You cannot find your YouTube password because Google does not show it to you

YouTube does not display your password anywhere — not in settings, not in your account history, nowhere. This is intentional security design. If you have forgotten your password, you cannot retrieve it. You can only reset it to something new.

The reset process takes you through Google's account recovery system, which confirms your identity before letting you create a new password. This is the same system whether you forgot your password, someone else changed it, or your account was compromised.

Key Takeaways

  • Google does not store or display your YouTube password anywhere in your account, so you must reset it rather than recover it.
  • Go to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery to start the reset process, which asks for your email or phone number first.
  • Google will ask you to verify your identity using a recovery email, a phone number on file, or answers to security questions you set up earlier.
  • If you cannot verify your identity through any of those methods, you may lose permanent access to the account unless you can prove you own the email address it was created with.

Starting the password reset at Google's account recovery page

Go to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery in your browser. This is Google's official password recovery tool, and it works for both Gmail and YouTube because YouTube accounts are Google accounts.

Enter the email address or phone number associated with your YouTube account. If you are not sure which email you used, try the one you remember most clearly — Google will tell you if it does not match an account. Then click Next.

Google will ask you to enter the last password you remember. If you truly cannot remember any part of it, click Try another way at the bottom of the screen. This moves you to the verification step.

Verifying your identity to reset the password

Google offers several ways to prove the account is yours. The most common is a verification code sent to a recovery email address you set up when you created the account. Check the inbox of that email — the code arrives within seconds. Enter it on the Google page and click Next.

If you do not have access to the recovery email, Google can send a code to a phone number instead. You will see this option if a phone number is on file. Google texts a six-digit code to that number. Enter it and click Next.

If you cannot access either the recovery email or the phone number, Google may ask you security questions — these are questions you answered when you set up the account, like "What is the name of your first pet?" or "What city were you born in?" Answer as accurately as you can. Getting these wrong multiple times locks you out of this method temporarily.

Creating your new password after verification

Once Google confirms your identity, you will see a screen asking you to create a new password. Type a password you have not used before. Google requires at least eight characters and will warn you if the password is too common or if it matches a password you have used on this account in the past.

Write down the new password somewhere safe — a notebook, a password manager like Bitwarden or 1Password, or even a text file on your computer that only you can access. Do not email it to yourself or text it to your phone, as those create copies that could be intercepted.

Click Change password. Google will log you out of all devices and sessions. You will need to sign back in with your new password on any device where you use YouTube.

What to do if you cannot verify your identity

If you cannot access the recovery email, the phone number, or remember the security questions, Google offers one more option: you can upload a photo of a government ID to prove you own the account. This process is slower — it can take several days — but it works when other methods do not.

On the recovery page, look for a link that says Can't access your account? or Try another way. Follow the prompts to upload an ID. Google will review it and contact you if they need more information.

If you cannot complete any of these steps, you may lose access to the account permanently. This is why setting up a recovery email and phone number when you first create a Google account matters — without them, there is no way back in if you forget the password.

Preventing lockouts by setting up recovery options now

If you still have access to your YouTube account, add a recovery email and phone number before you need them. Go to myaccount.google.com, click Security in the left menu, then scroll to How you sign in to Google. You will see options to add a recovery email and recovery phone number.

A recovery email should be one you check regularly and that you will still have access to years from now — an email from your internet provider or a long-standing personal email works better than a work email you might lose access to. A recovery phone number should be one you own and control, not a shared family phone or a number you might change.

You can also set up security questions in the same Security section. Choose questions where you will remember the answer years later, and avoid questions where the answer might change (like "What is your favorite movie?") or become public (like "What is your mother's maiden name?").

Signing back into YouTube after resetting your password

After you create your new password, YouTube will ask you to sign in again. Go to youtube.com and click Sign in in the top right corner. Enter your email address or phone number, then click Next. Enter your new password and click Next.

If you use YouTube on multiple devices — a phone, a tablet, a computer — you will need to sign in on each one separately with the new password. YouTube will not automatically update the password across devices.

If you see a message saying "Couldn't sign you in" or "Wrong password," double-check that you are typing the password exactly as you created it. Passwords are case-sensitive, meaning capital letters matter. If you wrote it down, make sure you copied it correctly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reset my YouTube password without a recovery email or phone number?

You can try uploading a government ID through Google's account recovery page, but this is slower and not may provide. If you cannot verify your identity any other way, you may lose permanent access to the account. This is why adding recovery options to your account now, while you still have access, matters.

What if someone else changed my YouTube password and I cannot get back in?

Follow the same password reset process at accounts.google.com/signin/recovery. If the person who changed it also changed your recovery email or phone number, you will need to verify your identity using the security questions or government ID method instead.

How long does it take to reset my YouTube password?

If you can verify your identity using a recovery email or phone number, the reset is when ready — you can create a new password and sign back in within minutes. If you need to upload a government ID, Google typically reviews it within a few days but may take longer.

Will resetting my password delete my videos or subscriptions?

No. Resetting your password only changes how you sign in. Your videos, playlists, subscriptions, and watch history all stay exactly as they were. You will see everything when you sign back in with your new password.

Do I need to change my password if someone guessed it but did not access my account?

If you know someone tried to sign in but failed, change your password anyway. Then check your Security settings at myaccount.google.com to see if anyone accessed your account or changed your recovery information. If something looks wrong, you may also want to change the passwords on other accounts that use the same email address.