How to get back into your gmail account without password

Gmail offers several options for gaining access to your account

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

Follow these steps to reset your forgotten Gmail password and recover access to your account.

  1. 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.

  2. Open Gmail and enter your email address in the space provided. Press Next.

  3. On the Gmail login screen select Forgot password?.

  4. Gmail will now ask a number of questions to try to establish you as the owner of the account.

    For each question, enter your answerand 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.

  5. 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.

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  • To recover your Google account when you've forgotten your email, use Find My Email.
  • You can also recover a Google account if you forgot the password using the Account Recovery page.
  • The Account Recovery page is also useful for recovering your account when it's been hacked.

There's nothing quite as annoying as losing track of your email address or password and not being able to get into your Google account — especially if it houses most of your digital life.  

Nothing, that is, except for having your account hacked.

Regardless, there are several ways to recover your Gmail or Google account.

Here's what you need to know.

How to recover a Google account if you forgot your email address

If you remember your password but not the email address, Google offers a way to retrieve it.

1. Go to Google's Find My Email page

If you can't remember your email address, go to the Find My Email page. This is where you'll start the account recovery process when you can't remember your email address.

2. Enter your recovery email or phone number 

You will then see a text box where you're required to enter a recovery email or phone number. Once you enter the phone number or email, click Next.

Enter your Google recovery email or phone number and click “Next.” Stefan Ionescu/Insider

3. Enter your first and last name 

Next, you'll be asked for your first and last name. Enter them in the appropriate text boxes and click Next.

4. Send verification code

Google will need to send a verification code to the recovery email or phone number, click Send.

5. Enter the verification code

If you used a recovery email, check its inbox for the verification code, and if it's a phone, check your messages. Once you retrieve the code, enter it in the text box and click Next.

6. Choose an account 

Go will show you a list of accounts associated with the recovery email or phone number. If you see the account you want to recover, click on it to select.

7. Enter your password

Since you remember the password, enter it in the text box and click Next. You need to verify it's you who's actually accessing the account if you've enabled two-step verification.

How to recover a Google account if you forgot your password

Sometimes, you can remember the email address but not the password. You can still recover your account by following the steps below to reset your password.

1. Go to Google's Account Recovery page

The first step to resetting your Google account's password is to navigate to the Account Recovery page in your favorite browser.

2. Enter your email address

Enter the email address for your Google account and click Next.

Enter your Google recovery email or phone number and click “Next.” Stefan Ionescu/Insider

3. Enter the last password you remember

Google will then ask you to enter the last password you remember. If you have any vague idea of what it is, enter in the text box and click Next.

Google will then send a prompt to your registered device, asking you to verify it's you. Open it and tap, Yes, it is me.

Then you'll have to wait six hours for Google to verify it's you and then send a password reset link to your email.

If you can't remember your past password, use the next method.

4. Click on "Try another way"

Click “Try another way.” Stefan Ionescu/Insider

While still on the Account Recovery page, click Try another way for Google to send a prompt to your phone to verify it's you. On your phone, open the prompt and tap Yes, it's me. 

Google will verify you are who you say you are and send you a password reset link after six hours.

If you didn't register a device to receive prompts from Google, try the next method.

5. Click on "Try another way" again 

Click on “Try another way” again. Stefan Ionescu/Insider

If you're enabled to check your phone for the code, click Try another way again.

Google will then ask you if it should send a verification code to your registered phone number. Click Send.

Retrieve the code from your messages, enter it in the textbox, and click Next.

Wait for six hours for Google to send the password reset link to your email.

But if you don't have a registered number, there's one more method you can try.

6. Click on "Try another way" for the last time

If you don't have a registered phone number or you didn't enable two step verification, click Try another way again. 

Google will then take 72 hours to verify who you are and then send you a password reset link if everything checks out.

How to recover a Google account if your account was hacked

If you aren't able to log into your Google account — for example, if you're trying to log into your Google account and you find that someone has changed your password or recovery phone number, or deleted your account (or in some cases, even if you deleted the account) — you will also use Google's Account Recovery page.

Simply answer the questions as best you can and follow the prompts.

If all else fails, or you can't sign in for another reason (like you're having trouble with two-step verification or you can't reset your password with a code by text), you can get help signing in and recover your account directly through Google.

Devon Delfino is a Brooklyn-based freelance journalist specializing in personal finance, culture, politics, and identity. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Los Angeles Times, Teen Vogue, Business Insider, and CNBC. Follow her on Twitter at @devondelfino.

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Go to the Google Account Recovery page or visit this link..
Enter your Gmail ID or username..
Click on Next..
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How can I recover my Gmail account without phone number and email?

How to Recover Gmail Password without Phone Number and Recovery Email?.
Go to Google Recovery Account. Go to Google Recovery Account. ... .
Enter Your Email. ... .
Select 'Try another way to sign in' ... .
Click on 'Try another way' ... .
Click on 'Try another way' Again. ... .
Wait for Next 48 Hours. ... .
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How can I recover my old Gmail account without email and password?

If you don't remember, click on “Try another way” You will be able to retrieve your account with your phone by verifying your identity with some information. You can choose to recover your account by sending a reset code to the phone number you registered for your account.

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