The fastest way to change your Google password

Go to myaccount.google.com in your web browser, sign in if you are not already, and click Security in the left menu. Scroll down to find Password and click it. Google will ask you to sign in again to confirm it is really you, then show you a field to enter your new password. Type it twice to make sure there are no typos, then click Change Password. You are done — the change takes effect when ready across all your Google services.

If you cannot remember your current password, you will need to recover your account first before you can set a new one. That process is separate and takes longer, so the section below covers what to do if you are locked out.

Key Takeaways

  • You change your password at myaccount.google.com under the Security section, not in Gmail itself.
  • Google will ask you to sign in a second time before letting you change your password, as a security check.
  • Your new password takes effect when ready on all devices and services tied to your Google account.
  • If you forget your password, you will need to use Google's account recovery process, which may take several hours or days depending on how much information you can verify.
  • A strong password is at least 12 characters long and mixes uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

What makes a password strong enough

A strong password is harder for someone to guess or crack. Google does not force you to use a certain type of password, but security researchers recommend at least 12 characters that mix uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols — for example, BlueMoon#2024Jazz or Coffee47!Sunrise. Avoid passwords that are dictionary words, your name, your birthday, or sequences like 123456 or qwerty.

Do not reuse a password you have used for other accounts. If one website gets hacked and your password is stolen, a criminal can try that same password on your Google account, your bank, and everywhere else. A password manager like Bitwarden, 1Password, or KeePass stores different strong passwords for each site so you only have to remember one master password.

Changing your password on a phone or tablet

The steps are the same on a phone or tablet, but the layout looks different. Open your web browser, go to myaccount.google.com, and sign in. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left corner. Scroll down and tap Security. Scroll down again to find Password and tap it. Sign in again when prompted, enter your new password twice, and tap Change Password.

If you use the Gmail app on your phone, changing your password in myaccount.google.com will not sign you out of the app automatically. You may need to sign out and sign back in manually for the app to recognize the new password. Go to the Gmail app's settings, find your account, and look for a sign-out or remove account option.

What happens after you change your password

Your new password works when ready on Gmail, Google Drive, Google Photos, YouTube, and any other Google service. On devices where you were already signed in — your phone, your laptop, your tablet — you stay signed in. You do not have to sign in again on those devices unless you sign out manually.

If someone else was signed into your account on another device without your permission, they will stay signed in until they sign out or until you force them out. To see which devices are signed into your account and remove any you do not recognize, go to myaccount.google.com, click Security, scroll to Your devices, and click Manage all devices. You will see a list of phones, tablets, and computers. Click any device you do not recognize and select Sign out.

If you forgot your password and cannot sign in

Go to the Google sign-in page and click Forgot password? Google will ask you to enter the last password you remember, or if you cannot remember any password, it will ask for the recovery email address or phone number you set up when you created the account. If you have access to that email or phone, Google will send you a code to verify you own the account.

If you do not have access to your recovery email or phone number, Google will ask you security questions — usually your birthday, the date you created the account, or previous passwords you have used. Answer as many as you can. Google may also ask you to describe your account activity or upload a photo of your ID. This process can take several hours or several days, and there is no may provide Google will restore your account if you cannot verify enough information.

To avoid this situation, set up a recovery email and recovery phone number now, even if you think you will not need them. Go to myaccount.google.com, click Security, scroll to How you sign in to Google, and click Recovery email and Recovery phone to add them.

Changing your password on a shared or public computer

If you change your password on a computer that other people use — a library computer, a school computer, or a shared family device — sign out of your Google account completely when you are done. Do not just close the browser. Go to myaccount.google.com, click your profile picture in the top right corner, and click Sign out. This prevents the next person who uses that computer from accessing your email or other Google services.

If you forget to sign out, you can still remove your account from that computer remotely. Go to myaccount.google.com on a device you trust, click Security, scroll to Your devices, click Manage all devices, find the shared computer in the list, and click Sign out. The next time someone tries to use your account on that computer, they will need your new password.

Why you might want to change your password regularly

Changing your password once a year or whenever you think your account might have been compromised is a reasonable practice. You do not need to change it every month unless your workplace or school requires it. If you use the same password for multiple accounts and one of those accounts gets hacked, change your Google password when ready — and change the passwords on all your other accounts too.

If you notice unusual activity on your account — emails you did not send, files you did not create, or sign-in notifications from places you have never been — change your password right away and then check your Security settings to see if someone added a recovery email or phone number that is not yours. If they did, remove it. Then review which apps and websites have permission to access your Google account and revoke access to anything you do not recognize.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my password sign me out of Gmail on all my devices?

No. Changing your password does not automatically sign you out. You stay signed in on devices where you were already signed in. If you want to sign out everywhere, go to myaccount.google.com, click Security, scroll to Your devices, click Manage all devices, and click Sign out next to each device.

Can I change my password if I am using a Google account through my workplace or school?

It depends on your organization's settings. Some workplaces and schools let you change your own password; others require you to contact IT support. Try going to myaccount.google.com and following the steps above. If you get an error message, contact your IT department or help desk.

What if I change my password and then realize I made a typo?

You will not be able to sign in with the typo password. Go to the Google sign-in page, click Forgot password?, and use your recovery email or phone to reset your account. Then you can set a new password with the correct spelling.

Do I need to change my password if I think someone saw it over my shoulder?

Yes. Change it as soon as you can. Then go to myaccount.google.com, click Security, and review Your devices to see if anyone signed in from an unfamiliar location. If you see suspicious activity, click Manage all devices and sign out of any devices you do not recognize.

Can I use the same password for my Google account and my other accounts?

It is not recommended. If one website gets hacked and your password is stolen, someone can use that same password to access your Google account and everything connected to it. Use a different strong password for each important account.