Set up recovery options

To make sure 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

Recovery info helps you get back in to your account if:

You forget your password
Someone else uses your account
You’re locked out of your account for another reason

Tip: If you change your recovery info or other authentication factors, Google may send codes to your previous info for 7 days. If someone starts to use your account without your permission, this allows you to quickly secure your account.

Add or remove recovery contacts

Add a recovery contact

Important: Make sure to choose a recovery contact who you know well and trust, like a family member or a close friend.

Open your Google Account.
Click Security.
In the “How you sign in to Google” section, click Recovery contacts.
- You may need to sign in.
Click Add recovery contact.
Enter an email address.
- You’ll get a prompt that a request is emailed to your recovery contact.
- Your recovery contact gets your name, email address and profile photo.
Click Send request.

Tip: The request only lasts for 7 days. Afterwards, you either need to submit another request or choose another recovery contact.

Remove a recovery contact

Open your Google Account.
At the top, click Security.
In the “How you sign in to Google” section, click Recovery contacts.
- You may need to sign in.
Click Trash .
To delete a contact, click Confirm.

Add or change a recovery phone number

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.

Add recovery phone

Change a recovery phone number

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

Update recovery phone

Use a mobile phone that gets text messages, belongs only to you, and that 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.

Add recovery email

Choose an email address you use regularly but not the one you use to sign in to your Google Account.

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.

Change recovery email

How recovery info is used

Recovery info helps you get back into your account and helps keep your account secure.

Recovery contact

You can use your recovery contact to help you get into your account if you forget your password or can't sign in for another reason. They don't get your security alerts and notifications.

Tip: A recovery contact request is valid for 7 days. Once a recovery contact accepts your invite, there’s a 7-day period before you can use them for account recovery.

Recovery phone number

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

Fix problems

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.