Where to find the password change option

Your Chromebook password lives in your Google Account settings, not on the device itself. When you sign into your Chromebook, you are signing into Google — so changing your password there changes it everywhere you use that account.

The fastest way is to go directly to myaccount.google.com in any web browser on your Chromebook or any other device. You do not need to be on your Chromebook to make this change. You can do this from a phone, tablet, or another computer if that is more convenient.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Chromebook password is your Google Account password, which you change at myaccount.google.com, not on the device itself.
  • You will need to sign in with your current password before Google lets you create a new one.
  • After you change your password, you will need to sign back into your Chromebook with the new password the next time you restart it.
  • If you forget your current password, you can recover your account through a recovery email or phone number linked to your Google Account.

Step-by-step: changing your password at Google

Go to myaccount.google.com and sign in with your current Google password. On the left side of the page, click Security. Scroll down until you see Password and click on it.

Google will ask you to sign in again to confirm it is really you. Enter your current password. Then you will see two blank fields: one for your new password and one to confirm it. Type your new password in both fields. Make sure both entries match exactly — if they do not, Google will not let you proceed. Click Change Password when you are done.

Google will show a confirmation message. Your password has now changed. The next time you restart your Chromebook or sign out and back in, use your new password instead of the old one.

What happens after you change your password

Your Chromebook will not when ready log you out. You can keep using it normally. However, the next time you restart the device or sign out, you will need to enter your new password to get back in.

If you have other devices signed into the same Google Account — a phone, tablet, or another computer — they will stay signed in. You do not need to re-enter your password on those devices unless you sign out or they restart. This is because each device stores a session token that remains valid even after your password changes.

If you cannot remember your current password

Go to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery. Enter the email address or phone number associated with your Google Account. Google will send a recovery code to your recovery email or phone number. Enter that code, and you can set a new password without knowing the old one.

Make sure the recovery email or phone number you set up is one you can actually access. If you cannot access either one, recovering your account becomes much harder. You can add or update a recovery method at myaccount.google.com under Security > How you sign in to Google.

Creating a strong password you will not forget

A strong password is at least 12 characters long and mixes uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. For example: BlueSky$2024Jazz or Coffee7!Morning@Home. Avoid using your name, birth date, or common words that appear in dictionaries.

If you struggle to remember passwords, consider using a password manager like Bitwarden, 1Password, or the built-in Google Password Manager. These tools store your passwords securely and fill them in automatically when you sign in. Your Chromebook can sync passwords through Google Password Manager, which you can access at passwords.google.com. This way you only need to remember one master password.

Troubleshooting: password change did not work

If you entered your new password on your Chromebook and it says the password is wrong, restart the device completely. Turn it off, wait 10 seconds, and turn it back on. Then try signing in again with your new password. Sometimes the Chromebook needs a restart to sync the change from Google's servers.

If you are still locked out after a restart, go to the sign-in screen and click Forgot password? You can then recover your account using your recovery email or phone number, just as described above. This will let you set a new password and get back into your Chromebook.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Chromebook password without restarting?

You can change your Google password at myaccount.google.com without restarting. However, your Chromebook will not ask for the new password until you sign out or restart the device. You can keep using it with the old password until then.

What if I change my password and then forget the new one?

Go to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery and use your recovery email or phone number to reset your password again. You do not need access to your Chromebook to do this — any web browser on any device works.

Does changing my password affect other Google services like Gmail or YouTube?

Yes. Your Google password works for Gmail, YouTube, Google Drive, Google Photos, and every other Google service. Changing it once changes it everywhere. You will need to sign back in on any device that requires re-authentication.

Can I set a different password just for my Chromebook?

No. Your Chromebook password is always your Google Account password. If you want a separate password for your Chromebook only, you would need to create a separate local account, but this is not recommended because you lose access to cloud storage and syncing.