sign out

record that you are leaving a place, or end access to a system or account

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What does "sign out" mean?

Signing out means recording that you are leaving a place or ending your access to a digital system. In physical settings, this usually involves writing your name and the time in a book or on a form — for example, at a school reception, a hospital ward, or a workplace security desk. In digital settings, it means ending your session on a website, app, or device, so that no one else can access your account. The phrase is very common in both spoken instructions ('Please sign out before you leave') and written notices. It is a neutral, everyday expression used in many professional and institutional situations.

Examples

How to use it

sign out

Used without any object when you simply record your own departure or end your own session.

Don't forget to sign out when you finish your shift.

sign out of + place/system

Use 'of' to specify which system or location you are leaving.

She always signs out of her email when she uses a public computer.

sign out at + location

Use 'at' to name the specific place where you record your departure.

All visitors must sign out at the front desk before leaving the building.

remember/forget to sign out

Commonly used with 'remember' or 'forget' to talk about the habit or mistake of ending a session.

He forgot to sign out, so his account was still open the next morning.

sign out before + -ing

Often used with 'before' to describe signing out as a required step before another action.

Please sign out before leaving the office for the day.

Common Collocations

sign out at the front desksign out of your accountsign out of the appforgot to sign outsign out before leavingsign out of the system

Common Mistakes

Adding an object by mistake

In this sense, 'sign out' is intransitive — it has no direct object. If you add an object (like 'a book'), you switch to a completely different meaning about borrowing something.

✗ I signed out at 5 o'clock the register.
✓ I signed out at 5 o'clock.
Confusing 'sign out' with 'log out'

'Log out' is only used in digital contexts, while 'sign out' works for both physical departure and digital sessions. In digital contexts they are interchangeable, but 'sign out' is the more versatile option.

✗ All staff must log out at the security desk when they leave.
✓ All staff must sign out at the security desk when they leave.
Using the wrong preposition

When naming the system or place you are leaving, use 'of' for digital systems and locations, not 'from'.

✗ Remember to sign out from your account.
✓ Remember to sign out of your account.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral and works in both physical settings (workplaces, schools) and digital ones (apps, websites). In digital contexts, 'sign out' and 'log out' are interchangeable, but major tech platforms tend to use 'sign out' in their menus.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'sign out' always mean the same thing, or can it mean something else?

This sense of 'sign out' means recording your departure or ending your access — it has no object. There is also a different, transitive sense where 'sign out' means to borrow something by recording it (for example, 'sign out a key'). Always check whether an object follows the verb to tell the two apart.

Can I use 'sign out' for both websites and physical places like offices?

Yes — that is one of the useful things about 'sign out'. It works in digital contexts (signing out of an app or website) and also in physical settings (signing your name in a register at a workplace or school). 'Log out' only works for digital situations.

Why do some apps say 'sign out' and others say 'log out'? Is there a difference?

In digital contexts, the two mean the same thing. However, many major platforms such as Google and Microsoft prefer 'sign out' in their menus, which is why you see it so often. Either form is correct and understood.

Is 'sign out' used in the passive, like 'I was signed out'?

Not in this sense. Because this use of 'sign out' is intransitive (no object), it cannot be made passive. If you hear 'I was signed out', that comes from a different, transitive sense of the verb.

What kinds of places or systems is 'sign out' used with?

It is used in a wide range of contexts: workplaces, schools, hospitals, libraries, and security desks for physical departure, and email accounts, apps, portals, and websites for digital sessions. It is a very common phrase in both everyday and professional situations.

Related Phrasal Verbs

log out

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