How to Change Your Phone Number in Gmail

The phone number tied to your Gmail and Google account is used for various purposes, including providing a way to recover your account if you're ever locked out and don't have an alternative recovery method. Your phone number may change from time to time, which means you'll need to update it within your Google account. Fortunately, you have a couple of ways to change your phone number in Gmail, too.

Changing your Gmail phone number is relatively easy, though there are several steps to follow.

1. Open the Gmail web interface in your browser, logging in if needed.
2. Select your account photo, located in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. If you don't have a photo associated with your Google account, this will usually be the first letter of your name.
3. When the pop-out menu appears, select Google Account.
4. The Google Account screen should now be displayed. Select Personal info & privacy.
5. The Personal info & privacy interface will now appear. 
6. Scroll down to the Your personal info section and select Phone.
7. Select Edit, represented by a pencil icon and located to the right of your Google account phone number.
8. You may now be prompted to re-authenticate your Google account. If so, enter your password and select Next.
9. You'll now be returned to the Phone screen. Select Edit again.
10. Select Update Number.
11. Enter the desired number, then select the Select button to complete the process.

The process to change your phone number using the Gmail mobile app is nearly identical to doing it on a computer, though certain menus and icons are different.

1. Open the Gmail app and log into your account, if required.
2. Tap the menu button, represented by three horizontal lines and located in the upper left-hand corner.
3. When the drop-down menu appears, select Settings.
4. Tap your Gmail address, located towards the top of the screen.
5. Select Manage your Google Account.
6. The Google Account screen will now appear. Tap Personal info & privacy.
7. The Personal info & privacy interface should now be displayed. Select Phone.
8. Tap Edit, represented by a pencil icon and located to the right of your Google account phone number.
9. You may now be prompted to re-authenticate your Google account. If so, enter your password and tap Sign in.
10. You'll now be returned to the Phone screen. Tap Edit (pencil) again.
11. Select Update Number, located in the lower right-hand corner of the screen.
12. Change the number to the desired value and tap Select to complete the process.