Set up a recovery phone number or email address

To make sure that you can get back into your Google Account if you ever can’t sign in, add recovery information.

Important: If you use an account through your work, school, or other groups, these steps may not work. Ask your administrator for help.

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

Tip: If you change your recovery phone or email, Google may still offer to send verification codes to your previous recovery phone number or email address for seven days. If someone starts to use your account without your permission, this allows you to quickly secure your settings.

Add or change a recovery phone number

An animation showing how to set up a recovery phone number for your Google Account

Add a recovery phone number

Go to your Google Account.
On the left navigation panel, click Personal info.
Under 'Contact info', click Phone Set up.
To add a recovery phone number, follow the steps on the screen.

Change a recovery phone number

Go to your Google Account.
On the left navigation panel, click Personal info.
Under 'Contact info', click Phone Phone number.
- Change your recovery phone number: Next to your number, click Edit .
- Delete your recovery phone number: Next to your number, click Delete .
Follow the steps on the screen.

Tip:If you delete your recovery phone number, it may still be used for other Google services. To manage your phone numbers, go to your account.

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

Add a recovery email address

Go to your Google Account.
On the left navigation panel, click Personal info.
Under 'Contact info', click Email.
Under 'Recovery email', click Add recovery email. You might need to sign in.
Follow the steps on the screen.

Change a recovery email address

Go to your Google Account.
On the left navigation panel, click Personal info.
Under 'Contact info', click Email.
Under 'Recovery email', click on your current recovery address. You might need to sign in.
Enter the new recovery email. Then click Verify.
Follow the steps on the screen.

Which email to use

Choose an email address that:

You use regularly
Is different from the one that 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.

Recovery phone number

Here are some ways that 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 that you’ve added to your account, it might be used for other purposes. Find out more about how phone numbers are used.

Recovery email address

Here are some ways that 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

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 that 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 that 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.