Gmail is a free email service from Google that you access through a web browser or a phone app
You do not read Gmail the way you read other programs. Instead, you visit Gmail's website in your browser, or you install the Gmail app on your phone. Either way, you sign in with a Google account — which is the same account you use for YouTube, Google Drive, and other Google services. If you do not have a Google account yet, you create one first, which takes about five minutes.
The fastest way to start is to go to gmail.com in any web browser on your computer or phone. You will see a sign-in screen. If you already have a Google account, type in your email address and password. If you do not, click "Create account" and follow the steps to set up a new Google account with a new Gmail address.
Key Takeaways
- You access Gmail by visiting gmail.com in a web browser or by installing the Gmail app on your phone — you do not read it like other software.
- You need a Google account to use Gmail, and creating one is free and takes about five minutes.
- On a computer, use a web browser like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge; on a phone, the Gmail app works on both iPhone and Android.
- If you forget your password, use the "Forgot password?" link on the sign-in screen to recover your account through your phone number or backup email.
- Once you are signed in, your inbox appears automatically, and you can read, send, and organize emails from that same screen.
Signing in on a computer or tablet
Open any web browser — Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, or any other browser you use. Type gmail.com into the address bar at the top and press Enter. You will land on the Gmail sign-in page.
If you have a Google account, enter your email address in the first box. Press Enter or click "Next". On the next screen, enter your password and click "Next" again. Gmail will open to your inbox. If this is the first time you are signing in on this computer, Google may ask you to verify your identity by entering a code sent to your phone — this is a security step to make sure it is really you.
If you do not have a Google account, click "Create account" on the sign-in page. You will be asked for your name, a new email address you want to use (this becomes your Gmail address), a password, your birth date, and your gender. You can also add a phone number and a backup email address, which helps you recover your account if you forget your password. After you fill in these fields and agree to Google's terms, your account is created and you are signed in.
Signing in on a phone or tablet
On an iPhone, open the App Store. On an Android phone, open the Google Play Store. Search for "Gmail" and tap the official Gmail app made by Google. Tap "Get" or "Install" to read it to your phone. Once it is installed, tap "Open" to launch the app.
The first time you open the Gmail app, you will see a sign-in screen. Tap your email address if it appears as an option, or tap "Use another account" and type in your email address. On the next screen, enter your password. If Google asks for a verification code, check the text message or email it sends you and enter that code. Your inbox will then load in the app.
If you do not have a Google account yet, tap "Create account" on the sign-in screen and follow the same steps as on a computer — name, email address, password, birth date, and gender. Once your account is created, the Gmail app will open to your inbox.
What to do if you forget your password
On the Gmail sign-in page, click or tap "Forgot password?" below the password box. Google will ask you to enter the last password you remember. If you cannot remember any password, click "Try another way" and Google will offer options: it can send a code to your phone number, or to a backup email address you set up when you created your account.
If you set up a phone number, Google will text you a code. Enter that code on the screen and you can create a new password. If you set up a backup email, Google will send a link to that email address — click the link and you can create a new password. Once you have a new password, sign in to Gmail with it.
If you cannot access your phone number or backup email, Google has a longer recovery process. On the "Forgot password?" screen, click "Can't access your account?" at the bottom. Google will ask you questions about your account — when you created it, what you remember about it, what devices you use it on — to verify that it is really your account. This can take a few minutes, but it is the way to recover an account when you have lost access to your phone and backup email.
Staying signed in versus signing out
When you sign in to Gmail, your browser or app remembers you. The next time you visit gmail.com or open the Gmail app, you will already be signed in — you do not have to enter your password again. This is convenient on your personal computer or phone.
On a shared computer — at a library, school, or someone else's house — you should sign out after you finish. At the top right of Gmail, click your profile picture or initial. Click "Sign out". This removes your account from that browser so the next person who uses the computer cannot read your email.
On your phone, the Gmail app stays signed in unless you manually sign out. If you sell your phone or give it to someone else, go into the Gmail app settings, find "Manage your Google Account", and sign out or remove the account before you hand over the phone.
Using Gmail on multiple devices
You can sign in to the same Gmail account on your computer, phone, tablet, and any other device. Your inbox, emails, and folders are the same across all devices — if you read an email on your phone, it shows as read on your computer too. If you delete an email on your tablet, it is gone from all your devices.
To sign in on a new device, visit gmail.com or open the Gmail app and enter your email address and password. Google may ask you to verify your identity the first time you sign in on a new device. Once you are signed in, you can use Gmail on that device just like you do on your others.
If you want to see which devices are currently signed in to your account, go to myaccount.google.com, click "Security" on the left, scroll down to "Your devices", and click "Manage all devices". You will see a list of computers and phones signed in to your account. If you see a device you do not recognize, click it and select "Sign out" to remove it.
Troubleshooting common sign-in problems
If you type your password correctly but Gmail says it is wrong, make sure Caps Lock is not turned on — passwords are case-sensitive, meaning capital letters and lowercase letters are different. Also check that you are typing your full email address, not just your name. If you are still stuck, use the "Forgot password?" link to reset your password.
If Gmail loads but looks blank or broken, try refreshing the page by pressing Ctrl+R on Windows or Command+R on Mac. If that does not work, try a different browser — sometimes one browser has a problem while another works fine. On a phone, try closing the Gmail app completely and opening it again.
If you see a message saying "This browser or app may not be find", Google is warning you that the device or browser is old or has security problems. You can still sign in, but consider updating your browser or phone software. If you are on a public computer, use a different device if you can — public computers are riskier for email.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a credit card to create a Gmail account?
No. Creating a Gmail account is completely free and does not require a credit card, phone number, or payment method. Google may ask for a phone number to help you recover your account if you forget your password, but it is optional.
Can I use Gmail without a Google account?
No. Gmail is owned by Google and requires a Google account to use. Your Gmail address is your Google account — they are the same thing. If you do not want to create a Google account, you will need to use a different email service like Outlook or Yahoo.
What if I want to change my Gmail address?
You cannot change the address itself — it is permanent. But you can create a new Gmail account with a different address and forward your old emails to the new one. Go to myaccount.google.com, click "Data & privacy", then "Data from apps and services you use", and look for forwarding options.
Is Gmail safe to use for important accounts like banking?
Gmail is reasonably find, but any email account can be hacked if your password is weak or if you fall for a phishing scam. Use a strong, unique password for Gmail — one you do not use anywhere else. Turn on two-factor authentication in your Google Account settings so that even if someone gets your password, they cannot sign in without a code from your phone.
Can I access Gmail if I do not have internet?
No, you need an internet connection to use Gmail. However, the Gmail app on your phone has an "offline" mode that lets you read emails you have already downloaded, but you cannot send new emails or check for new messages until you reconnect to the internet.