Your Chromebook password is your Google Account password
When you change your password on a Chromebook, you are not changing a password stored on the device itself. You are changing the password for your Google Account, which is what you use to sign in. The Chromebook does not have its own separate password system — it relies entirely on your Google Account for access and security.
This means the password change happens through Google's website, not through the Chromebook's settings. Once you change it, the new password takes effect when ready on all devices where you use that Google Account, including your Chromebook, phone, Gmail, and any other Google services.
Key Takeaways
- You change your Chromebook password by going to myaccount.google.com and updating your Google Account password, not through the Chromebook itself.
- You will need to know your current password or have access to a recovery email or phone number to change it.
- After you change your password, you may need to sign out and sign back in on your Chromebook for the change to take full effect.
- If you forget your password entirely, Google can send a recovery code to your backup email or phone number.
Steps to change your password through Google Account settings
Go to myaccount.google.com in any web browser on any device. Sign in with your Google Account if you are not already signed in. On the left side of the page, click Security.
Scroll down until you see the section labeled How you sign in to Google. Click on Password. Google will ask you to sign in again to confirm your identity — enter your current password. Then enter your new password twice to confirm it matches, and click Change Password.
Google will show a confirmation message. Your password has now changed. You do not need to do anything else on the Chromebook itself — the new password is active when ready.
What happens on your Chromebook after you change your password
Your Chromebook will continue to work normally for a while after you change your password, because it stores a temporary access token that keeps you signed in. However, the next time you sign out or restart the Chromebook, you will need to use your new password to sign back in.
If you want to sign out now and test the new password, click the time in the bottom right corner of your screen, then click the power icon, and select Sign out. The next time you turn on the Chromebook or click the sign-in screen, you will be prompted to enter your new password.
If you cannot remember your current password
If you have forgotten your password and cannot sign in to myaccount.google.com, go to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery. Enter the email address or phone number associated with your Google Account. Google will ask you to verify your identity — you can do this by entering a recovery code sent to your backup email address or phone number, or by answering security questions you set up previously.
Once you have verified your identity, Google will let you set a new password without needing to know the old one. This process works the same way whether you are trying to recover access on a Chromebook or any other device.
Why you might want to change your password
You should change your password if you think someone else knows it, if you used the same password on another website that was hacked, or if you straightforward have not changed it in a long time. Google recommends changing your password every few months as a security practice, though there is no hard rule about how often you must do it.
If you share your Chromebook with other people, each person should have their own Google Account and sign in separately. This way, each person has their own password and their own files, bookmarks, and settings. Sharing a single account password defeats the purpose of having separate accounts.
Using a strong password on your Chromebook
When you create a new password, Google will show you a strength indicator — green means strong, yellow means fair, and red means weak. A strong password is at least 12 characters long and includes a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using words from the dictionary, your name, your birthday, or anything someone who knows you could guess.
If you have trouble remembering a strong password, consider using a password manager like Bitwarden, 1Password, or the built-in Google Password Manager. These tools generate strong passwords and remember them for you, so you only need to remember one master password.
Signing back in after changing your password
If you have signed out of your Chromebook after changing your password, the sign-in screen will appear when you turn it on or wake it from sleep. Click on your account picture or name, then enter your new password in the box that appears. Press Enter or click the arrow to sign in.
If you enter the wrong password, the Chromebook will show an error message and let you try again. If you have forgotten the new password you just set, you can use the recovery process described above on any other device, then come back to your Chromebook and sign in with the recovered password.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to change my password on the Chromebook itself?
No. The Chromebook does not have its own password settings. You change your password through myaccount.google.com, and the change applies to your Chromebook automatically because it uses your Google Account to sign in.
Will changing my password sign me out of other devices?
Not when ready. Your other devices will continue to work until you sign out or restart them. The next time you sign in, you will need to use your new password. This gives you time to update your password on all your devices without losing access everywhere at once.
What if I change my password and then forget it right away?
Use the recovery process at accounts.google.com/signin/recovery. You can verify your identity with a recovery email or phone number, and Google will let you set a new password. You do not need to know the old password to do this.
Can I change my password if I do not have a recovery email or phone number set up?
You can change your password if you know your current password — you just sign in to myaccount.google.com and follow the steps above. However, if you forget your password later, you will have a harder time recovering access without a backup email or phone number. Add one now to make recovery easier in the future.
Is my Chromebook password the same as my Gmail password?
Yes. Your Chromebook uses your Google Account to sign in, and your Google Account password is the same password you use for Gmail, Google Drive, YouTube, and all other Google services. Changing one changes them all.