We’ve all been there. You’re at a crowded bar or a busy food truck, and you need to pay your friend for your share of the tacos. You want to get in, send the cash, and get back to the fun as fast as possible. To save those precious five seconds, many people choose to stay logged into their Venmo account indefinitely.
It seems harmless, right? You have a passcode on your phone, so why bother logging out of the app every single time? Unfortunately, that “convenience” is exactly what cybercriminals and opportunistic thieves are counting on.
Leaving your Venmo account wide open is like leaving your physical wallet sitting on a park bench just because the park has a fence. It puts your security—and your hard-earned money—at unnecessary risk.
The Danger of the “Always-On” Account
When you stay logged in, you remove a critical layer of defense. If you lose your phone, or if someone snatches it while it’s unlocked, an open Venmo app is a goldmine. Within seconds, a thief can drain your Venmo balance, send money from your linked bank account to themselves, or even harvest your personal information to commit identity theft.
Hackers don’t always need physical access, either. If your device is compromised by malware or a malicious public Wi-Fi connection, an active session makes it much easier for an attacker to hijack your account. By staying logged in, you provide a direct path to your finances without forcing the “bad guy” to bypass a login screen.
Taking Action: How to Sign Out
Security is an active process. Making it a habit to log out of Venmo whenever you are done using it ensures that even if your phone falls into the wrong hands, your money stays put.
To log out of Venmo, follow these simple steps:
- Open the App: Tap the Venmo icon on your home screen.
- Access the Menu: Tap the three horizontal lines (the “hamburger” menu) on the top right of your screen. (Note: On some updated versions, you may need to tap your “Me” profile icon first).
- Go to Settings: Select Settings from the menu list.
- Finalize the Exit: Scroll all the way to the bottom and tap Sign Out of Venmo.
Bonus Tip: Add an Extra Lock
If you find logging out every single time too tedious, you should—at the very least—enable Venmo’s built-in security features. Go to Settings > PIN Code & Biometric and turn on App Lock. This requires your FaceID, fingerprint, or a specific PIN every time you open the app, even if you are technically “logged in.”
However, manual sign-out remains the gold standard for security. It terminates the session entirely, giving you the ultimate peace of mind. Don’t let a moment of laziness turn into a financial nightmare. Take control of your digital wallet and log out today!
