Last updated: January 2, 2023
Google Gmail is one of the most popular free messaging services in the world. More than 1,5 billion users use Gmail to send their emails.
Billions of messages are sent and received every day through Google's messaging software. And many of these messages contain personal or confidential information. It is precisely for this reason that it is imperative to do everything possible to secure our account.
In this tutorial, we will see together how to secure your Gmail account in 5 simple and easy steps.
1. Open your Google account settings
First, open your Gmail account settings. For this, I invite you to follow these inscriptions:
- Open Gmail on your browser.
- Then click on your profile picture at the top right of the page, to open the Google menu.
- From there select Manage your Google account.
- Now in the left menu select Safety.
2. Fix Gmail security issues
In the security menu, Google first gives you the security problems detected. To identify and correct these problems, click on Secure your account.
If all six items are green, you can proceed to the next steps. Otherwise, follow the instructions listed in each item to improve your Gmail security.
3. Enable two-step authentication
Back on the page Safety, you will find in the second section “ Log in to google“. Here you can see when your password was last changed and whether you have two-step authentication enabled.
Two-step authentication will allow you to easily secure your account by including an additional condition in the identification process.
If you set it up, then Google will send you a digital code via text message when you try to access your account from a new computer. Difficult to do more efficiently.
4. View and monitor activity on your Gmail account
After completing the check of google security, and enabled two-step authentication, you can analyze your Gmail account activity.
To do this, on the main “Security” page, scroll until you reach the “Security” section. Activity related to the security of your account"
This section displays all your login history to your Gmail account over the last 28 days. Each item shows the device or application and date of connection. If you open a single event, there are more details like IP address, estimated location and browser.
If you notice anything that looks suspicious, you should change your password.
5. Manage applications linked to your Google account
Finally, you need to check third-party apps with access to your account. This section is at the bottom right. Titled " Google applications with account access«
Here you will find all the applications to which you have given access to your Google or Gmail account. Click on the Manage Applications link for a complete and detailed view.
Clicking on the name of an application provides additional information: Access date granted, application home page, rights granted to the application, etc. For each application, a button Delete access is displayed. To delete an access, all you have to do is click on this button.
I highly recommend you, to take stock from time to time on these access authorizations and to revoke those which have become unnecessary.