# Why Tech Companies Hid the "Log Out" Button (And How to Win It Back)

DevFeed: [Why Tech Companies Hid the "Log Out" Button (And How to Win It Back)](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/why-tech-companies-hid-the-log-out-button-and-how-to-win-it-back-9280.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://webdesignerdepot.com/why-tech-companies-hid-the-log-out-button-and-how-to-win-it-back/>)

Author: Simon Sterne

Published: 2026-09-01T12:33:00Z

Content type: opinion

Language: en

Sources: [Web Designer Depot](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/web-designer-depot.md>)

Topics: [User interface design](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/ui-design.md>)

Tags: [app-addiction](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/app-addiction.md>), [attention-economy](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/attention-economy.md>), [behavioral-design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/behavioral-design.md>), [dark-patterns](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/dark-patterns.md>), [digital-minimalism](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/digital-minimalism.md>), [digital-wellbeing](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/digital-wellbeing.md>), [internet-culture](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/internet-culture.md>), [logout-button](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/logout-button.md>), [online-privacy](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/online-privacy.md>), [persuasive-technology](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/persuasive-technology.md>), [product-design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/product-design.md>), [social-media](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/social-media.md>), [software-design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/software-design.md>), [tech-industry](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/tech-industry.md>), [technology](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/technology.md>), [ui](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ui.md>), [ui-design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ui-design.md>), [user-autonomy](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/user-autonomy.md>), [user-experience](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/user-experience.md>), [ux](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ux.md>), [ux-design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ux-design.md>), [ux-usability](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/ux-usability.md>), [web-design](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/web-design.md>)

## AI overview

An opinion piece arguing that platforms make logging out deliberately difficult to prioritize engagement, tracking, and business metrics over user choice.

## Source excerpt

Ever noticed that signing in takes one tap, but logging feels like solving a puzzle?That's not bad design. It's a business strategy. The modern internet has quietly turned "leave" into the hardest button to find--and most people never realized it was happening.