Q: Is it safe to use my Google or Apple account to sign up for new online accounts?

A: If you’ve ever clicked “Sign in with Google” to skip creating yet another username and password, you’ve used what’s called single sign-on and you’re in very good company. It’s one of those shortcuts that’s actually smarter than it might seem, but like most things in tech, the full picture is worth understanding before you rely on it for everything.

The security case for single sign-on

It may seem counter-intuitive, but using your Google or Apple account to sign into other apps is often a genuine security upgrade over creating a new login. The reason is simple: your primary account almost certainly has stronger protections two-factor authentication, login alerts, suspicious activity monitoring than the average website you’re signing into. You’re effectively outsourcing your security to a company that’s far better at it than most apps will ever be.

You’re also not handing over your password to the third-party app. What you’re sharing is typically just your name, email address and profile photo nothing more unless you explicitly approve it.

That said, not all single sign-on options are equal. Signing in with your Apple account provides the most privacy of the major options. Apple allows you to mask your real email address entirely, generating a unique relay address that forwards to your inbox. Google and Facebook pass along your actual email. If privacy is a priority, Apple’s option is worth choosing when it’s available.

The risk most people overlook

Here’s the part that catches people off guard: every app you connect to your Google account creates a persistent link between that service and your Google identity. Over time, those connections accumulate. If you’ve been doing this for years, you may have dozens of apps with access you’ve long forgotten about.

More importantly, if you ever lose access to your Google account through a hack, a forgotten password or an account recovery failure you could lose access to every service you signed into with it simultaneously. That’s rare, but when it happens, it’s a seriously complicated problem to resolve.

This is why your primary Google or Apple account needs to be treated like the master key it is. A strong unique password and two-factor authentication aren’t optional if you’re using it to access everything else.

When to use it and when to think twice

Single sign-on is a smart choice for low-stakes accounts: news sites, forums, apps you’re trying out or services you don’t plan to use long-term. It’s also a good alternative to reusing a weak password, which is far riskier.

For financial services, work-related tools or any app requesting access beyond basic profile information, creating a separate dedicated login gives you more control and limits your exposure if something goes wrong.

Quick housekeeping steps

Visit myaccount.google.com, click Security and scroll to “Third-party apps with account access” and revoke any you no longer use. For Apple users, go to Settings, tap your name at the top, select Password & Security, then tap “Apps Using Apple ID” to do the same.

The better question isn’t whether single sign-on is safe for most everyday use, it is. The real question is whether the account you’re connecting everything to is as protected as it needs to be because it’s the one account you truly can’t afford to lose.

Ken Colburn is founder and CEO of Data Doctors Computer Services. Ask any tech question on Facebook or X.