Remember the last time you signed into a website using “Continue with Google” or “Log in with Facebook”? It was quick and easy. But here’s the thing — you probably did that dozens of times over the years, and those connections don’t just disappear.
Every app or website you’ve ever logged into using your Google, Facebook, or Twitter account still has some level of access to your account data — unless you’ve specifically revoked it. That’s a lot of third-party access accumulating quietly in the background.
Here’s how to find all of it and clean house.
Find and Remove Apps Connected to Your Google Account
Google makes this reasonably easy to audit. Here’s where to look:
- Go to myaccount.google.com/security
- Scroll down to the section called “Third-party apps with account access”
- Click on “Manage third-party access”
You’ll see a full list of every app and website that has been granted access to your Google account. This includes things like calendar apps, productivity tools, login services, and older apps you may have forgotten about.
For each app in the list, you can click on it to see exactly what permissions it has — like access to your Gmail, Google Drive, or calendar. If you no longer use it or don’t recognize it, click “Remove Access”.
Removing access doesn’t delete your account with that service — it just means they can no longer access your Google data. You can always reconnect later if needed.
Why This Matters
Some apps ask for much more access than they need. An old app that hasn’t been updated in years might still have read access to your Gmail. If that app ever gets hacked or goes rogue, your data is exposed. Regular audits here are a genuinely good privacy habit.
Find and Remove Apps Connected to Your Facebook Account
Facebook also keeps a running list of everything you’ve linked to it.
- On desktop, go to Settings & Privacy → Settings
- In the left sidebar, click on “Apps and Websites” — or click this direct link
Here you’ll find all the apps and websites connected to your Facebook account, split into “Active,” “Expired,” and “Removed” categories.
For any app you want to disconnect, click Remove. You can also click on an app first to see what data it has access to before deciding.
A Note on “Expired” Apps
Apps in the “Expired” section technically no longer have active access — but Facebook still keeps them in the list. It’s worth reviewing these too, as some apps may have collected data while they were active.
Find and Remove Apps Connected to Your Twitter/X Account
Twitter (now X) also has an easy way to audit connected apps.
- On desktop, go to Settings and Support → Settings and privacy
- Click on Security and account access
- Then click on Apps and sessions
- Finally, click Connected apps
You’ll see a list of all apps that have been authorized to access your Twitter account. Click on any app to see its permissions and find the option to Revoke app’s permissions.
It’s worth noting that Twitter-connected apps are less common these days compared to Google and Facebook, but if you’ve ever used a Twitter scheduling tool, social media manager, or cross-posting app, you’ll likely find them here.
Which Other Accounts Should You Check?
While Google, Facebook, and Twitter are the big three, there are a few other accounts worth auditing:
- Apple ID — Go to appleid.apple.com → Sign In & Security → “Apps Using Apple ID”
- Microsoft Account — Go to account.microsoft.com → Privacy → Apps and services
- LinkedIn — Settings → Data privacy → Permitted services
- GitHub — Settings → Applications → Authorized OAuth Apps
How Often Should You Do This?
Honestly? Once or twice a year is a good habit. Set a reminder to do a quick audit every few months. Focus especially on:
- Apps you haven’t used in 6+ months
- Apps from companies that have been acquired, shut down, or had data breaches
- Any app with unusually broad permissions (like full Gmail access for a todo app)
It takes about 10 minutes to go through all three platforms and clean up. Those 10 minutes can save you from a lot of headaches down the road.
Taking control of your connected apps is one of those simple but high-value privacy moves that most people put off indefinitely. Now you know exactly where to look — so there’s no reason to delay.