How to Secure Your Google Account

It can be quite annoying and upsetting to lose access to your Google / Gmail account. During my research for this piece, I came across multiple tales of people who had been locked out of their accounts after forgetting their passwords – and a couple who had still been unable to log in weeks later.

If you’ve been locked out of your Google account — either because you forgot your password or because someone broke into your account and changed it — Google provides a list of options to attempt. They do work on occasion.

Beyond Google’s suggestions, your alternatives may be restricted, so it’s wise to plan ahead of time. Here are some tips to put you in the best possible position to reclaim your belongings.

Regularly Back up Your Account

If you have a recent backup of your data, it will be less of a blow — and less likely to raise your blood pressure — if you lose access to your account (knock on wood). Takeout is a Google service that allows you to download your data. You can download data from all of your Google apps, simply some of them, or just one of them, such as Gmail.

The download formats differ based on the type of data. Your email will be downloaded in MBOX format, which may then be transferred to another Gmail account or most other email services or apps.

Use a Password Management Solution

Because an ounce of prevention is worth — well, you know the rest — using a password manager to keep your password safe is the greatest method to avoid losing access to a Google account due to a forgotten password. (And no, storing your Google password in Google Password Manager won’t help.) Password managers like Bitwarden, 1Password, and Zoho Vault can safeguard you from losing access to your email in the event of a sudden brain freeze.

Keep a Record of Your Old Password

If you forget your password, Google will prompt you to key in your prior password to verify your identity. It may be difficult (or impossible) to remember your previous password if it has been a long time since you changed it (assuming you have ever changed it). Keep a record of your old password somewhere secure when you change your Google password — and it’s a good idea to change it on a regular basis.

Using your password manager — you do have one, right? — to keep track of old passwords is an excellent idea. When you establish a new password, most password managers will offer to update the existing record for an app; if possible, create a new entry and then change the old one to say something like “Gmail – old password.”

Steps to Recover Your Account When You Forget Password

• Go to your Google account page and select “Security” from the left-hand menu.
• Scroll down to the section titled “Ways we can confirm it’s you.”
• You’ll be able to check if you’ve registered a recovery phone number or an email address. (Note: if you entered a security question answer in the past, you’ll see it in the listing as well; but, if you click on it, you’ll get a notification from Google saying security questions are no longer supported.)
• It’s a good idea to fill in at least one of these if you don’t have any already. Enter your information if you wish to be extra cautious. Here’s how to do it.