Change your Gmail password from your account settings

To change your Gmail password, sign into your Google Account, go to the Security section, find "Your password" in the list, and click Change password. Google will ask you to enter your current password once, then type your new password twice. After you confirm, you're done — the change takes effect immediately across all your devices.

The entire process takes about two minutes. You don't need to sign out of Gmail or restart anything. If you're signed into Gmail on a phone, tablet, or computer, you'll stay signed in — Google doesn't force you to log back in after a password change.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to myaccount.google.com, click Security on the left, then find "Your password" and click Change password.
  • You must enter your current password before setting a new one, even if you're already signed in.
  • A strong password has at least 12 characters and mixes uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
  • If you forget your new password immediately after changing it, use the account recovery process on the Gmail sign-in page.

Step-by-step: where to find the password change option

Start by going to myaccount.google.com in your web browser. You must be signed into your Google Account — if you're not, Gmail will redirect you to sign in first.

Once you're on your Google Account page, look for Security on the left side menu. Click it. You'll see a list of security settings. Scroll down until you find the section labeled How you sign in to Google. Under that heading, you'll see Your password with a blue Change password button next to it. Click that button.

Google will ask you to enter your current password as a security check. Type it in and click Next. This step happens even if you're already signed in — it's Google's way of making sure someone with access to your computer isn't changing your password without permission.

Creating a new password that's hard to guess

After you confirm your current password, Google shows you a box to enter your new password. Type it in, then type it again in the next box to confirm you didn't make a typo. Google will tell you if your password is too weak — if it does, add more characters or mix in uppercase letters, numbers, or symbols.

A password that works well has at least 12 characters. Avoid using your name, birthday, or common words. A mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols (like ! or @) makes it much harder to guess. For example, "BlueSky#Mountain42" is stronger than "password123".

Once you've entered your new password twice, click Change password. The page will confirm that your password has been changed. You can now close this window and go back to Gmail — you don't need to do anything else.

What happens on your other devices after you change your password

If you use Gmail on a phone, tablet, or other computer, you stay signed in on those devices. Google doesn't automatically sign you out when you change your password. This means you can keep using Gmail right away without re-entering your new password anywhere.

However, if you sign out of Gmail on any device and try to sign back in, you'll need to use your new password. The old password won't work anymore. This applies to Gmail apps on phones, Gmail in a web browser, and any other service that uses your Google Account to sign in.

If you need to change your password because you think someone else knows it

If you suspect someone has access to your account, change your password right away using the steps above. After you change it, go back to the Security page and scroll down to Your devices. Click Manage all devices to see where you're signed in. If you see a device or location you don't recognize, click it and select Sign out.

You should also turn on 2-Step Verification while you're in the Security section. This adds a second layer of protection: even if someone learns your password, they can't sign in without a code from your phone. Google will walk you through setting it up.

Troubleshooting: what to do if you forget your new password right after changing it

If you change your password and immediately forget it, you can recover your account. Go to the Gmail sign-in page and click Forgot password? Google will ask you to enter the last password you remember. Enter your old password (the one you just changed from), and Google will let you set a new one.

If you don't remember your old password either, Google will ask you security questions or send a recovery code to a backup email address or phone number. Make sure your recovery email and phone number are up to date in your Google Account settings — go to myaccount.google.com, click Personal info, and check that both are correct.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to change my password on Gmail separately from my Google Account?

No. Your Gmail password and your Google Account password are the same thing. When you change your password in Google Account settings, it changes for Gmail and every other Google service you use, like YouTube, Google Drive, and Google Photos.

Will changing my password sign me out of Gmail on my phone?

No. You'll stay signed in on your phone, tablet, and other devices. You only need your new password if you sign out and try to sign back in later.

Can I change my password if I'm using a school or work Gmail account?

It depends on your organization. School and work accounts are often managed by an administrator who may have locked down password changes. Try going to myaccount.google.com and following the steps above. If the Change password button is missing or grayed out, contact your school or workplace IT department.

What if I see a message that says my password is compromised?

Google checks your password against known data breaches. If it tells you your password has been compromised, change it right away using the steps in this guide. You should also check if that same password is used anywhere else and change it there too.