Avoid getting locked out of your Google Account

Your Google Account has content that’s important to you, like emails, documents, photos, and Play purchases. Protect your account with recovery info and backups to help you sign in if:

  • Your password is forgotten
  • Your phone is lost
  • Your account is hacked

Step 1: Protect your account with recovery info

Recovery info helps you get back in to your account if you’re locked out.

Add or update your recovery phone number

  1. Sign in to the recovery phone section of your Google Account.
  2. From here, you can:
    • Select Add a recovery phone.
    • Change your recovery phone: Next to your number, select Edit Edit.
    • Delete your recovery phone: Next to your number, select Delete Delete.
  3. Follow the steps on the screen.

Tip: Deleting your recovery phone number doesn’t delete it from being used for other Google services. Go to your 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 update your recovery email address

  1. Go to the recovery email section of your Google Account. You might need to sign in.
  2. From here, you can:
    • Select Add a recovery email.
    • Change or delete your recovery email: Next to your email, select Edit Edit.
  3. Follow the steps on the screen.

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

Step 2: Set up more ways to sign in

You can add more ways to sign in and prove you own your account.

Step 3: Make your account more secure

Help make sure only you can get in to your account with these tips.

Fix problems

Can't sign in

Go to the account recovery page, and answer the questions as best you can. These tips can help.

Use the account recovery page if:

  • You forgot your password.
  • Someone changed your password.
  • Someone deleted your account.
  • You can’t sign in for another reason.

Tip: To make sure you’re trying to sign in to the right account, try recovering your username.

Can't change recovery info

If there’s something different about how you’re signing in, you might not have the option to change your recovery info. You can try again:

  • From a device you normally use to sign in.
  • From a location where you normally sign in.
  • The following week from the device that you’re currently using.
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