The Safe Way to Clean Up Old Apps and Account Access

The Wake-Up Call

It started with a notification on my phone.

"Your account was accessed from a new device in Chicago."

I hadn't been to Chicago. I hadn't logged in from anywhere unusual. I checked my account settings and found something I didn't expect—an app I'd authorized years ago still had access to my account. I'd completely forgotten it existed.

That was the moment I realized: I wasn't just managing my digital life. I was accumulating digital clutter.

Old apps I'd installed once. Permissions I'd granted without thinking. Accounts I'd created for a single purpose and never deleted. Each one was a potential entry point I'd left open.

I started cleaning up. And I found more than I expected.

Why Digital Clutter Is a Security Problem

Here's what I found when I started looking at my own accounts.

Old Apps That Still Have Access

Apps I'd authorized years ago still had permissions. Some could still post to my social media. Some could still access my contacts. Some could still see my location.

The risk: if that app ever gets compromised—or if it's run by a company with questionable data practices—it's still in my account. It still has access. And I'd forgotten it existed.

Unused Accounts That Still Exist

Accounts I'd created for free trials, one-time purchases, or services I tried once. They're still there, with my personal information, often with old passwords that I've reused elsewhere.

The risk: if those accounts are breached—and many old accounts have weak security—my personal information is exposed. And because I've forgotten about them, I'm not monitoring them.

Third-Party Access Tokens

Apps and services that have "read" or "write" permissions to my accounts. I'd granted access for integrations I no longer use, but the permissions were still active.

The risk: each token is a key. If the service using it is compromised, the key can be used to access my account.

Old Passwords Still in Use

Passwords I'd used for years, reused across multiple sites, and never changed. Some of them had been exposed in breaches I'd heard about—and some in breaches I hadn't.

The risk: if an attacker gets one of these passwords, they can try it on other accounts. And if I'm using it on an old account I've forgotten about, I may never notice.

The Five-Minute Cleanup: Where to Start

If you have more than five minutes, great—keep going. But if you only have five minutes, here's where to start.

1. Authorized Apps on Google

Open your Google Account: Go to myaccount.google.com > Security > Third-party apps with account access.

What to do:

• Review the list of apps that have access to your Google Account

• Remove any app you don't recognize or no longer use

• Pay attention to "Has access to" details—some apps have broad permissions

• If you see something you don't need, revoke it

Google's account activity page also shows signed-in devices and recent security events. If you see a device you don't recognize, sign it out.

2. Authorized Apps on Apple

Open Apple ID: Go to appleid.apple.com > Sign in > Apps & Services Using Apple ID > Manage.

What to do:

• Review the list of apps you've signed into with Apple

• Remove any app you don't recognize or no longer use

• Check what information each app has access to

• If you see something you don't need, revoke it

3. Authorized Apps on Facebook

Open Facebook: Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Apps and Websites > Active.

What to do:

• Review the list of apps and websites you've connected to Facebook

• Remove any app you don't recognize or no longer use

• Check what information each app has access to (some can post, read messages, or access friend lists)

• If you see something you don't need, remove it

4. Authorized Apps on Amazon

Open Amazon: Go to Your Account > Login & Security > Secure Access > Manage > Third-Party Services.

What to do:

• Review the list of apps and services connected to Amazon (these may include Ring, Alexa, Kindle, and third-party integrations)

• Remove any service you don't recognize or no longer use

• Check the permissions for any service you keep

5. Keychain or Password Manager

If you use a password manager: check your list of saved logins. Look for old accounts you no longer use. Delete them, but be careful if they are linked to other accounts. If the account is still active, you may want to close it.

If you use iCloud Keychain: check the list of saved passwords. Look for accounts you no longer use. If you find any, consider closing the account or at least changing the password.

The Deeper Cleanup: What to Do When You Have More Time

Once you've done the five-minute check, here's a more comprehensive list to work through.

6. Browser Extensions

Chrome: chrome://extensions/
Firefox: about:addons
Safari: Safari > Settings > Extensions

What to do:

• Review installed extensions. Remove any you don't use.

• Check the permissions each extension has. If it asks for "read and change all data on websites" and you don't use it, remove it.

• Research any extension you're unsure about. Some legitimate extensions have been compromised in the past.

7. Social Media Connections

Instagram: Settings > Apps and Websites > Active
LinkedIn: Settings & Privacy > Partners & Services
Twitter (X): Settings and Privacy > Security and Account Access > Apps and Sessions > Connected Apps

What to do:

• Review connected apps for each platform

• Remove any you don't use

• Check what permissions each app has

8. Third-Party Login Providers

Google: myaccount.google.com/permissions
Apple: appleid.apple.com > Apps & Services Using Apple ID
Facebook: Settings > Apps and Websites
Microsoft: account.microsoft.com > Privacy > Apps and services

What to do:

• Review all apps and services connected to these login providers

• Remove any you don't use

• Check the permissions each app has

9. Smart Home Apps

Devices with companion apps: Smart plugs, cameras, speakers, thermostats, and sensors often require a companion app. These apps can have broad access to your device and may store usage data or credentials.

What to do:

• Review the list of devices in your smart-home app

• Remove any device you no longer use

• Check the app's settings for access permissions

• If you're no longer using the device, consider factory-resetting it before removing it from the app

10. Old Accounts

This is the slowest part. You probably have accounts you've forgotten about on services you no longer use.

What to do:

• Use your email inbox to search for account creation emails ("Welcome to...", "Thanks for signing up")

• Use a service like Have I Been Pwned to check if your email appears in breaches

• If you find a service you no longer use, consider logging in and closing the account

• If the service offers account deletion, use it

• If it doesn't, change the password to a unique, strong password (so you're not at risk if it's breached) and remove personal information if possible

What I Found in My Own Cleanup

When I started this process, I found a few things.

• Old Google Authorizations: I had over 30 apps listed in my Google Account. Some were from apps I'd never heard of. Some were from services that no longer existed.

• Facebook Authorizations: 18 apps I'd authorized at some point. Many were from years ago. I'd forgotten most of them existed.

• Browser Extensions: A few I'd installed for a specific purpose and never used again. Each one had permissions that didn't need to be there anymore.

• LinkedIn Connections: Old integrations from services I'd tried once and never used again. They still had permissions associated with my account.

• Smart Home Apps: Apps for devices I'd moved to a different network or no longer used. Still in the app, still with permission to access my account and devices.

I removed all of them. It took about 15 minutes total across all platforms. And it felt good—like clearing out a closet you'd been avoiding.

The Ongoing Maintenance

The cleanup isn't a one-time thing. It's a habit.

I now schedule a digital declutter:

The five-minute rule applies here, too. I don't set aside an hour to do all of this at once. I do one platform per week—Google one week, Facebook the next, browser extensions the week after.

A Note on Account Deletion

Some accounts won't let you delete them. This can be frustrating—especially with older services.

What to do if you can't delete the account:

• Change the password to something strong and unique

• Remove personal information from the account's settings (name, address, phone number)

• Remove payment methods

• Verify the account's settings to ensure you're not still receiving communications or logged in elsewhere

This doesn't remove the account from the internet. But it does reduce the value of the account if it's breached.

The Bottom Line

Digital clutter isn't just messy—it's a security risk.

Old authorized apps, connected devices, and third-party services are access points you've forgotten about. They may still have access to your accounts, with permissions you granted years ago.

A five-minute check once a month is enough to keep your digital footprint clean. It's not about being perfect—it's about not leaving doors open.

Protect the front door before you build a taller fence.

Next Week: I'll look at one of the more practical family questions—whether parents should use one streaming password for the whole house or manage individual accounts.

Dave C. — Five minutes now beats five hours later.