Hotel TVs, holiday lets and hire cars
Last checked: 23 Oct 2026
If you sign in to a streaming app on a hotel or holiday-let TV, the next guest can use your account unless you sign out. You can sign out on the TV before you leave, or from your phone afterwards: every service below lets you remove a TV from your account remotely. Further down: phone settings for hotel Wi-Fi, hire cars, and the rules on cameras in holiday lets.
Sign out, on the TV or after you've left
- Netflix
netflix.com → Account → Manage Access and Devices → Sign Out (or Sign Out of All Devices)Shows each device, the profile last used and when, and lets you sign out of one or all.
On the TV itself: Netflix home screen → Get Help → Sign out.
- YouTube
myaccount.google.com → Your devices → The TV → Sign outGoogle suggests signing out of any device that's lost or isn't yours. If you linked the TV with a code instead of signing in, remove it in the YouTube app: Settings → General → Watch on TV → Delete devices.
Google says linked TVs can only be removed all at once, not one by one. On the TV: YouTube app → profile picture → Sign out.
- Amazon Prime Video
primevideo.com → Account & Settings → Devices → DeregisterAmazon says deregistering disconnects the device from your Amazon content and services.
- Disney+
DisneyPlus.com → Profile → Account → Access & Security → Manage Devices → Log OutShows each device with its rough location and when it was last used. "Log out of everywhere" signs you out of all devices, which Disney says can take up to four hours.
- BBC iPlayer
BBC account settings → Security and privacy → Sign out of all devices, or only TVs and games consolesThe BBC says the TV may still look signed in until someone selects a profile.
On the TV: Select who's watching → highlight your account → Edit → Sign out.
- Spotify
Spotify account → Manage apps → Remove AccessSpotify says its "Sign out everywhere" button doesn't cover TVs, so remove the TV app's access instead. In the Spotify app's device list you can also choose Log out of this device.
- Apple TV app
iPhone Settings → Your name → The TV → Remove from AccountApple says a removed device loses access to your Apple services. On the TV: Apple TV app → Settings → your name → Sign Out.
Casting instead of signing in
Casting from your phone means you don't sign in on the TV at all. Some hotels offer it: Apple's AirPlay in hotels uses a QR code on the room's TV, and Apple says that at IHG hotels your connection is erased when you check out. Apple says it isn't available everywhere. Google says casting usually won't work on hotel or public Wi-Fi that keeps devices apart, which many do.
Hire cars
The US FTC warns that a connected hire car can keep your phone number, call and message logs, contacts and places you've been after you return it. Its advice: to only charge your phone, use a socket adapter rather than the USB port; only grant the permissions you need; and before returning the car, delete your phone from its list of paired devices. The car's own menus vary: see the car brand pages for reset paths. On your phone:
Make your phone forget the car
- Apple CarPlay
iPhone Settings → General → CarPlay → The car → Forget This CarRemoves the car from your iPhone's CarPlay list.
- Android Auto
Settings → Connected devices → Connection preferences → Android Auto → Previously connected cars → Forget all carsRemoves every car Android Auto remembers. To unpair the car's Bluetooth: Settings → Connected devices → the car → Forget.
Google says the steps may differ on phones with a maker's own version of Android, such as Samsung.
Hotel Wi-Fi: settings on your phone
Hotel and café Wi-Fi is shared with strangers. These phone settings change what the network can link to your phone, and stop it rejoining after you leave.
iPhone settings that help
- Private Wi-Fi Address
Settings → Wi-Fi → Info button next to the network → Private Wi-Fi AddressApple says using a different address on each network makes it harder for network providers to link your activity across networks. Choose Rotating or Fixed (iOS 18 and later).
- Limit IP Address Tracking
Settings → Wi-Fi → Info button → Limit IP Address TrackingApple says this hides your IP address from known trackers.
- Forget the hotel network when you leave
Settings → Wi-Fi → Edit → Info button → Forget This NetworkYour iPhone won't join it automatically again. Or keep it saved but turn off Auto-Join on the same screen.
Android settings that help
- Randomised MAC address
Settings → Network & internet → Internet → Gear next to the network → Privacy → Use randomised MACGoogle says Android 10 and later use a randomised address for each network by default.
Unlike iPhone, Google says the address for a network stays the same even if you forget and re-add it.
- Forget the hotel network
Settings → Network & internet → Internet → Touch and hold the network → ForgetStops your phone joining it automatically when you're nearby.
Cameras in holiday lets
- Airbnb: doesn't allow hosts to have cameras or recording devices that monitor indoor spaces, even if they're switched off. Airbnb says reported violations are investigated and can lead to the listing being removed (Airbnb).
- Vrbo: doesn't allow cameras or audio recorders inside a rental, or outside ones pointed in. It says to contact Vrbo straight away if you find one, and that you may be eligible for a refund.
- Booking.com: its rules for hosts don't allow cameras in areas rented only by guests or where guests expect privacy, such as bathrooms. They're allowed at entrances, outdoors and in shared common areas.
If you have a doorbell or camera at your own home, see doorbells and cameras.
Sources
- Netflix: Sign out of Netflix on a TV
- Netflix: Manage access and devices
- YouTube: Sign out on your TV
- YouTube: Linked TVs
- Google Account: Your devices
- Prime Video: Devices
- Disney+: Log out of devices (UK)
- BBC iPlayer: Sign out on a TV
- Spotify: How to log out
- Spotify: Spotify Connect
- Apple: Apple TV app on smart TVs
- Apple: Remove a device from your Apple Account
- Google Cast: hotel and guest networks
- Apple: AirPlay in hotel rooms
- Apple Newsroom: AirPlay in IHG hotels (18 Apr 2024)
- FTC: Renting a car
- Apple: CarPlay
- Google: Android Auto
- Google: Forget a Bluetooth device
- Apple: Private Wi-Fi addresses
- Apple: Manage Wi-Fi settings on iPhone
- Apple: Forget a Wi-Fi network
- Google: Advanced network settings on Android
- Google: Connect to Wi-Fi on Android
- Airbnb: Security cameras and recording devices
- Airbnb: Policy update on security cameras
- Vrbo: Surveillance devices policy
- Booking.com Partner Hub: Surveillance devices
This page describes your options and how organisations say they handle requests. It isn't legal advice. See About & sourcing, or report a correction.