A phone in a drawer can still appear in an account’s device list. So can a browser session on a laptop you no longer use. Stopping daily use does not necessarily remove access.
Google’s device-access guidance distinguishes devices and sessions and explains how to review them. Other providers have their own security pages. Open those through the official app or a known address rather than a link in an unexpected warning message.
Identify before removing
Compare the device name, recent activity and the service involved. One physical device can have more than one session, while a vague model name may not immediately identify yours. Approximate locations and background activity are clues, not perfect proof of who used an account.
Sign out sessions that you no longer need. If an entry is genuinely unfamiliar, follow the provider’s account-security procedure, review recovery details and connected applications, and consider the possibility of compromise. Merely removing one session may not resolve stolen credentials or another access route.
Signing out is not erasing
Remote sign-out does not promise to remove downloaded documents, screenshots or files already stored on the device. Before selling or recycling equipment, follow the manufacturer’s transfer or reset instructions after preserving the data you need. Check that the procedure applies to the exact device and operating system.
For a shared household device, discuss the change with its legitimate users. For a work device, follow the organisation’s process rather than wiping records yourself.
Make this review part of replacing a phone or computer. The useful final check is twofold: the old device no longer has unnecessary account access, and its locally stored data has been handled appropriately. Those are separate jobs, even when one settings screen makes them look closely related.