How to Change Your Gmail Password (and Secure Your Google Account)

If you suspect someone has accessed your email, or if you simply want to update a weak password you have been using for years, changing your Gmail password is the most important security step you can take. However, many users become frustrated when they open the Gmail app and cannot find a “Change Password” button in the settings menu.

This is because your Gmail account is actually just one service attached to your overall Google Account (which also controls your YouTube, Google Drive, and Android devices). Therefore, to change your Gmail password, you must change your master Google Account password. Here is the exact workflow to do this on a computer and a mobile device.

How to Change Your Password on a Computer

The easiest way to update your security settings is through a desktop web browser.

1. Open your preferred web browser and go to myaccount.google.com.
2. If you are not already logged in, click the Sign in button in the top right corner and enter your current email and password.
3. Look at the navigation menu on the left side of the screen and click on Security.
4. Scroll down the page until you find the section titled “How you sign in to Google”.
5. Click on Password. (You will see the date your password was last changed listed here).
6. Google will require you to enter your current password one more time to verify your identity.
7. You will now see two text boxes. Enter your new password in the first box, and type it exactly the same way in the second box to confirm it.
8. Click the blue Change Password button.

How to Change Your Password on a Mobile Device (Android/iOS)

You can also change your password directly from your smartphone using the Gmail app.

1. Open the Gmail app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device.
2. Tap your profile picture (or your initial) in the top right corner of the screen.
3. Tap the Manage your Google Account button (on Android, this might just say Google Account).
4. A new menu will open. Swipe left on the tabs just below your name until you see Security, and tap on it.
5. Scroll down to the “How you sign in to Google” section and tap on Password.
6. Verify your identity by entering your current password (or by using your phone’s fingerprint/face unlock if prompted).
7. Enter your new password twice.
8. Tap Change Password.

What Happens After You Change Your Password?

The moment you click the final button, your new password takes effect immediately across all Google services. Because your security credentials have changed, Google will automatically sign you out of all your devices (except the one you just used to change the password).

You will need to manually sign back into your smartphone, tablet, smart TV (for YouTube), and any other computers using your new password. This is a deliberate security feature designed to instantly kick out any hackers or unauthorised users who might have had access to your account.

Best Practices for a New Password

When selecting your new password, do not simply add a number to the end of your old one. Google requires a minimum of eight characters, but security experts recommend at least 12.

The most secure method is to use a “passphrase”—a sequence of random, unrelated words (for example: coffee-purple-mountain-stapler). Passphrases are mathematically incredibly difficult for computers to crack, yet much easier for humans to remember than random strings of symbols.