOLUTELY NO INFORMATION, NOTHING AT ALL, that reflects the TITLE of this article: “How To Know If Your Android Device Is Connected To Another Device”.
It covers NOTHING about your Android phone’s connection to a WiFi, Bluetooth, USB, or ANY other device!!
It does, however, detail exactly how to go into your PERSONAL GOOGLE ACCOUNT, and determine if there are any devices connected to your GOOGLE ACCOUNT!!
Not only is the CONNECTION DIRECTION WRONG, but the WHOLE THRUST of this “article” is completely WRONG!
So the author is either:
1) (bad) artificial intelligence
2) uneducated, tech-incompetent doofus
3) lazy, apathetic
Regardless of the answer, somebody, somewhere, SHOULD have caught this blatant piece of click bait and made corrections OR, SQUASHED the article altogether.
Techlicious is usually pretty reliable.
Not with this. Not even close.
Get it together.
Stephanie Spomer
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From Stephanie Spomer on November 20, 2024 :: 1:10 am
I’m trying to find a product that I purchased recently, Paper Mate, Ink Joy, Gel, Pens, medium point 0.7mm, multi-color pack.
I was looking it up because:
1) I wanted to know how many came in the original package.
2) I wanted to know the specific colors of each pen, because the pens are NOT MARKED as such (this would be EXTREMELY useful!).
Your website, despite several attempts, across many variations, failed to list, or even OFFER as an OPTION, the product I have in hand.
Now how is that possible?
You made this product.
You distributed it through Walmart, the retailer through which I purchased.
I saw HINTS of this product in some of the drop-down lists I came across in my searches.
As a front and back end web developer, database expert, and GUI guru with the very 25 years experience, I can tell you that your company needs a new web master.
NOTE: I did NOT say web development TEAM.
I specified ONE individual, because ONE experienced individual will not only fix the current issues, but will also fix all other issues, of which, I am quite certain, there are MANY.
This person, in fixing these issues, will not only raise (immediately) customer satisfaction, but the ability of customers, and vendors, to actually find the information for which that search, but also, potentially, PURCHASE existing, and perhaps, other, NEW items.
One web “master” will save (a LOT) of currently wasted dollars, not to mention employee hours, the savings would be immediate and NOT trivial.
Any competitors will take advantage of this chasm of indifference you have exposed to the world and force your customers to suffer each and every day, if they haven’t already (they haven’t, I’ve checked).
I was creating more functional, more efficient, more STICKY, and much more USER-FRIENDLY websites back in the early 2000’s, BEFORE YouTube!!!!
Websites which are still functioning and STILL ahead of their time TODAY, in 2024!!!
Get it together, Paper Mate!
You’re HEMORRHAGING time and money, as well as disrespecting your customers and vendors, each and every day this goes unaddressed.
Companies are finally, and slowly, waking up to the complacence in everything-cyber that began to set in over a decade ago.
Hope you do too. Good luck.
Sincerely
Stephanie Spomer
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From ADELLA Vasquez on March 28, 2025 :: 6:37 pm
I think my recent ex spouse has hacked & cloned my phone and all my social media
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From Linda Miller on March 30, 2025 :: 12:40 am
I am having the same issues were you able to resolve
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