How to Change Your Gmail Password

Gmail password changes help secure your account

by
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Writer
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
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Heinz Tschabitscher
Updated on January 24, 2020

Changing your email password regularly is important to protect your information from hackers and keep your messages secure. Here's how to accomplish the task in just a few steps by accessing Gmail on a computer. The process is a bit different if you want to reset your password on an Android or iPhone.

All Google products use the same account information. When you change your Gmail password, you're actually changing your Google account password, which means you have to log in with the new password when using any Google product such as YouTube and YouTube TV, as well as Google Photos and Google Maps.

If you are planning to change your Gmail password because you forgot it, you can recover your forgotten password easily.

If you suspect that your account has been hacked, it's best to scan the computer for malware and keylogging software before you update the Gmail password. 

Open the Gmail Settings

Select Settings from the menu.

Changing a Gmail password is accomplished through the Settings page in your Gmail account:

  1. Open Gmail.

  2. Select the Settings gear icon (⚙) at the top right corner of Gmail.

  3. Choose Settings from the drop-down menu.

     A quick way to jump right into ​Settings is to open this General Settings link.

Go to the Accounts and Import Section

Follow the Change password link under Change account settings:

Now that you're in your Gmail settings, you need to access a different tab from the top menu:

  1. Choose Accounts and Import from the top of Gmail.

  2. Under the Change account settings section, select Change password.

Enter Your Current Gmail Password

Type your current Gmail password over Password under Please re-enter your password.

Before you can change your Google account password, you must verify that you know the current password:

  1. Enter your existing password in the Password text box.

  2. Press NEXT to continue.

Enter a New Gmail Password

Enter the new password twice, over New password: and Repeat new password:.

Now it's time to enter a new password for Gmail:

  1. Enter the new password in the first field.

    Make sure you choose a secure, hack-proof password. If you pick an ultra-strong password, store it in a free password manager so that you never lose it.

  2. Type the same password a second time in the second textbox to ensure that you' typed it correctly.

  3. Press CHANGE PASSWORD to complete the change.

Additional Steps to Secure Your Gmail Account

Set up Authenticator for Gmail

If you've been a victim of password theft or are worried that someone else might be using your Gmail account that you've left logged in on a public computer, consider these tips: