How do I recover my Google account, password, or username?

Question

Google Account Recovery Questions

This is the canonical target for Google Account questions about recovering usernames and passwords, as well as problems logging in for other reasons. For example:

• I am unable to login to my Google account.
• My Google account has been hacked, how do I recover it?
• I've forgotten my Google account username and password.

Google Account vs. Services

A Google Account is common across Google Products/Services such as Gmail, YouTube, and Drive.

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Related Meta Post, Do we need a canonical "I have forgotten my Google username and/or Password" answer?)

Answer 1

I have forgotten my password, but my browser remembers it

If your browser remembers your password (that is, the password field is automatically populated when you log in to your Google account, and you're able to log in), you should be able to retrieve your password through your browser's password manager.

See the instructions for your browser:

• Google Chrome
• Mozilla Firefox
• Microsoft Internet Explorer
• Opera

I have forgotten the password for my private Google (Gmail) account

1. Visit Google's Account Recovery page;
2. Select the I don't know my password option;
3. Follow the instructions shown.

I have forgotten the username / email address for my private Google (Gmail) account

1. Visit Google's Account Recovery page;
2. Select the I don't know my username option;
3. Follow the instructions shown.

In order to recover your Google username using this form, you must already have specified a recovery email address or recovery phone number.

If you haven't specified any recovery information, you may still be able to find your username if you have fairly recently accessed your email account through a browser. Gmail displays your email address in the browser's title bar, so searching your browser's history for Inbox or Gmail might reveal your email address.

I have forgotten the username / email address / password for my work Google account (Google Workspace)

If you have an account on the Google Workspace service, you may still use the method described above. If this proves unfruitful, contact the administrator for your domain, who will be able to reset your password and/or find your username.

I have forgotten the admin username / email address for a Google Workspace account that I manage

First, try the methods described above. If this is unsuccessful, you may still reset the admin password by domain verification.

I have forgotten my username / email address / password, but I have a desktop / smartphone email client that still can fetch mail from my account

If you have already set up an email client to fetch mail from your account, you might be able to extract the username / password from that client.

Instructions on how to do that will vary depending on which client you use. Here are links to instructions for some of the most common clients:

• Mac OS X Mail
• Outlook Express
• Eudora, FoxMail, The Bat!

I have no access to my recovery email, phone, or any other option

You may still be able to restore access to your account by manually verifying your identity.

1. Go to the Google Account Recovery page
2. Enter your email address and click Continue.
3. If you are asked to enter the last password you remember, click I don't know.
4. Click Verify your identity which is located under all of the other options. (It is a small link.)

You will then be asked a series of questions which you must answer to the best of your ability. If you can provide enough accurate information, you will get your account back.

How do I prevent losing access to my account in the future?

See How do I protect my Google/Gmail account?

Answer 2

UPDATE: Google launched a specific help forum for Google Accounts: https://support.google.com/accounts/community. Before posting a question there, please read the pinned threads.

DISCLAIMER I'm a Product Expert but usually I only participate on threads posted in Spanish.

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If the instructions of the another answer don't work for you take a look at the following pinned post from the official Gmail Help Forum:

• Gmail Account Recovery - Google couldn't verify it's you, so you can't sign in to this account right by bkc56¹ posted on Aug 30, 2016.