The fastest way to change your password
Open your Chromebook and click the clock in the bottom right corner of the screen. A menu will appear. Click the gear icon to open Settings. In the left sidebar, click "Security and privacy," then click "Manage your Google Account." Click the "Security" tab at the top. Scroll down to "How you sign in to Google" and click "Password." You'll be asked to sign in again — type your current password. Then type your new password twice and click "Change password."
The whole process takes about two minutes. Your new password takes effect when ready on all your devices — phone, tablet, laptop, anything signed into that Google Account.
Key Takeaways
- You change your Chromebook password through your Google Account settings, not through the Chromebook itself.
- You must know your current password to set a new one — Google will ask you to type it first.
- A new password syncs to every device you own that uses the same Google Account within a few minutes.
- If you forget your current password, you'll need to use your recovery email or phone number to reset it before you can create a new one.
Why you're changing your password matters
If you're changing your password because you think someone else knows it, change it right away — the steps above take two minutes. If you're changing it because you want a stronger password or you haven't changed it in years, that's also sensible. But if you're changing it because a website told you to after a data breach, read the next section first.
A strong password is one you don't use anywhere else. If you use the same password on your Chromebook, your email, your bank, and three other sites, then a breach at any one of those sites puts all of them at risk. A password manager like Bitwarden or 1Password stores different passwords for each site so you only have to remember one master password.
What to do if you forgot your current password
If you can't remember your current password, you can't use the steps above — Google requires you to type your old password first. Instead, go to accounts.google.com in any web browser (on any device). Click "Can't sign in?" and follow the prompts. Google will ask you to verify your identity using either a recovery email address or a phone number you added to your account earlier.
If you don't have access to your recovery email or phone number, the process takes longer. Google may ask you security questions you set up when you created the account, or they may ask you to wait a few days before trying again. This is intentional — it's meant to stop someone else from taking over your account if they somehow got your password.
Signing back in after you change your password
You don't need to sign out and sign back in. Your Chromebook will keep working normally after you change your password. The next time you lock your screen and unlock it, or the next time you restart your Chromebook, you'll use your new password.
If you're signed into other devices with the same Google Account — a phone, a tablet, another computer — they will also ask for your new password the next time you lock and unlock them. This usually happens within a few minutes, but can take up to an hour.
The difference between your Chromebook password and your PIN
Your Chromebook may ask you to set a PIN (a four- to six-digit number) when you first set it up. This PIN is separate from your Google Account password. The PIN unlocks your Chromebook when you wake it from sleep. The Google Account password is what you use to sign in when you first turn it on, or to access Google services like Gmail and Drive.
If you want to change your PIN instead, click the clock, click the gear, go to "Security and privacy," and click "Manage your PIN." You can change it, remove it, or add one if you don't have one yet. Changing your PIN does not change your Google Account password, and changing your Google Account password does not change your PIN.
What happens to your files and apps when you change your password
Your files, apps, and settings stay exactly where they are. Changing your password doesn't delete anything or reset your Chromebook. Your Google Drive files, your Chrome extensions, your bookmarks — all of it remains the same.
Some apps and websites you've signed into may ask you to sign in again with your new password. This is normal. They're checking that you still have access to your account. You don't need to do anything — just sign in with your new password when they ask.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to change my password regularly?
No. Changing your password regularly used to be standard information, but security experts now say it's not necessary if you use a strong password that's unique to your account. Change it if you think someone knows it, if you used it somewhere else and that site had a breach, or if you want to. Otherwise, you don't have to.
What makes a password strong?
A strong password is long (at least 12 characters), uses a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols, and is not a word you can find in a dictionary. "Tr0pic@lSunset42" is stronger than "password123." A password manager can generate strong passwords for you automatically.
Can I change my password if I'm not connected to the internet?
No. Your Chromebook needs to connect to Google's servers to change your password. If you're offline, you can't complete the change. Once you're back online, the process works normally.
Will changing my password sign me out of Gmail and other Google services?
No. You stay signed in. Your Chromebook and all your other devices will keep working with your Google Account. You only need to sign in again if you manually sign out, or if you're using a shared computer and want to remove your account from it.
What if I change my password and then forget the new one?
Go to accounts.google.com and click "Can't sign in?" You'll use your recovery email or phone number to reset it, just like you would if you forgot any other password. Keep your recovery email and phone number current so you can get back in if you need to.