Why You Should Log Out of Your Amazon Account

Logging Out of Your Amazon Account: A Step-by-Step Guide

With over 200 million Amazon customer accounts worldwide, Amazon has become an indispensable part of daily life for many people. However, few Amazon users realize the importance of properly logging out of their accounts after each session. A recent survey found that 46% of respondents stay logged into their Amazon accounts on personal devices. And a shocking 68% remain logged into Amazon on public or shared devices.

Failing to log out of your Amazon account leaves you vulnerable to security breaches, privacy violations, and even financial fraud. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll walk through the essential steps for logging out of your Amazon account across all types of devices. We‘ll also discuss best practices for keeping your account secure.

When asked why they choose to stay logged into Amazon, most users cite convenience. But is convenience really worth the risks? Consider the following:

• Account theft: An unlocked device means anyone can access your Amazon account, view your personal details, and make unauthorized purchases with your payment methods. In 2020 alone, over $5 million was lost to Amazon account theft.

• Data tracking: Amazon collects an enormous amount of data about your browsing and shopping behavior while you‘re logged in. Much of this data gets used for marketing purposes without your consent.

• Unauthorized charges: It‘s easy to accidentally make one-click purchases when logged into Amazon. Keyboard-happy pets or curious children could go on a spending spree.

• Surveillance concerns: Amazon stores and analyzes voice recordings from Alexa devices linked to your account. You may be unintentionally giving consent to constant surveillance in your home.

As you can see, logging out of your Amazon account is about much more than convenience. It‘s a critical step to safeguard your privacy and financial security.

Logging out on the Amazon website is a simple process that only takes a few seconds. Here‘s a step-by-step walkthrough:

1. Navigate to Amazon.com and ensure you are signed into your account. You can verify this by checking for your name in the top-right corner next to the search bar.

   

2. Hover over the "Account & Lists" dropdown menu next to your name.

3. From the expanded menu, click "Sign Out".

   

4. You will now be signed out and redirected to the Amazon homepage. The link in the top-right corner should now say "Hello, Sign in" instead of displaying your name.

And that‘s it! As long as you clear your browser cookies, your Amazon session will now be terminated across any open browser tabs.

Note: If you only see a "Sign Out" option under "Manage Your Content and Devices", this will just sign you out of media services like Amazon Prime Video. Make sure to click the "Sign Out" link under your account name to fully sign out.

The vast majority of Amazon shopping now happens on mobile devices. In Q4 2021, Amazon app downloads surpassed 4.3 million worldwide.

With mobile devices comes additional security considerations. Unlike on a home computer, most people‘s phones contain a wealth of sensitive personal information from banking apps, emails, contacts lists, and more. Keeping your Amazon account locked down on mobile is critical.

Here is how to log out of the Amazon app on iOS and Android devices:

iOS Instructions

1. Open the latest version of the Amazon mobile app on your iPhone or iPad.

2. Tap the hamburger menu in the top left corner to expand the side navigation drawer.

   

3. Scroll down to the bottom of the menu and tap "Settings".

4. On the Settings screen, tap your email or name underneath "Personalization".

5. Finally, tap "Sign Out".

Android Instructions

1. Open the latest version of the Amazon Android app on your device.

2. Tap the three horizontal line "Menu" button in the top left corner.

3. Tap "Settings" at the bottom of the expanded menu.

4. Tap "Not [your name]?" and then "Sign Out".

   

You are now successfully logged out of your Amazon account on mobile! Like on desktop, be sure to also clear your mobile browser history and cookies for extra security.

Amazon‘s Kindle Fire tablets also provide direct access to your Amazon account. Here‘s how to log out from newer Kindle Fire models:

1. Swipe down from the top of the screen and tap "Settings" (the gear icon).

2. Tap "My Account" or "Your Account" depending on your Kindle model.

3. Tap "Sign Out" from the expanded account menu.

You may be asked to enter your account password or scan your fingerprint before finalizing the sign out process. This helps prevent accidental or unauthorized logouts.

Older Kindle Fire devices have slightly different settings layouts. Consult Amazon‘s official Kindle support documentation for details on your specific model.

Simply signing out of Amazon may not be enough if you shop across multiple devices or share computers with other users. Here are some additional things you can do for complete account security:

• Enable two-factor authentication: Add another layer of account login protection by requiring one-time passcodes sent to your phone or email.

• Clear browsing data: Delete Amazon cookies and site data so you don‘t stay logged in across sessions.

• Use private browsing: Shop Amazon in private/incognito windows that don‘t save login data.

• Deregister devices: Sign out of inactive or old smartphones, tablets, and computers linked to your Amazon account.

• Change your password: Update your password every 60-90 days to stay ahead of data leaks and hacking attempts. Use a unique, complex password for your Amazon account.

• Review account activity frequently: Scan your order history and payment methods for signs of unauthorized access or fraudulent purchases.

• Utilize login notifications: Turn on alerts through SMS or email whenever someone signs into your account.

With the above precautions enabled, you can shop Amazon in a more secure and private manner across all your devices.

Sometimes an Amazon logout just won‘t stick. Here are some troubleshooting tips for common issues you may encounter:

Problem: Receiving error messages when trying to sign out.

Solution: Clear site data and cookies or try signing out in a private browser window.

Problem: Still shown as logged in after signing out.

Solution: Try deregistering devices through Amazon account settings. You may have an old phone or tablet still authenticated.

Problem: Can‘t remember account password to finish signing out.

Solution: Use Amazon‘s password assistance tool to reset your password via email.

Problem: Signed out of app or site but Alexa still has account access.

Solution: Open the Alexa app, go to Settings > Your Account > Sign Out

If all else fails, contacting Amazon customer service can help investigate stubborn account logout problems.

Logging out of your Amazon account takes less than a minute but provides immense security and privacy benefits. Treat sign out as the essential final step each time you finish using Amazon on any device.

Better yet, make it a habit to manually lock your screen or completely shutdown devices the moment you step away. Every additional security barrier between cyber criminals and personal data matters.

We hope this guide gave you clarity on how to properly and securely sign out of your Amazon account across different platforms. And remember – when in doubt, sign out!