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How to Fix It When You're Locked Out of Your Gmail Account

Troubleshooting a Gmail lockout

By Saikat Basu Saikat Basu Writer University of Pune (India) Saikat has been a technology writer for 12+ years. His writing has appeared at MakeUseOf, OnlineTechTips, GoSkills, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on May 23, 2022 Reviewed by Jessica Kormos Reviewed by Jessica Kormos Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Jessica Kormos is a writer and editor with 15 years' experience writing articles, copy, and UX content for Tecca.com, Rosenfeld Media, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Email Gmail Yahoo! Mail This article guides you on troubleshooting your Gmail access when you are locked out. You can be locked out of your Gmail account for some extraordinary reason. Google's account recovery process can help you get back in. However, it's easier if you lose only one key piece of your credentials, like either your username or password, rather than both.

What Causes a Gmail Lockout

The Google Support troubleshooter lists nine unique reasons which can cause Gmail to lock you out of your account. These are the four common reasons you might come across. You can't remember your username.You have lost or forgotten your Gmail password.You are unable to use 2-Step verification from any device.Someone has hacked into your account. Google can also lock you out proactively if it suspects any unusual activity on your Gmail account.

How Long Does a Gmail Lockout Last

According to Google, a Gmail lockout can last for a few hours to a few days. This time depends on the nature of the intrusion Google suspects. You can recover an account set up with the proper recovery information in a few minutes with the steps below. A Google Account Help page answers the reasons behind any extraordinary Gmail lockout period.

How Do I Unlock My Gmail Account

You can unlock your Gmail account by recovering the username or resetting the account password. But before that, you have to set up a secondary recovery email address or a phone number which Google can use to verify your identity. The secondary email address doesn't necessarily have to be on Gmail.

Recover Your Gmail Account Username

It's rare to forget your Gmail username, but it can happen when the account lies unused for a long time. Follow these steps to recover your username. Open the Gmail sign-in page and select Forgot email. On the Find your email page, enter your phone number or recovery email. Select Next. Enter the First Name and Last Name you use for this specific account. Select Send to receive a 6-digit verification code on the phone number or recovery email associated with the account. Type the verification code in the field and select Next. Choose the user name you want to recover. Enter your password and log into your Gmail account.

Recover Your Gmail Account Password

Forgetting your Gmail account password is more common than losing the username. Here are the steps to reset your password. Open the Gmail sign-in page. Enter the username. Select Forgot password now or try the password you vaguely remember. Google will display a "Wrong password. Try again or click ‘Forgot password’ to reset it." when you make an error.

Tip:

Google asks for the last password. But you can enter any password for the account you remember and see if it works. It's better if the password is among the more recent ones. On the Account recovery page, follow the prompt to Enter the last password that you remember using with this Google Account. Select Next. Google asks you to open the Google app on your phone and match the number displayed on the browser to the one on the app. Alternatively, it can also send a verification code to the secondary address you had set up for recovery. When the numbers match, Gmail displays the page to change the password. Enter a new password in the fields and select Next. Google confirms a recovery email and recovery phone. Update them if necessary. Select Continue to Gmail at the foot of the page to enter your inbox.

Recover a Hacked Gmail Account

You can take precautions to secure your account if you suspect someone else is using your account. The methods to use will depend on these two situations: You can log into Gmail: Enter Google My Account and select the Security page. Then, follow the security recommendations to secure your account from unwanted intrusions. You cannot log into Gmail: Follow the steps outlined in the earlier sections to recover your account.

How Can I Unlock My Gmail Account Without a Phone Number and Recovery Email

Google offers a few workarounds to unlock your Gmail account without a phone number or recovery email. Try them though success isn't assured. If a lot of time has passed since you used the account on a familiar device or network, then the chances of unlocking the account are low. Go to the Google Account Recovery page from the device, the browser, and/or the IP address you last used to log into this Gmail account. Enter the username and select Next. Enter any password you remember for the account. You may get a "Google couldn't verify this account belongs to you" message. Select Try another way to display a page with a Try again button and a few instructions. Two-step verification is an added layer of protection for Gmail. So, unlocking such an account is a bit more difficult if you lose a key piece of information. FAQ How do I delete a Gmail account? You can delete your Gmail account, along with any other individual Google services, by going to the data and privacy section of your Google account page. From there, click Delete a Google Service, and then select the trash can icon next to Gmail. How do I remove a Gmail account from my iPhone? Your iPhone stores all of the email accounts you've set up in the Settings app. Go to Settings > Mail > Accounts, tap your Gmail account, and then select Delete Account at the bottom of the screen. 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 Recover a Forgotten Gmail Password How to Recover/Reactivate an Old Yahoo Mail Account How to Change Your Facebook Password How to Find Out Who (or What) Is Accessing Your Gmail How to Reset or Change Your Instagram Password How to Use the Chrome Password Manager How to Run a Google Security Checkup How to Create a Password in Windows How to Recover Your Facebook Password Without Email and Phone Number How to Set Up, Check, and Change a Secondary Gmail Address How to Add A Picture To Your Gmail Profile How to Secure Your Gmail With Two-Step Authentication Remotely Reset Android Lock Screen Password and PIN How to Reset Your Snapchat Password How to Reset a Lost Windows Live Hotmail Password How to Reset Your Yahoo Mail 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