Securing your Gmail account

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Gmail security checklist

The tips and tools in this checklist can help prevent unauthorized access to your Gmail and secure your account if it was recently compromised.

  1. Check your Gmail settings.
  2. Make sure your mail goes where you intend.
  • Sign in to Gmail.
  • Select the gear icon in the upper right, then select Settings.
  • Use the table below to check various settings.
Gmail settings
Settings Tab Section Action
General Signature Check that there isn’t any unfamiliar content in the text box. If there is, remove it and click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.
Vacation responder Check that there isn’t any unfamiliar content in the text box. If there is, remove it and click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.
Accounts Send mail as Verify that all email addresses listed belong to you.
  • If there is an unfamiliar or unnecessary address listed, click delete on the right side.
  • If there is an unwanted “Reply-to address” listed, click edit info and delete or change the “Reply-to address.” Save changes.
Check mail from other accounts (using POP3) Make sure you recognize any addresses listed. Click delete to remove unwanted accounts.
Grant access to your account Check to see if there are any email addresses listed. The owner of an account listed here can read and send mail on your behalf.
Click delete to revoke an account’s access.
Filters   If there are any filters that say “Forward to,” check that the address listed is familiar and correct. Click edit or delete to the right of the filter to make changes.
  Look for filters that say “Delete it” and make sure the filter was set up by you. Click edit or delete to the right of the filter to make changes.
Forwarding and POP/IMAP Forwarding Confirm that your mail isn’t being forwarded to an unwanted address. If there is an unwanted forwarding address, choose Disable forwarding and then click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.
POP Download Verify that your settings are correct. If POP is enabled but you don’t access your mail using POP, select Disable POP and then click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.
IMAP Access Verify that your settings are correct. If IMAP is enabled but you don’t access your mail using IMAP, select Disable IMAP and then click Save Changes at the bottom of the page. (If you use an email client like Apple Mail, Thunderbird, or Outlook, you are likely using IMAP.)
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