# (need answer fast) If someone hacks into my Gmail, how long can they stay in there? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 7, 2019, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-answer-fast-if-someone-hacks-into-my-gmail-how-long-can-they-stay-in-there/827375 "2019-01-07T23:09:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-answer-fast-if-someone-hacks-into-my-gmail-how-long-can-they-stay-in-there/827375/1 "2019-01-07T23:09:58Z")
Long story short: I have reason to believe that an unauthorized person has logged into my Gmail under my name and with my password (from some other location.) I’ve changed my Gmail password, but if they logged in, does this mean they get to stay in my Gmail account indefinitely (until they log out?) ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-answer-fast-if-someone-hacks-into-my-gmail-how-long-can-they-stay-in-there/827375/2 "2019-01-07T23:16:39Z")
I don’t know the answer, but it wouldn’t be hard to find out. log in with one browser / computer, then change your password with another browser / computer and check to see if the first one can still click around / see new email. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-answer-fast-if-someone-hacks-into-my-gmail-how-long-can-they-stay-in-there/827375/3 "2019-01-07T23:18:21Z")
Just curious though, what led you to believe that someone had logged in as you? ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-answer-fast-if-someone-hacks-into-my-gmail-how-long-can-they-stay-in-there/827375/4 "2019-01-07T23:23:06Z")
At the lower right corner of the gmail window there is a “Last Account Activity: \ ago”. Click “Details” below that. That should take you to an “Activity information” page with a button called “Sign out of all other gmail web sessions”. Click it to boot the other person immediately if they are still logged in. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-answer-fast-if-someone-hacks-into-my-gmail-how-long-can-they-stay-in-there/827375/5 "2019-01-07T23:27:11Z")
There is a function in your account management to forcefully disconnect devices you don’t recognise. Use that, then change your password again and set up 2FA. (Google it) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-answer-fast-if-someone-hacks-into-my-gmail-how-long-can-they-stay-in-there/827375/6 "2019-01-07T23:29:04Z")
It’s easier to understand and google “2FA” if you spell it out as two-factor authentication. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-answer-fast-if-someone-hacks-into-my-gmail-how-long-can-they-stay-in-there/827375/7 "2019-01-07T23:30:26Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > It’s easier to understand and google “2FA” if you spell it out as two-factor authentication. “Need answer fast” ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-answer-fast-if-someone-hacks-into-my-gmail-how-long-can-they-stay-in-there/827375/8 "2019-01-07T23:35:39Z")
> [@The\_Librarian](#): > > “Need answer fast” No need for caps lock! Google 2fa. ---
**Author:** ![WernhamHogg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a587f6/32.png) [@WernhamHogg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WernhamHogg)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-answer-fast-if-someone-hacks-into-my-gmail-how-long-can-they-stay-in-there/827375/9 "2019-01-07T23:51:51Z")
In Gmail scroll all the way down to the bottom and look on the right for a link that says “Details.” Click it. This link is at the very bottom and on the right. It opens a window that shows you all the clients that are logged in and lets you log out of all of them – the button is hard to miss to log out. As an additional advantage you will see WHERE people are logged in which might help you figure out who compromised your account. ---
**Author:** ![WernhamHogg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a587f6/32.png) [@WernhamHogg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WernhamHogg)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-answer-fast-if-someone-hacks-into-my-gmail-how-long-can-they-stay-in-there/827375/10 "2019-01-08T00:01:21Z")
Changing your password DOES log you out of all devices. Just go here to activate two factor authentification (it’s under “Signing in to Google”) [https://myaccount.google.com/security](https://myaccount.google.com/security) ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-answer-fast-if-someone-hacks-into-my-gmail-how-long-can-they-stay-in-there/827375/11 "2019-01-08T01:10:04Z")
All right thanks all!