How to Change Your Gmail Password (and What Happens Next)

Your Gmail password is more than a key to your inbox. It's the way into your calendar, your Drive, your YouTube channel and probably half the tools you've signed up to with Google. If you run a business from that account, a stolen password hurts a lot more than a lost email.

Changing it takes a couple of minutes. The twist is that Gmail doesn't have its own password: it uses your Google Account password, so the change happens in your account settings. Here's the route, following Google's help page.

Changing your Google Account password for Gmail when you know it

1. Open your Google Account in a browser. You might need to sign in.
2. At the top left, click Security & sign-in.
3. In the section called How you sign in to Google, click Password. You might need to sign in again.
4. Type your new password, then select Change Password.

Because the same password covers Gmail, YouTube and the rest, you only do this once. Google's help describes the Android and iPhone options as part of the same page, with the account settings screen as the starting point, so if you're on a phone, open your Google Account settings and look for the same Security section. Menus vary between app versions.

What happens to your devices after a Gmail password change

This catches people out. Google says that when you change or reset your password, you're signed out everywhere except a few cases:

• Devices you use to verify that it's you when you sign in.
• Some devices with third-party apps that you've given account access.
• Helpful home devices that you've given account access.

So expect to sign in again on your phone, your laptop and any other browser. Do it somewhere you have a minute to spare, not five minutes before a client call.

Resetting a Gmail password you've forgotten

If you can't remember it, you can't use the steps above. Google points you to its account recovery steps instead. You'll be asked some questions to confirm it's your account, and an email will be sent to you.

When the email doesn't turn up, Google suggests these checks:

1. Look in your junk, spam or bulk folders.
2. Add [email protected] to your address book.
3. Ask for another email through the recovery steps.
4. Check every email address you might have used to sign up or sign in.

When you get through, Google says to choose a password you haven't already used with this account. Reusing an old one defeats the point.

Choosing a Gmail password worth having

Google's page doesn't set out its own rules, and instead links to a separate guide on creating a strong password, so I'd read that before you type. My own advice is simple: make it different from every other password you use, never share it in a message or a call, and keep it in a password manager rather than a note on your desk.

Changing a Gmail password because something looks wrong

If you think someone else has been in your account, change the password straight away. Google's forwarding help gives one example: if you see a notice that you're forwarding your email but you never set that up, change your password immediately and turn off forwarding in Settings. Someone else might have access to your account.

A tidier inbox makes odd activity easier to spot. I wrote about how I got there in the email system that rescued my inbox, and it's worth a read if yours is a mess.

Your Gmail account and the client files inside it

Think about what a thief would see: contracts, bills, passwords sent in old messages. One sensible habit is to stop using email as a filing cabinet. In my piece on collecting client documents without email chains I explain a calmer way to receive files, so less sensitive material sits in your inbox in the first place.

After you change your Gmail password

Give it ten minutes of housekeeping. Sign back in on each device you use, then check that your phone's mail app is working with the new password. If you've given other apps access to your Google Account, Google's help page links to a guide on removing an app's access, which is worth a look if you don't recognise something on the list.

Tell anyone who shares the account, such as a business partner or an assistant, in a safe way. Don't put the new password in an email or a chat message. If several people need access to your inbox, ask yourself whether delegation would be safer than sharing a login, and check Google's help for how that works.

Gmail password change: quick reference

Question	What Google's help page says
Where do I change it?	Google Account, Security & sign-in, then Password
Does it change YouTube too?	Yes, the password is used across Google products like Gmail and YouTube
What if I forgot it?	Use the account recovery steps instead
Will I be signed out?	Yes, everywhere except a few devices and apps
Can I reuse an old one?	Google says to choose one you haven't used with this account

If you can't change your Gmail password

1. Check you're signed in to the right Google Account.
2. Sign in again when Google asks, because it may want to confirm it's you.
3. Use the recovery steps if you've forgotten the current password.
4. Check spam and junk for the recovery email.
5. If you still can't get in, use the get more help link on Google's page, since Google can see things that you can't.

Frequently asked questions

How do I change my Gmail password?

Open your Google Account, click Security & sign-in, click Password under How you sign in to Google, enter the new password and select Change Password.

Is my Gmail password the same as my Google password?

Yes. Google says your Google Account password is used to access many Google products, like Gmail and YouTube.

What if I forgot my Gmail password?

Follow Google's account recovery steps. You'll answer questions to confirm it's your account and an email will be sent to you. Check spam and junk if it doesn't arrive.

Will changing my password sign me out of my devices?

Yes, Google says you'll be signed out everywhere except devices used to verify it's you and certain devices or apps you've given account access.

Can I use my old password again?

Google's help says to choose a password you haven't already used with this account.