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How to Recover a Forgotten Gmail Password

Gmail offers several options for gaining access to your account

By Heinz Tschabitscher Heinz Tschabitscher Writer University of Vienna A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on July 3, 2022 Reviewed by Lisa Mildon Reviewed by Lisa Mildon Southern New Hampshire University Lisa Mildon is a Lifewire writer and an IT professional with 30 years of experience. Her writing has appeared in Geekisphere and other publications. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Email Gmail Yahoo! Mail

What to Know

Open Gmail, and enter your username. Click Forgot password? Gmail will ask you a series of questions and log you in after you answer.To reset, you should already have a secondary email address registered or not have logged into your account for 5 days.Gmail uses a validation process to set a new password, which includes a variety of questions only you can answer. This article explains how to recover a forgotten password and shares standard questions Gmail will ask during the process. These steps are for all Gmail accounts and will work the same across all computer browsers.

Recover a Forgotten Gmail Password

1:30 Follow these steps to reset your forgotten Gmail password and recover access to your account. First, make sure you either (1) have a secondary email address specified for your Gmail account or (2) haven't logged into your Gmail account for five days. Open Gmail and enter your email address in the space provided. Press Next. On the Gmail login screen select Forgot password?. Gmail will now ask a number of questions to try to establish you as the owner of the account. For each question, enter your answer and select Next. Or, if you don't know the answer to a question, select Try another way. See below for a list of the questions Google may ask. Once you've established yourself as your account's owner using the steps above, Gmail will log you into the account. If, for security reasons, you want to change your password, follow the Change password link. How to Create a Strong Password To avoid having to remember passwords at all, try a password manager like Dashlane, which is free for a basic account.

Questions Google Will Ask During Gmail Account Recovery

The questions Gmail asks to help verify your Gmail account may include the following, not necessarily in this order. A previous password: If you've changed your Gmail password and only remember an older one, you can enter it. Verification using a code: Depending on the verification methods you've previously set up for two-factor authentication, you can get a code from:
An SMS text message received from Google An email message received from Google A phone call received from Google. An app (e.g. Google Authenticator) Printed back-up codes A secondary email address for Gmail account recovery: To reset the password on your Google Account, follow the link in a message Google sends to your alternate email address. You may also be able to enter any current email address to receive a verification code. A security question for Gmail password recovery: When prompted, type the answer to your recovery question. When you set up the account: Enter the month and year when you created the Gmail (or Google) account. A pop-up on your phone: Depending on how you set up your account and whether your phone is connected to the same Gmail account, you might be able to get a notification on your phone that you can accept to verify that it's you requesting a password reset. If you've used your Gmail account in the past five days but haven't specified a secondary email address, you'll have to wait for five days before you can try to gain access to the account. Learn more about troubleshooting a Gmail lockout Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Fix It When You're Locked Out of Your Gmail Account How to Reset or Change Your Instagram Password How to Change Your Facebook Password How to Reset Your Yahoo Mail Password How to Run a Google Security Checkup How to Access Free Windows Mail in Gmail How to Find Out Who (or What) Is Accessing Your Gmail How to Recover a Forgotten iCloud Mail Password How to Create a Gmail Alias How to Access Gmail in iPhone Mail How to Recover/Reactivate an Old Yahoo Mail Account How to Change or Reset a Hulu Password How to Set Up, Check, and Change a Secondary Gmail Address How to Reset Your Apple ID Password in a Few Easy Steps How to Change Your Gmail Password How to Reset a Lost Windows Live Hotmail Password Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies