Recover your Google Workspace password with a CNAME record

If you owned your domain before you signed up for Google Workspace, the best way to recover your password (and get access to your Google Workspace account) is to add a unique CNAME record to your domain’s DNS records (steps below).

If you purchased your domain when you signed up for Google Workspace, fill out this form instead. After you submit the form, a support agent will contact you to help.

Add the Google Workspace CNAME record to your domain’s DNS records

You can add a unique CNAME record to your primary domain’s DNS records to verify your identity and recover your password.

Expand all  |  Collapse all

Step 1: Get the CNAME record

1. Keep the Account Recovery Wizard open in your other browser tab or window.
2. Copy the entire CNAME record provided in step 3.

   

Step 2: Sign in to your domain host

Your domain host is typically where you purchased your domain name (such as GoDaddy, Enom, or Cloudflare).

1. If you don’t know who your domain host is, follow the steps to find your domain host.
2. In a new browser tab or window, sign in to your host's website.

Step 3: Add the CNAME record to your domain’s DNS records

Your domain’s DNS records are stored with your domain host.

To add the record yourself, follow the steps below. For help adding DNS records, visit your domain host’s Support section.

1. On the host’s website, go to your domain’s DNS records.
2. Choose to add a record to your DNS settings.
3. For the record type, select CNAME.
4. In the Label or Host field, paste the unique CNAME record that you copied from the Account Recovery Wizard.
5. In the Destination/Target/Points to field, enter google.com.
6. In the TTL field, enter 3600 or leave the default value.

   Your record should look similar to this:

   Record Type	Label/Host field	Time to Live (TTL)	Destination/Target field
   CNAME	google01234567890	3600	google.com

7. Save your record. CNAME record changes can take up to 72 hours to go into effect, but typically they happen much sooner.
8. In your other browser tab or window, return to the Account Recovery Wizard.
9. Click Next to tell Google to look for the CNAME record.

   Google Workspace support will contact you with details on recovering your password.

Tip: You can contact your domain host for help adding the CNAME record. Here’s a note you can use when you call or email them.

 

_{Google, Google Workspace, and related marks and logos are trademarks of Google LLC. All other company and product names are trademarks of the companies with which they are associated.}