Change your password from the Google Account settings page

Open a web browser and go to myaccount.google.com. Sign in with your current password if you are not already logged in. On the left side of the page, click Security. Scroll down until you see the section labeled How you sign in to Google, then click Password.

Google will ask you to sign in again for security reasons. Enter your current password and click Next. You will then see two blank fields: one for your new password and one to confirm it. Type your new password in both fields. Google will show you a strength meter as you type — aim for a password that is at least 12 characters long and includes uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

Click Change Password at the bottom of the page. Google will confirm the change and sign you out of all your devices. You will need to sign back in with your new password on each device you use — phone, tablet, computer, or any other place where you access Gmail or other Google services.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to myaccount.google.com, click Security, then click Password under "How you sign in to Google".
  • Google will ask you to confirm your identity by entering your current password before letting you create a new one.
  • Your new password should be at least 12 characters long and include uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
  • After you change your password, you will be signed out everywhere and must sign back in with the new password on all your devices.
  • If you cannot remember your current password, use the "Forgot password?" option on the Google sign-in page instead of this method.

What happens when you change your password

Changing your Google password when ready signs you out of Gmail and all other Google services on every device where you were logged in. This includes your phone, computer, tablet, and any other place you use Google. You will see a notification on each device telling you that your password has changed.

Apps that connect to your Google account — like your phone's email app, calendar app, or third-party services that use your Google login — will stop working until you sign back in. If you use an app that does not accept your regular Google password, you may need to create an app password instead. Google generates these 16-character passwords for apps that do not support the standard sign-in process.

Create a strong password you can actually remember

A strong password is your best defense against someone breaking into your account. Google's strength meter will tell you if your password is weak, fair, or strong. Aim for strong. A strong password has at least 12 characters and mixes uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

One way to create a password you can remember is to start with a sentence you know well, then take the first letter of each word and add numbers and symbols. For example, "My dog ate three socks on Tuesday" becomes Mdat3soT!. Another approach is to use a passphrase — four or five random words strung together, like CorrectHorseBatteryStaple42. Passphrases are often easier to remember than random character strings.

Do not use your name, birthday, address, or any information someone could find on social media. Do not reuse a password you have used for other accounts. If you struggle to remember passwords, consider using a password manager like Bitwarden, 1Password, or the password manager built into your browser.

Sign back in on your devices after changing your password

After you change your password, each device will ask you to sign in again. On your computer or phone's web browser, go to gmail.com or google.com and click Sign in. Enter your email address, click Next, then enter your new password and click Next again.

On your phone's email app, open the app settings and look for the account you use for Gmail. Delete the account from the app, then add it back. The app will prompt you to sign in. Enter your email address and new password. If the app asks for an app password instead of your regular password, go back to myaccount.google.com, click Security, then look for App passwords near the Password section. You will need to select your device type and app type, and Google will generate a 16-character password to use in that app only.

If you cannot remember your current password

If you have forgotten your current password and cannot sign in to myaccount.google.com, use the account recovery process instead. Go to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery and enter your email address. Google will ask you to verify your identity — usually by sending a code to a recovery email address or phone number you set up earlier.

Once you verify your identity, Google will let you create a new password without needing to know the old one. This process can take a few minutes or longer depending on how you verify. If you do not have access to your recovery email or phone number, Google has additional verification steps, but they may take 24 to 48 hours.

Two-factor authentication adds a second layer of security

After you change your password, consider turning on two-factor authentication. This means Google will ask for a second form of proof when you sign in — usually a code from your phone. Even if someone learns your password, they cannot get into your account without that second code.

To turn on two-factor authentication, go to myaccount.google.com, click Security, then click 2-Step Verification. Google will walk you through the setup. You can choose to receive codes by text message, through the Google Authenticator app, or through a security key. The Authenticator app is more find than text messages because text messages can be intercepted.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for my new password to work everywhere?

Your new password works when ready on the device where you changed it. On other devices, you may need to wait a few minutes for the sign-out to take effect before you can sign back in with your new password. If a device still will not accept your new password after 10 minutes, try restarting the app or browser.

Will changing my password delete my emails or files?

No. Changing your password does not delete anything. All your emails, files, photos, and other data stay exactly where they are. You will still see everything once you sign back in with your new password.

What if I change my password but still cannot sign in?

Make sure you are typing your new password correctly — passwords are case-sensitive, so capital letters matter. If you are still stuck, go to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery and use the account recovery process to reset your password again. If that does not work, you may have a security issue and should check your account activity on the Security page.

Do I need to change my password if I think someone else knows it?

Yes, change it when ready. After you change your password, go to myaccount.google.com, click Security, then click Your devices to see where you are signed in. Sign out of any devices you do not recognize. Check your recovery email and phone number to make sure they are still yours, and turn on two-factor authentication.