To recover a forgotten Gmail password, go to Google’s account recovery page (accounts.google.com/signin/recovery), enter your email address and answer the verification questions as best you can. Once Google confirms the account is yours, it asks you to set a new password. It works best from a device and location you already use to sign in, and there is no limit on how many times you can try.
How to reset your password, step by step
- Open Google’s account recovery page in a browser on your phone or computer.
- Enter the Gmail address you want to recover. If you are not sure of the exact address, see the username section below.
- When Google asks for the last password you remember, enter the most recent one you can recall. If you cannot remember any, make your best guess. A wrong answer does not end the process.
- Pick how to receive a verification code. Google may send it to your recovery phone or recovery email. If you cannot use that option, tap “Try another way.”
- Enter the code and answer any other questions that appear.
- When prompted, create a new password. Choose a strong one that you have not used on this account before.
According to Google’s help page, there is no limit to the number of times you can attempt recovery. If one try fails, you can run the process again.
How to improve your odds
When Google cannot verify you by phone or email, it relies on other signals about who is asking. Google’s own tips help:
- Answer every question. Do not skip any. Guess if you have to, since wrong guesses do not end the process.
- Use a familiar device and place. Try the computer, phone or tablet you usually sign in on, in your usual browser, from somewhere like home or work.
- Type carefully. Watch uppercase and lowercase letters and avoid typos when entering old passwords.
- Give an email tied to the account. It can be a recovery, alternate or contact address. If you cannot open it, choose “Try another way.”
- Check your spam folder. Google may reply with an email titled “Your Google support inquiry,” which sometimes lands in spam.
What if you forgot the Gmail address too?
Start with the username. Google requires a phone number or recovery email on the account, plus the full name listed on it. After it confirms the account is yours, it lists matching usernames. Once you find the address, go back to the steps above.
What if you no longer have the recovery phone or email?
This is the hardest case. Google then depends on the verification questions and on the device and location you normally use. A few pointers:
- Try from a device where the account is, or used to be, signed in.
- If you changed your recovery info recently, changes can take up to 7 days to take effect. If recovery fails, try again after a few days.
- If it is a work, school or other group account, the steps may differ. Ask your administrator.
- For a child under 13 (or the applicable age in your country), a parent can reset the password through Family settings.
If nothing works, the last option is to create a new Google Account and set up protections so you do not get locked out again. Google also has separate steps for recently deleted accounts.
Beware of “account recovery” scams
Google says it cannot help you sign in over the phone and does not work with third-party account or password recovery services. Be suspicious of anyone who offers to recover Gmail for a fee or asks for your verification code. Google never asks for your password or verification codes by email, phone or message. Enter them only at accounts.google.com. The same caution applies to other apps, as we explain in our guide to WhatsApp two-step verification.
How to tell if your account was hacked
If you were locked out because someone changed your password, treat it as a break-in. Google’s hacked-account page recommends this after you regain access:
- Open Security & sign-in in your Google Account and review security events. If you see activity you did not do, select “No, it wasn’t me” and follow the prompts.
- Under Your devices, open “Manage devices” and remove any you do not recognize.
- Change your password, and change it on any other site or app where you used the same one.
- Turn on 2-Step Verification, so a stolen password alone is not enough to sign in.
- In Gmail, check for filters, labels or forwarding rules you did not set up.
- Check whether your recovery phone, recovery email or other security info was changed.
How to prevent it next time
The best fix is keeping your recovery info current:
- Sign in to your Google Account and open Security & sign-in.
- Under “How you sign in to Google,” click Recovery phone or Recovery email.
- Click Edit to change it or Delete to remove it, then follow the on-screen steps.
Use a recovery email you check often and that differs from the one you sign in with. Do not use a Google Voice number as your recovery phone, because you may not get the code when you need it. After you change a recovery phone, Google may keep sending codes to the old one for up to 7 days, so you can secure the account if someone else made the change.
Other habits help too: do not reuse a password on important accounts such as email and banking, keep any written passwords somewhere locked or secret, or use a password manager, and run Google’s Security Checkup now and then for personalized advice. If you also want to look up a network you already use, see how to find your Wi-Fi password.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to recover a Gmail account?
If you can reach your recovery phone or email, it is usually quick: just the time to receive and type the code. Without them, it depends on whether Google can confirm your identity through other signals.
Can I try as many times as I want?
Yes. Google’s help page says there is no limit on recovery attempts. If one fails, try again more carefully, on your usual device and in your usual location.
Does Google help over the phone?
No. According to Google’s help page, it cannot help you sign in over the phone. Be wary of any number or site that claims otherwise.
I changed my recovery phone and now it does not work. What now?
Changes to a recovery phone can take up to 7 days to take effect. During that time Google may still send codes to the old number, so try that option or repeat recovery after a few days.
