How to change your Google password

We don’t want to sound dramatic, but if you have a Google account, your password is basically the key to your online life. It’s the gateway to your Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. You may have selected “Sign in with Google” on any number of social media or other accounts, meaning your Google credentials are linked to those, too.

All this to say, you need a strong Google password. If it’s weak or has been compromised, definitely change your Google password. Find out how often you should be changing your passwords. The answer might surprise you.

Jump to…
Steps to change your Google password
How to recover your Google account
How to recover your Google password
Why you should change your Google password
Tips for setting a new Google password

Steps to change your Google password

Changing your Google password on iPhone

1. Open the Gmail app and make sure you’re logged in
2. Tap on your account icon in the top right
3. Select Manage your Google Account
4. Select Security from the horizontal menu at the top (you may need to scroll right)
5. Scroll down until you see Password and select (this will also tell you when you last updated your password)
6. Enter your old password
7. Enter a new password
8. Re-enter your new password
9. Tap on Change password to confirm

Changing your Google password on Android

1. Open your device’s Settings app
2. Tap Google and then Manage your Google Account
3. At the top, tap Security
4. Under Signing in to Google, tap Password (you might need to sign in)
5. Enter your new password
6. Tap Change Password to confirm

Changing your Google password on Chrome or another browser

1. Go to mail.google.com and make sure you’re signed in
2. Click on the icon for your account
3. Select Manage your Google Account
4. Select Security from the menu on the left
5. Scroll down until you see Password and select (this will also tell you when you last updated your password)
6. Enter your old password
7. Enter a new password
8. Re-enter your new password
9. Click Change password to confirm

How to recover your Google account

If you forget your Google account details, you can recover the account through your phone number or a recovery email. You’ll have to have added your phone number or an additional email to the account. Follow these steps:

1. Go to the Google sign-in page and click on Forgot email?
2. Enter your phone number or recovery email, then click Next
3. Enter the name associated with your Google Account, then click Next
4. Get a verification code sent to your phone number or recovery email by clicking Send
5. Enter the code and click Next
6. Select the Google account you want to sign in to
7. Enter your password

How to recover your Google password

If you forget your Google password, you can recover it by following these steps:

1. Go to the Google sign-in page and select your Google account
2. Below the password field, select Forgot password?
3. Choose how you’d like to sign in (via the app, with a verification code sent via email or text, or another way)
4. You’ll then have the option to continue to your account or update your password
5. Select Update password
6. Enter a new password
7. Re-enter your new password
8. Click Change password to confirm

Why you should change your Google password

You could change your Google password whenever you’d like, but there are several reasons you might need to change it immediately:

• You’ve received a notification that your password has been compromised in a data breach
• You’ve shared your password with someone
• You’ve forgotten your password

If your password has been compromised, a hacker could use it to access your Google account and steal personal information, including financial data. They could also use your account to send spam or phishing emails to your contacts.

Read more: Why you shouldn’t give out your email address

Tips for setting a new Google password

Google’s password requirements are not extensive—they only require that you use at least eight characters. They do, however, give you feedback on how strong your new password is. Here are some of our top tips for setting a new Google password:

• Make your password long and complex—use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
• Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts. If one account is compromised in a data breach, hackers could try the password on your other accounts.
• Avoid using personal information in your password, such as your name, birthday, or address. These make your password easier to guess.
• Use a password manager to help you store your passwords. You’ll be able to create strong, unique ones because you don’t have to remember them, except one primary password for the service.

You can use our free random password generator to create a new password. If you’re an ExpressVPN user, you can store your passwords in the ExpressVPN Keys password manager found in our app. (Keys is still in a testing phase and is not available to all subscribers yet.)