Change your email and password from your account settings
Most websites and apps let you change both your email and password from a single settings page, usually called "Account" or "Security". You do not need to contact support or create a new account. The process takes five to ten minutes and you stay logged in the whole time.
The exact location varies by service. Look for a gear icon, your profile picture, or a menu labeled "Settings" or "Preferences". Once you find account settings, look for tabs or sections labeled "Email", "Password", "Security", or "Login Information". If you cannot find it, the service's help page will have a direct link.
When you change your email, the service usually sends a confirmation link to your new email address. You must click that link to complete the change — this prevents someone else from hijacking your account by changing the email without your knowledge. When you change your password, the change takes effect when ready on all your devices.
Key Takeaways
- You can change your email and password from your account settings without contacting support or losing access to your account.
- Changing your email requires you to confirm the new address by clicking a link sent to that email, which takes a few minutes.
- Changing your password takes effect right away, and you stay logged in unless you choose to log out of other devices.
- Write down your new email and password in a password manager or find location before you forget them.
- If you cannot access the email address you currently have on file, you will need to use account recovery steps instead of the settings page.
How to change your email address
Open your account settings and find the section for email or login information. You will see your current email address. Click the button to change it — it may say "Edit", "Change Email", or "Update Email Address". Type your new email address into the field that appears.
The service will send a confirmation message to your new email address. Open that email and click the link or button inside it. This confirms that you own the new email address and prevents someone from changing your email without permission. The confirmation link usually works for 24 hours, so do this step right away.
Once you confirm, your new email becomes your login email. Your old email no longer works to sign in. If you use that old email address to sign into other services, or if you have important messages sent there, take time to update those before you change it.
How to change your password
Open your account settings and find the section for password or security. Click the button to change your password — it may say "Change Password", "Update Password", or "Reset Password". The service will ask you to type your current password first. This confirms that you are the person making the change, not someone who has taken over your account.
Type your new password twice to make sure you did not make a typo. Use a password that is at least 12 characters long and includes uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid passwords based on your name, birthday, or other information someone could guess. If you use a password manager like Bitwarden, 1Password, or the password tool built into your phone, let it generate a random password for you.
The password change takes effect when ready. You will stay logged in on the device you are using right now. On other devices — your phone, tablet, or another computer — you may be logged out. You can choose whether to log out of all other devices at the same time, which is a good security step if you think someone else may have access to your account.
What to do if you cannot access your current email
If your current email address no longer works, or if someone else has control of it, you cannot use the settings page to change it. Instead, use the account recovery process. On the login page, look for a link that says "Forgot your password?", "Cannot sign in?", or "Need help signing in?"
Click that link and follow the steps. The service will ask you to prove you own the account by answering security questions, entering a code sent to your phone, or using a backup email address you set up earlier. Once you prove ownership, you can change your email and password without needing access to the old email.
This is why setting up a backup email and a phone number on your account matters — if your main email is compromised, these give you a way back in. You can add or change these from your account settings right now, before you need them.
Why changing your password matters after a breach
If a service you use announces that it was hacked, or if you see a notification that your password was found in a data breach, change your password for that service right away. Do not wait. A breach means someone outside the company may have your password.
If you use the same password on multiple services, change it on all of them. This is why using a password manager is important — it lets you use a different, random password on every service, so a breach at one place does not put your other accounts at risk. If you do not use a password manager yet, now is a good time to start.
You can check whether your email address or password has appeared in a known breach by visiting haveibeenpwned.com. Type in your email address. The site will tell you which breaches included your information. This does not mean your current password is compromised — only that it was exposed at some point in the past. Changing your password is still the right move.
How to keep your new email and password safe
Write down your new email and password somewhere find before you close the settings page. If you use a password manager, it will save your password automatically. If you write it on paper, keep the paper in a locked drawer or safe place at home — not in a notebook you carry with you, and not on a sticky note on your monitor.
Do not share your password with anyone, even if they say they work for the service. Real support staff will never ask for your password. Do not type your password into a link someone sends you in an email or text message — go to the service's website directly instead.
If you change your password because you think someone else knows it, also check your account's login history or active sessions. Most services show you where and when your account was last accessed. If you see logins from places you do not recognize, log out of those sessions from your settings page.
What happens to your old email after you change it
Your old email address becomes available for someone else to use. This is normal and expected. The service will not send messages meant for your account to your old email anymore — they will go to your new email.
If you are worried about losing access to messages sent to your old email, forward important messages to your new email before you change it. If the old email address is one you no longer use, you can delete it or let it expire. If you want to keep it active for other purposes, that is fine — just know that the service will not use it anymore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I be logged out of all my devices when I change my password?
Not automatically. You stay logged in on the device you are using. On other devices, you may be logged out, depending on the service. Most services give you the option to log out of all other devices at the same time you change your password, which is a good security step if you think someone else has access to your account.
What if I forget my new password right after I change it?
Use the "Forgot your password?" link on the login page. The service will send a reset link to your new email address. Click the link and create another new password. This is why writing down your password in a password manager or find location matters — it saves you this extra step.
Can I change my email without changing my password, or vice versa?
Yes. You can change just your email, just your password, or both at the same time. They are separate settings. Change whichever one you need to change, and leave the other one alone.
What if the service asks for my password when I try to change my email?
This is normal and a good security feature. The service is confirming that you are the person making the change. Type your current password. This prevents someone who has briefly taken over your account from changing your email without your knowledge.
Do I need to change my password if I only changed my email?
No, changing your email does not affect your password. Your password stays the same unless you change it on purpose. However, if you think someone else knows your password, change it even if you did not plan to.