Contents
Short answer
Go through five areas together: accounts, devices, home network, smart home and the rules for children and teenagers. Above all, check whether the most important accounts have unique passwords and a second factor, whether devices get updates and are backed up, and whether the router is up to date. A short joint round can already reveal many weak spots.
What the check covers
A. Accounts
Main email accounts, Apple or Google accounts, social networks, banking, shopping, and streaming and family accounts. Check each for: unique login details, two-factor sign-in or passkey where possible, up-to-date recovery details (phone number, backup email) and unknown active sessions.
B. Devices
Smartphones, tablets, computers, games consoles and smartwatches. Check: updates, device lock with PIN or code, encryption where the device offers it, automatic backups and the find or lost-mode feature if you want to use it.
C. Home network
Router software up to date, Wi-Fi with WPA2 or WPA3 and a long password, a guest network for visitors and less trusted devices, a look at the router’s device list and changed default passwords.
D. Smart home
Cameras, doorbells, voice assistants and other smart devices. Check: updates, accounts and sharing for other people that are no longer needed, and which features can be reached from the internet – and whether they need to be.
E. Children and teenagers
Age-appropriate accounts, privacy settings, in-app purchase settings and social media use. More important than technology are shared rules and a clear agreement: if something goes wrong, children can always come to you without fearing trouble.
The 20-minute family check
- 1
Check the main email account
This account can reset many other passwords. Is its password unique?
- 2
Second factor on?
For email, Apple or Google account and banking: is two-factor sign-in or a passkey set up?
- 3
Check device updates
Are automatic updates on? Does every device still receive security updates at all?
- 4
Check backups
Are photos and documents backed up automatically – and when was the last one?
- 5
Check the router
Is the router software current and the default password changed?
- 6
Review family accounts
Who is in family sharing, streaming and store accounts? Are purchase approvals turned on?
- 7
Agree emergency contacts
Who helps if an account is hacked or a phone is lost? Where is the recovery information kept?
Step by step
- 01
Set a time and sit down together
Bring the devices. Teenagers can check their own accounts; the aim is protecting each other, not monitoring.
- 02
Start with accounts
Begin with email, Apple or Google account and banking. A password manager helps with unique passwords; whether everyone uses the same one is up to you.
- 03
Go through the devices
Turn on updates, check the lock, check the backup. Note devices that no longer get security updates.
- 04
Check router and smart home
Sign in to the router interface and check updates, Wi-Fi encryption and guest network. Look at sharing and remote access in the apps of smart devices.
- 05
Agree rules with the children
Talk about in-app purchases, privacy and what happens when there’s a problem. Explain why a setting makes sense.
- 06
Note open points
Write down what’s missing and who takes care of it. Next time, start there.
Checklist
- The most important accounts have unique passwords.
- Email, Apple or Google account and banking use a second factor or passkey.
- Recovery details are current, unknown sessions signed out.
- All devices get updates and are locked.
- Photos and documents are backed up automatically.
- Router is up to date, Wi-Fi encrypted, default passwords changed.
- Smart home sharing and remote access are checked.
- There are shared rules with the children and a clear person to turn to.
Common mistakes
- Checking only the children’s devices and forgetting the adults’ accounts.
- Treating the check as monitoring rather than protecting each other.
- Keeping old devices without updates on the home network without knowing it.
- Not updating recovery numbers when a phone number changes.
- Trying to fix everything at once – and then not starting at all.
Frequently asked questions
Do all family members have to use the same password manager?
No. A shared manager can make sharing logins easier. What matters is that everyone uses unique passwords at all.
How often should we check security at home?
There’s no fixed rule. Our editorial recommendation: every three to six months, and whenever you add new devices or accounts.
Is this a parental-controls check?
No, the check covers the whole household. Parental controls are one part; our page on parental controls and family accounts covers them in more detail.
What do we do with devices that no longer get updates?
Check whether they can be replaced. Until then, give them as little access as possible, for example on the guest network.
Do we need technical knowledge?
Hardly. Most points are in the settings under “Security” or “Account”. For the router or smart home, the manufacturer’s instructions help.
Sources
- BSI – Zwei-Faktor-Authentisierung
- BSI – Smartphone und Tablet effektiv schützen
- BSI – Router und WLAN sicher einrichten
- BSI – Smarthome: den Wohnraum sicher vernetzen
Checked on 7 October 2026.