I Forgot My Email Password. What Should I Do?
Forgotten email passwords can usually be recovered through the email provider’s official recovery process. You should not need to pay a stranger or give anyone your password.
What’s happening?
Your email app may keep asking for a password you no longer remember, or you may be unable to sign in on a new phone, tablet, or computer.
Different email providers use different recovery screens, but the safe approach is the same: recover the account through the provider you normally use and keep your password and verification codes private.
Common reasons this happens
- The password has simply been forgotten or changed
- You are signing in on a new device
- The email app is asking for the account password again
- The account’s recovery phone number or email address is outdated
- A scammer may be pretending to offer account-recovery help
Things you can safely try
- Identify your email provider. Common providers include Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and iCloud. Your email address usually gives you a clue about which service you use.
- Open the provider yourself. Use the official app you already have or type the provider’s known website address yourself. Avoid password-reset links from unexpected messages.
- Choose the official password-recovery option. Look for wording such as “Forgot password?” or “Can’t sign in?” and follow the provider’s normal recovery process.
- Complete the verification steps. The provider may use a recovery phone number, recovery email address, or another method already connected to your account.
- Create a new, unique password. Do not reuse the new email password on other important accounts.
- Review security information after you regain access. Check recent account activity and make sure the recovery information still belongs to you.
Stop here
Never give your password or a security code to a caller, text sender, or unexpected email that claims to be helping you recover your account.
If the recovery information no longer belongs to you, you see unfamiliar security changes, or the provider says the account may have been compromised, stop trying random fixes and use the provider’s official account-recovery process.
Still having trouble?
You don’t have to figure it out alone.
LoTyde Tech Assistance provides friendly, patient technology help for residents throughout Indiana County and surrounding communities.
If you’ve tried the safe steps and still need help, we’re here to help.
Get Technology Help