How to Remove Apps Connected to a Google Account – Secure Your Google Account By Removing Apps You No Longer Use
Remove apps from your Google Account that you no longer need or those that have unnecessary permission. Apps need permission to access certain features of your Google account to do their jobs but often go too far. For example, if you use an app to sync your calendar with work due dates, then that app needs to access your Goggle calendar to avoid conflicts and send you reminders. But it probably does not need to access your photos or your Google Drive. An app that is asking for too many permissions may be sketchy or poorly written and you should remove their access from your Google account.
I need to remove the Zoom app from my Google account. Today I signed up for a webinar and clicked the button on a webpage to add the event to my Google calendar. Usually the event is simply added no strings attached. That way I will get a reminder on my sybced phone when it’s time for the webinar. All good.
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But Zoom, the video conferencing app, asked permission to access my calendar permanently. Specifically, it requested permission to “view and edit events on all of my calendars” I have not ony my personal calender but also access to shared calanders. So with this setting I’m giving Zoom to access my personal, work, and my children’s calendars I share with then. This is a level of access I don’t want or need. I only wanted to add the event to my calendar – nothing more.
A way around this would-be to simply cut and paste the information and add the webinar to the calendar myself. But I was lazy. I agreed to give Zoom access and the app added the event to my calender. But in the process, it also gave itself perpetual access to my calendar. That also gives Zoom access to all of my private events, meetings, webinars, and location if it is saved to an event.
Why You Should Remove Apps from Your Google Account
Websites and apps can request levels of access to a Google Account, but must request your permission to do so. Sites and apps may request access to sensitive information, so it’s a good idea to review what they want before granting them permission to access your Google account.
- See profile information – The lowest permission level allows an app or website to see your basic Google account information – name, email address, and profile photo
- View more information in a Google Account – Sites and apps may also request permission to see more information and also copy it – this can include contacts, photos, YouTube playlists, etc
- Edit, upload & add to a Google Account -Sites or apps may request permission to edit, upload, or create content. For example, Zoom requested to add an event to my calendar. Another app may post a YouTube video
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According to my Google Account, Zoom had access to view and edit events on all of my calendars. Which is acceptable level of permissions. But Zoom has been plagued by security issues like bombing calls and stealing work contact information, so I’m not comfortable about giving the app any access.
However, I found other third-party connected apps that had permissions to “See, edit, share, and permanently delete all the calendars you can access using Google Calendar” this is an app I use but it would neve have a reason to delete a calendar for me. That’s a security concern. IF that app was compromised the hacker could use it to wipe out my cleaner or anyone else who had the same permission level.
Before granting access, you should read the site or app’s privacy policy to learn how they use your data and keep it safe.
Google products with especially sensitive information include:
- Gmail – emails contain contact information, the contents of the message, and any email attachments which can also contain sensitive information
- Photos – Your Google account is tied to your Google Photo albums. Apps that have permission to access photos may or may not be able to see your photos
- Google Drive and Google Docs – When you share files with others, their names and contact details are also in your Google Drive. Also, there may be private information in Google Drive, like financial records, your employer’s private data, and presentations
- Calendar – Your Google Calendar can have important information about your private events, appointments, whereabouts, and daily routine. Be careful about who and which apps have access to this information
- Contacts – Your contacts in your Google account contain the names, emails, phone numbers, addresses ,and contact details of the people you know
You can always remove app permission from your Google account at any time by visiting the security section on your account page.
How to Remove Apps from Your Google Account
Sites and apps may request access to sensitive information. If you you no longer want these websites are apps to access your information or you never wanted them to in the first place, remove these apps google account. To remove site or app access. If you gave account access to a site or app you no longer trust, you can remove its access to your Google Account. The site or app won’t be able to access any more info from your Google Account, but you may need to request that they delete the data they already have.
- Go to Your Google Account
- From the left-hand menu, select Security
- Select Secure Account
- Select Third-party access
- Scroll down to the app or third-party app you want to remove
- Select Remove access
I also saw a few apps that I no longer use and opted to revoke their access.
If the app was a recent addition to your account, then you may also find it in Recent security events section. In my case, Zoom has requested access to my calendar when I wanted to add an event I registered from on a website. But all I wanted was to add one future webinar to my Google Calendar. I’m not a Zoom account holder. I do not want Zoom to be able to read any of my more of information.
