When it comes to protecting a service that you use daily, such as your Google account, you may not exhibit as much concern as you would with online banking. After all, most of the features people use on Google are free, so why would hackers care about them?
However, when you start thinking about all of the features you operate through your Google account, you may take a pause. Having someone steal your Google account password could leave you without access to Gmail, YouTube, Google Drive, and possibly any services you signed up with using your Gmail address.
In this guide, we explain how to change your Google password and make it more secure to prevent any hackers from gaining access.
Why you should strengthen your Google password
Millions of people use Gmail and related services everyday, with many of us coming to rely on our Google account both professionally and personally.
If you make use of multiple apps through your Google account, strengthening your password becomes extremely important. By stealing your single Google password, a hacker could leave you without the use of several services that may be very important to you.
How to change your Google account password
To begin the process of changing your Google password, you will need to visit the Google account page where you may be asked to log in again. Once that’s done, here’s how to change your Google account password:
Click on Privacy tools at the top of the page.
Click on Security in the menu on the left to open the Security page.
Scroll down to How you sign in to Google and click on Password
Verify yourself by entering your current password
In the Password window, you can enter your new password in the upper box. If you want to see the actual characters as you type them, click on the eye icon along the right side of the box to remove the slash mark. If you leave the slash mark in place, you’ll only see dots as you type the new password.
After entering your desired new password in the upper box, enter the same password in the lower box. Remember, your Google account password is case sensitive for letters and accepts symbols and numbers.
Click the Change Password button. If the two passwords do not match, you’ll see an error message in the lower box, and you’ll have to re-enter the passwords. If they do match, clicking this button will save the new password.
How to change your Google password on an Android device
To change your Google password on an Android smartphone or tablet, open the Gmail app. Tap the icon with three lines in the upper left corner. Then tap on Settings on the Android device.
If required, tap on your Google account from the list. Then tap on Manage Your Google Account, followed by Security.
Scroll down to the Signing in to Google area and tap on Password. Re-enter your current password, if prompted. Now enter the new password you want to use in the upper text box. Enter the same password in the lower text box and tap Create Password to change it.
How to change your Google password on an Apple device
To change your Google password on an iOS smartphone or tablet, open the Gmail app. You may have to enter your current password. After logging in, tap your profile picture or icon on the Apple device.
If required, tap on your Google account name in the list. Then tap on Manage Your Google Account, followed by Personal Info.
Scroll down to the Basic Info area and tap on Password. You may need to re-enter your current password. In the upper text box, enter the new password you want to use. Enter the identical password in the lower text box and tap Create Password to change it.
Creating a strong password
The most recent recommendations from the US-based National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) suggested that the length of a password is much more important than its relative intricacy (though a mixture of ASCII characters should be used). Passwords should be at least eight characters long, but no longer than 64 characters. The use of consecutive characters should be avoided. NIST suggests that passwords should be reset every 12 months.
Changing Google password FAQs
Why am I being asked to change my Google password so often?
Google may request that you change your password if it detects unusual activity on your account. If you receive this request via email, do not click on any links inside the email. They could lead to a phishing site if the request is fake. Instead, follow the directions listed above to change your Google password safely.
If you are receiving multiple requests in a day to change your Google password, it could indicate your computer has a malware infection. Run antivirus and malware removal software to look for anomalies. Remove any harmful software.
If the repeated requests are coming from Google itself, clear your cookies and cache. You may have a stored cookie that is malfunctioning or is in a loop.
From the Chrome web browser, click on the three vertical dots in the upper right corner. Click More Tools, followed by Clear Browsing Data. Click on the Time Range menu to select a period of time to clear the data. Pick a time range that’s at least as far in the past as the multiple requests to change your password began coming from Google.
Make sure to check the boxes next to Cookies and Other Site Data and next to Cache Images and Files. Click the Clear Data button to clear this information, which hopefully resets and stops the constant password change requests from Google.
How can I strengthen my Google password?
Using a large number of characters and a variety of characters is the best way to strengthen a password for Google or for any account you own. It’s common for people to have bad password habits, which leaves passwords too short and too simplistic. Making use of a password manager is the best way to remember complex passwords that are difficult for hackers to access.
What if I lose my Google password?
If you lose your password for your Google account or if someone steals your password and hacks your account, you will need to recover your account. Open the Google account recovery page and attempt to answer the security questions there.
If you entered a recovery email account or recovery phone number with your Google account before the hack occurred, you should have a better chance of completing this step successfully.
Once you regain access to your account, you will want to change and strengthen your password and enact other forms of security, such as two-factor authentication, to protect your account.
Can I change my Google password multiple times per day?
Google does not limit the number of password changes you may make over a certain period of time. However, if Google detects unusual activity on the account, it may lock you out until you verify your identity. Making multiple password changes in a day probably will cause Google to flag this as unusual activity.