Setting up a recovery email

Question

I moved to another city and changed internet providers.

My old email address is associated with my old internet provider (Frontier). The people at Frontier said they will continue to keep this email address active for one year. After that I guess emails will no longer come thru via the Frontier address.

I bought a new computer (a Chromebook) and established a new Gmail address. But in configuring the Gmail account sign in information they ask for a "recovery" phone number and also a "recovery" email address (it can't be the Gmail address I just established). I gave my cell phone number for recovery, but if I give the old Frontier email address it will no longer be functional after a few more months.

I intend to use my new Gmail address for all of my usual email needs from now on. Oh yeah, I'm retired so I don't have a work email address.

So should I establish a new email address somewhere else, like with Yahoo!?

Answer 1

Set up a 2nd email address to use as your recovery email - it can be with Yahoo! etc., or even a 2nd Gmail address.

Alternatively, don't give any recovery email and just rely on the phone being able to receive text messages.

The one thing you should not do under any circumstances is to give an email address that you might not have access to in future (eg one from your former ISP or even your current job).

Answer 2

Personally I use another email service provider as the recovery email because I'm a web developer and it's natural for me to have more than one, but in your case it might be cumbersome to create and maintain several email accounts.

You might want to consider adding the email of your significant other as your recovery email. In my case I've added my email as the recovery email for my parents and some friends because the necessary trust exists.