Gmail Password Recovery
If you have forgotten your Gmail password or your account has been hacked, you can still save your account by following a few simple steps.
The first step is to head on over to Google’s Account Recovery page. This tool will walk you through the process of recovering your account and re-securing it.
You can also access this tool through Gmail’s sign in page. Click on the link that says “Can’t access your account?” (under the Sign In button) to start the recovery process.
1. Select the Situation that Applies to You
The first thing Google will ask you is why you are having trouble signing in. You can choose three options here:
- I don’t know my username
- I don’t know my password
- I’m having additional problems signing in
2. I Don’t Know My Password
It’s easy to lose your email’s password, especially if your browser is already configured to remember your Gmail log in for you.
After selecting the “I don’t know my password” option, you will be prompted to enter your Email address. Enter your email and click the Continue button.
3. Select the Appropriate Configuration Option
Google gives you three options to help you gain access back to your account:
- Confirm access to your recovery email
- Have a verification code sent to your phone
- Answer a security question
Please note that most of these options will require you to solve a Captcha code before the verification process can continue. Let’s take a look at the recovery process for each option.
Confirm Access to Your Recovery Email
This is the simplest and easiest way to recover your password. When configuring your Gmail account, you have the option of adding a special recovery email. Select this option and click Continue.Details on how to reset your account’s password will be sent to your recovery email.
- Sign into your recovery email address.
- Click on the recovery email sent by Google.
- Click on the enclosed link to reset your password.
Have a Verification Code Sent To Your Phone
Google asks you for a mobile device number just for the purpose of recovering your account’s password. By selecting this option, Google will send a verification code to the mobile device configured in your account. Choose to have the code sent via SMS message or voice, and click Continue.
On the next page, you will be asked to enter the verification code. Enter your verification code and click Continue. Make sure that you do not close out the recovery tool before you enter the code. Otherwise, you will not be able to change your password.
Once the code has been verified, you will be redirected to the Reset Password page. Enter a new password and click Reset Password.
Answer a Security Question
If you need to reset your password, you can choose to answer a security (or secret) question to verify your identity. This option is no longer available to new Gmail accounts, but if your account was created several years ago, you may still be able to answer a security question to reset your password.
If you are able to select this option, you will be asked to answer the security question you were asked when first creating your account. If your answer is correct, you will be redirected to the Reset Password page.
Verify Your Identity
If you are unable to use any of the above mentioned options, you can choose “Verify your identity” on the Password Help page. If you select this option, you will be asked the following questions:
- Your email address
- Your previous password
- When you were last able to sign into your Gmail account
- When you created your Gmail account
If you enter the correct information, you will receive an email at your contact email address that will help you reset your password.
