How to Recover Your Google Account or Gmail in 3 Ways

July 09, 2024

To recover your Google account when you've forgotten your email, use Find My Email.
You can also recover a Google account if you forgot the password using the Account Recovery page.
The Account Recovery page is also useful for recovering your account when it's been hacked.

There's nothing quite as annoying as losing track of your email address or password and not being able to get into your Google account — especially if it houses most of your digital life.

Nothing, that is, except for having your account hacked.

Regardless, there are several ways to recover your Gmail or Google account.

Here's what you need to know.

How to recover a Google account if you forgot your email address

If you remember your password but not the email address, Google offers a way to retrieve it.

1. Go to Google's Find My Email page

If you can't remember your email address, go to the Find My Email page. This is where you'll start the account recovery process when you can't remember your email address.

2. Enter your recovery email or phone number

You will then see a text box where you're required to enter a recovery email or phone number. Once you enter the phone number or email, click Next.

Enter your Google recovery email or phone number and click “Next.” Stefan Ionescu/Insider

3. Enter your first and last name

Next, you'll be asked for your first and last name. Enter them in the appropriate text boxes and click Next.

4. Send verification code

Google will need to send a verification code to the recovery email or phone number, click Send.

5. Enter the verification code

If you used a recovery email, check its inbox for the verification code, and if it's a phone, check your messages. Once you retrieve the code, enter it in the text box and click Next.

6. Choose an account

Go will show you a list of accounts associated with the recovery email or phone number. If you see the account you want to recover, click on it to select.

7. Enter your password

Since you remember the password, enter it in the text box and click Next. You need to verify it's you who's actually accessing the account if you've enabled two-step verification.

How to recover a Google account if you forgot your password

Sometimes, you can remember the email address but not the password. You can still recover your account by following the steps below to reset your password.

Quick tip: For this method to work, you'll need your email address. If you can remember it, start with the "forgot email address" instructions above, and when you get to the step where you enter your password, click on Forgot password.

1. Go to Google's Account Recovery page

The first step to resetting your Google account's password is to navigate to the Account Recovery page in your favorite browser.

2. Enter your email address

Enter the email address for your Google account and click Next.

Enter your Google recovery email or phone number and click “Next.” Stefan Ionescu/Insider

Quick tip: Make sure you still have access to the Gmail account associated with the account you're trying to recover and can open the inbox.

3. Enter the last password you remember

Google will then ask you to enter the last password you remember. If you have any vague idea of what it is, enter in the text box and click Next.

Google will then send a prompt to your registered device, asking you to verify it's you. Open it and tap, Yes, it is me.

Then you'll have to wait six hours for Google to verify it's you and then send a password reset link to your email.

If you can't remember your past password, use the next method.

4. Click on "Try another way"

Click “Try another way.” Stefan Ionescu/Insider

While still on the Account Recovery page, click Try another way for Google to send a prompt to your phone to verify it's you. On your phone, open the prompt and tap Yes, it's me.

Google will verify you are who you say you are and send you a password reset link after six hours.

If you didn't register a device to receive prompts from Google, try the next method.

5. Click on "Try another way" again

Click on “Try another way” again. Stefan Ionescu/Insider

If you're enabled to check your phone for the code, click Try another way again.

Google will then ask you if it should send a verification code to your registered phone number. Click Send.

Retrieve the code from your messages, enter it in the textbox, and click Next.

Wait for six hours for Google to send the password reset link to your email.

But if you don't have a registered number, there's one more method you can try.

6. Click on "Try another way" for the last time

If you don't have a registered phone number or you didn't enable two step verification, click Try another way again.

Google will then take 72 hours to verify who you are and then send you a password reset link if everything checks out.

How to recover a Google account if your account was hacked

If you aren't able to log into your Google account — for example, if you're trying to log into your Google account and you find that someone has changed your password or recovery phone number, or deleted your account (or in some cases, even if you deleted the account) — you will also use Google's Account Recovery page.

Simply answer the questions as best you can and follow the prompts.

If all else fails, or you can't sign in for another reason (like you're having trouble with two-step verification or you can't reset your password with a code by text), you can get help signing in and recover your account directly through Google.

Devon Delfino

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