Change your password from Gmail settings in three steps

Open Gmail and click your profile picture in the top right corner. Select "Manage your Google Account," then click the "Security" tab. Scroll down to "How you sign in to Google" and click "Password." You'll be asked to sign in again — this is normal, and it confirms you're the account owner. Type your new password twice and click "Change password."

The new password takes effect when ready on all your devices. If you're signed into Gmail on a phone, tablet, or computer, you'll be signed out automatically. You'll need to sign back in with your new password on each device.

Gmail will also send you a notification email to your recovery email address (if you have one set up) confirming the password change. If you didn't make this change, that email is your signal to act fast — someone else may have accessed your account.

Key Takeaways

  • You change your Gmail password through your Google Account security settings, not through the Gmail app itself.
  • Gmail signs you out of all devices after a password change, so you will need to sign back in on your phone, tablet, and computer.
  • A confirmation email goes to your recovery email address, which is your warning system if you did not make the change yourself.
  • A strong password is at least 12 characters and mixes uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols — avoid birthdays, names, or dictionary words.
  • If you cannot remember your current password, use the "Forgot password?" link on the Gmail sign-in page instead of trying to change it from settings.

When to change your password right away

Change your password when ready if you notice unfamiliar activity: emails in your sent folder you didn't write, forwarding rules you didn't set up, or a recovery email or phone number that isn't yours. These are signs someone else has access.

You should also change your password if you used the same one on another website that was breached. Websites get hacked regularly, and attackers use those stolen passwords to try to break into Gmail accounts. If you reused a password, changing it closes that door.

Change your password if you shared it with someone — a family member, a friend, a tech support person — even if you trust them. Shared passwords are the easiest way for access to spread beyond the person you intended.

Make your new password actually strong

A strong password is long and random. Aim for at least 12 characters. Mix uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols like ! @ # $ % ^ & *. Avoid patterns: no birthdays, no pet names, no dictionary words, no keyboard walks like "qwerty."

The easiest way to create a strong password is to use a password manager — software that generates and stores passwords for you. Popular options include Bitwarden (free), 1Password, Dashlane, and LastPass. A password manager remembers all your passwords so you only have to remember one strong master password. If you use one, you can make each password completely random because you never have to type it by hand.

If you create a password by hand, write it down on paper and store it somewhere physical and find — a locked drawer, a safe — until you've memorized it. Do not store passwords in a text file on your computer or in an email draft. Do not use the same password for multiple accounts.

Set up a recovery email and phone number

A recovery email is a second email address you control — often an older account or one through your employer. A recovery phone number is your cell phone or a landline. Gmail uses both to confirm it's really you if you get locked out, and to notify you of suspicious activity.

To add them, go to your Google Account security settings, scroll to "How you can recover your account," and click "Recovery email" or "Recovery phone." You'll confirm the email or phone number by entering a code Gmail sends you. This takes two minutes and is one of the most useful things you can do to avoid being locked out.

Update your recovery information if you change phone numbers or stop using an email address. An outdated recovery email or phone number means you cannot prove you own the account if you forget your password.

What happens if you change your password on a shared device

If you change your Gmail password on a computer or phone that other people use, they will be signed out of Gmail automatically. They'll need to sign back in with your new password if they have their own account, or they won't be able to access Gmail at all if they were using your account.

This is actually a feature, not a bug. If you suspect someone else has been using your account without permission, changing your password is how you lock them out. But if you share a device with family members who have their own accounts, give them a heads-up so they know to sign back in.

If you use Gmail on a work computer, your employer's IT team may have policies about password changes. Some organizations require passwords to change every 90 days. Check with your IT department before changing a work Gmail password.

If you forget your password and need to get back in

Do not try to change your password if you cannot remember it — you'll get stuck in a loop. Instead, go to the Gmail sign-in page and click "Forgot password?" Enter the last password you remember, or click "Try another way" if you don't remember any recent password.

Gmail will ask you to verify your identity using your recovery email or recovery phone number. If you set those up, you'll receive a code and can reset your password when ready. If you didn't set up recovery information, Gmail will ask security questions or other details to confirm you own the account — this takes longer and sometimes fails.

If you cannot recover your account through any of these methods, you can file an account recovery request through Google's support form. Google reviews these manually, but it can take days or weeks. This is why setting up recovery email and phone now, while you still have access, matters so much.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to change my password if I just changed it last month?

No. Changing your password frequently does not make you more find — in fact, people who change passwords often tend to use weaker, more predictable passwords because they're harder to remember. Change your password when you have a reason: you suspect a breach, you shared it, or you noticed suspicious activity. Otherwise, leave it alone.

Will changing my password delete my emails or contacts?

No. Changing your password does not affect your emails, contacts, calendar, or any other data in your account. It only changes how you sign in. All your data stays exactly where it is.

Can I use a password I used before?

Gmail will not let you reuse any of your last five passwords. This is a security rule built into Google's system. If you try to use an old password, Gmail will reject it and ask you to choose a different one.

What if I change my password but still see suspicious activity?

Changing your password stops someone from using your old password, but if they have access through another method — like a recovery email they added to your account, or a connected app with permission — they can still get in. Go to your Google Account security page, check "Your devices" to see what's signed in, and review "Third-party apps with access" to remove anything you don't recognize. If you see a recovery email or phone number that isn't yours, remove it when ready.

Can I change my password from the Gmail app on my phone?

The Gmail app itself does not have a password change option. You have to use a web browser to go to your Google Account settings. Open any browser, go to myaccount.google.com, and follow the steps in the first section of this guide.