How many online accounts do you have? Most people, if they try to answer, greatly underestimate. Shops where they bought something once, forums consulted years ago, apps tried for a weekend, services signed up for with «Sign in with Google» without a second thought. Each of these accounts holds some personal data and represents one more door: if the service suffers a breach, your data ends up out there even if you have not used it for years. Taking an inventory and closing what you do not need is a form of digital hygiene with concrete benefits.
Where to look for accounts
No tool provides a complete list, but by combining a few sources you get very close.
The password manager and the browser
If you use a password manager or save passwords in your browser, the list of credentials is the richest starting point. Export it or simply scroll through it, noting the services you do not recognize or no longer use.
Your mailbox
Almost every sign-up generates a message. Search your mail for words such as «welcome», «confirm your registration», «verify your email», «account created», and their equivalents in other languages you use. Sorting the results by sender brings up services long forgotten.
Logins through external accounts
Many sites let you sign up with a Google, Apple, Microsoft or social network account. These logins generate no password and escape the password manager's list. Every provider has, in its security settings, a section listing the connected apps and services or those with access to your account: that is where you find them.
Apps on your phone
Many apps require an account. Scrolling through installed apps, and the list of those downloaded from the store in the past, helps you remember services you have used.
Organizing the list
For each account you find, a simple table helps you decide:
| Service | Use | Data held | Decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electronics shop | one-off purchase, 2019 | address, saved card | close |
| Main email service | daily | everything | protect |
| Photography forum | no longer used | username, email | close |
| Bank | monthly | financial data | protect |
| Fitness app | tried for a month | health data | close |
There are essentially three possible decisions: protect important accounts, keep those you really use, close everything else.
Protecting the accounts that remain
For the accounts you decide to keep, especially critical ones, check:
- that the password is unique and stored in the password manager;
- that two-factor authentication is on;
- that the recovery email and phone number are up to date: an old, discontinued number can be reassigned to someone else, and an abandoned email address can become the way into your account;
- that recovery codes are saved somewhere safe;
- which devices and sessions are connected, signing out of those you do not recognize.
Closing useless accounts
Closing an account is often harder than opening one, but almost always possible:
- Look in the account settings for an item such as «Delete account», «Close account» or «Privacy». Sometimes it is hidden at the bottom of the page.
- Download the data first that you want to keep, such as photos, orders, documents. Many services offer an export feature.
- Remove saved payment methods before closing.
- If you cannot find the feature, contact support. In the European Union the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) provides the right to request erasure of your personal data, subject to exceptions such as retention obligations imposed by law.
- Note the closure in your list, with the date, and delete the entry from the password manager only after confirmation.
For accounts you cannot close, at least change the password to a long random one and delete optional data from the profile.
Disconnecting authorized apps
Permissions granted to external apps, such as access to your calendar, contacts, email or cloud storage, stay active until you revoke them. Once a year, check the list of apps connected to your main accounts and remove all those you no longer use. It takes a few minutes and noticeably reduces your exposure.
A habit for the future
To stop the list from growing out of control again:
- before signing up for a service, ask whether you can use it as a guest;
- record every new account in the password manager, including those using Google or Apple sign-in, perhaps with a note;
- use an email alias dedicated to sign-ups, so you always know where messages come from.
In short
- Rebuild your accounts from the password manager, email, external logins and installed apps.
- For each one, decide whether to protect it, keep it or close it.
- In the accounts that remain, check password, two-factor and recovery details.
- Export useful data, remove payment methods and close what you do not use.
- Periodically revoke permissions granted to connected apps.
