Recover a Gmail Password
We all have a lot of passwords to keep track of these days, and few are as important as your Gmail password. If you've forgotten your Gmail password, Google provides several options for recovering it. If you've associated a phone number or alternate email address with your account, Google can quickly reset your password for you. If you don't have any other alternates, Google can attempt to verify your identity and recover your account.
Contents
Steps
Using the Account Recovery Page
- Visit the Google Account Recovery page. If you can't remember your password, and you have a phone number or alternate email address associated with your account, Google can send you a link to a password reset page. If you don't have either of these associated with your account, see the next method.
- Visit google.com/accounts/recovery/ to start the process.
- Alternatively, load the Gmail page and click the "Need help?" link underneath the login box.
- Select "I don't know my password". Enter the Google account email that you are trying to recover. If you can't remember your username, select that option instead. Click the "Continue" button.
- Click "I don't know" or enter your last known password. Entering your last known password can help the recovery process, but isn't required to retrieve your account.
- Choose your recovery option. You can either have your recovery details sent to your alternate email address or to your mobile phone. You will need to have set these for your account in order to be able to use them.
- If you choose to receive recovery information sent to your phone, you can either receive it via automated call or SMS.
- If you don't have recovery information associated with your account, you will be taken to the account retrieval survey.
- Enter your verification information. If you selected to receive a verification code over the phone, you will be prompted to enter it. If you had a recovery email sent to your alternate account, click the link in the email you receive.
- Create a new password. After entering the code or clicking the link, you will be prompted to create a new Google password. Enter it in twice to confirm it. Click the "Reset Password" button to continue.
- See this guide for creating a strong, but memorable password.
Filling Out the Password Recovery Form
- Start the password recovery questionnaire. This will start automatically if you don't have any recovery information associated with your account (secondary email or phone number) when you try to reset your password using the above method.
- The recovery form is not instant, as it has to be reviewed by a Google employee. You can try multiple times if you don't get everything right the first time.
- Enter in a working email address you have access to. This is where the response to your recovery form will be sent, so make sure it's an email that you can access. If you don't have another email address, you can Make-an-Email-Address-for-Free in a couple of minutes.
- Choose the last time you accessed the Google account you are trying to recover. You don't have to be exact, but guessing close will increase the chances that you are able to recover your account.
- Choose the date you created your account. Again, this doesn't have to be exact.
- Answer the security question. If you have a security question associated with your account, you will be asked to answer it.
- Enter addresses that you frequently contacted. You can enter up to five addresses. You can also name any labels you may have created in Gmail, and an old recovery email you might remember.
- Select the other Google products that the account used. These could include Android, Calendar, Gmail, and Hangouts. You will also need to enter the approximate dates that you started using these products.
- Submit the form. Once you click the "Submit" button, your questionnaire will be sent to Google for review. You will be contacted about the results of the review at the email you provided.
- Your IP address will be logged, both to help your recovery and prevent fraud.
- If your account cannot be recovered, you can try the form again with more specific answers.
- There is no way to contact Google about password recovery beyond the methods outlined above. Unfortunately, Google does not have a customer service department that can help with lost passwords.
Using a Password Recovery Program
- Visit the NirSoft website. Enter nirsoft.net into your browser's address bar.
- Download WebBrowserPassView. This program will scan your web browsers for stored login information. You may be able to retrieve your password this way.
- Some security software may label WebBrowserPassView as malicious. It retrieves passwords stored in your system, therefore an antivirus may report that it is infected with Trojan/Virus. Be aware of what causes false alerts in antivirus programs.
- Run the program. WebBrowserPassView does not need to be installed. As soon as it runs, it will scan all of your installed browsers and return your usernames and passwords for the websites you visit.
- Find the Gmail entry. This will usually be one of the Google entries.
- Note your username and password. If it's your most recent password, you should be able to use it to log in. If it's an older password, you can use it to help your password recovery efforts.
