Set up a recovery phone number or email address
To make sure you can get back into your Google Account if you ever can’t sign in, add recovery information.
How recovery info helps you
A recovery phone number or email address helps you reset your password if:
- You forget your password
- Someone else is using your account
- You’re locked out of your account for another reason
Add or change a recovery phone number
- Sign in to your "Recovery phone" page in My Account.
- From here, you can:
- Add a recovery phone.
- Change your recovery phone: Next to your number, select Edit
.
- Delete your recovery phone: Next to your number, select Delete
.
- Follow the instructions.
.Note: Deleting your recovery phone number doesn’t delete it from being used for other Google services. Go to My Account to manage your phone numbers.
Which number to use
Use a mobile phone that:
- Gets text messages
- Belongs only to you
- You use regularly and keep with you
Add or change a recovery email address
- Sign in to your "Recovery email" page in My Account.
- From here, you can:
- Add a recovery email.
- Change or delete your recovery email: Next to your email, select Edit
- Follow the instructions.
Which email to use
Choose an email address that:
- You use regularly
- Is different from the one you use to sign in to your Google Account
How recovery info is used
Recovery info helps you get back into your account and helps keep your account secure.
Here are some ways your recovery phone number can be used:
- To send you a code to get into your account if you’re ever locked out
- To block someone from using your account without your permission
- To make it easier for you to prove that an account is yours
- To tell you if there’s suspicious activity on your account
If your recovery phone number is the same as another phone number you’ve added to your account, it might be used for other purposes. Learn more about how phone numbers are used.
Recovery email address
Here are some ways your recovery email address can be used:
- To confirm your username after you create an email address
- To help you get into your account if you forget your password or can't sign in for another reason
- To let you know if you're about to run out of storage space
- To tell you if there’s suspicious activity on your account
You can’t get into your account
If you can’t sign in, follow the steps to recover your account.
If you have trouble, try these tips to complete the account recovery steps.
Nick is an Accounts expert and the author of this help page. Leave him feedback below about how to improve it.
