Industry guru Dave Taylor offers free tech support on a wide variety of technical and business topics, including HTML, Apple iPhone, online advertising, Cascading Style Sheets, Web design, management, Unix, Linux, search engine optimization, online dating, Mac OS X, shell script programming and Microsoft Windows.

How can I check the last time someone logged into my Gmail account?

I swear someone's logging into my Google Gmail account and reading my email. I know it should be impossible, but I dunno. Is there some way to check and see if that's happening?


Dave's Answer:

There is indeed a neat way that Google makes it possible for you to see a history of who logged into your account, from where, but before I show you that, let me say that the #1 rule for anyone who thinks something funny is going on with your account is:

Change your password.

Now.

Okay, you're back? Good. Changing your password is a very good - though not infallible - way to ensure that everyone else is locked out of your account and should fix the vast majority of sneak attacks.

Now, log in to your Google Gmail account and scroll down to the very bottom of the main window. There you'll see:

gmail foot

As you can see, the last time my own Gmail account was logged into was from the same IP address I used this time, which is as it should be. More interestingly, click on Details and you'll see a history of logins:

gmail account activity

I access my Gmail account both through my mobile and main computer, so this makes sense and is accurate. If someone else were also logging in to my account, I'd be able to see it here on this screen and then could map backwards with IP address (Google "reverse IP lookup" to find some tools to help with that).

If you were logged in to more than one location at once, by the way, here's what you'd see:

Gmail in Use at another location

Armed with that, you should be able to get a better sense of whether someone really is logging in to your Gmail account or not. Good luck!



Help others find this article at Del.icio.us, Digg, Netscape, Reddit, and Stumble Upon    

Subscribe!

Never miss another useful Q&A article again! Subscribe to AskDaveTaylor with Google Reader.

Comments

Mr Taylor,

Thanks for the useful information.

How can I check the last time someone logged into my YAHOO/HOTMAIL Account.

Waiting for your reply..

Regards,
Tanveer

Posted by: tanveer at August 14, 2008 12:24 PM

my password is currently working.... with gmail (dudekaps@gmail.com)
but last time i was not able to log in..... i thing some one changed the password.....
but now i m able to log in because i reset the password..... i wanted to know wat was the password previously did that stranger put in..... because on the basis of that i can find out who hacked my account....
if u have any solution for that please reply me

Posted by: kunjan at October 30, 2008 10:23 AM

please can you cancel cmchristinamartens7@gmail.com

Posted by: christina at January 5, 2009 4:35 PM

Seems like gmail only shows the last 5 log ins. Is there any way that a person can find out the log ins for the previous week? if anyone can help, can you please email me at browneyedgirl@rome.com
thank you

Posted by: nicole at February 20, 2009 11:34 AM

Can I know a way to view all the log ins to my acc during the last week?

Posted by: Sarath at October 9, 2009 4:15 AM

I have a lot to say, but ...
Starbucks coffee cup I have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but most of all I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a chai!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!











Remember personal info?


Please note that I will never send you any unsolicited commercial email. Ever.

While I'm at it, please note that by submitting a question or comment you're agreeing to my terms of service, which are: you relinquish any subsequent rights of ownership to your material by submitting it on this site.









Uniblue: Free Virus Scan

Follow me on Twitter @DaveTaylor

Search
Find just the answers you seek from among our 2300+ free tech support articles by using our Lijit search engine.


Help!





Subscribe to
Ask Dave Taylor!

Add to Google Reader
Add to My Yahoo!
Subscribe in NewsGator Online

RDF   XML

Free Updates!
Sign up and get free weekly updates and special offers on books, seminars, workshops and more.


Recent Entries
Book Links
© 2002 - 2009 by Dave Taylor. All Rights Reserved.

Note: This web site is for the purpose of disseminating information for educational purposes, free of charge, for the benefit of all visitors. We take great care to provide quality information. However, we do not guarantee, and accept no legal liability whatsoever arising from or connected to, the accuracy, reliability, currency or completeness of any material contained on this web site or on any linked site.

[whiteboard marker tray]
"Ask Dave Taylor®" is a registered trademark of Intuitive Systems, LLC.