Restoring a Gmail Account: A Step-by-Step Guide

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Easy ways to recover your Google account or email if it’s been deleted

Written by Travis Boylls

Last Updated: September 4, 2024 Fact Checked

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• Recover a Deleted Email
|
• Recovering a Forgotten Password
|
• Video
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• Q&A
|
• Warnings

|Show more |Show less

If you deleted your Google or Gmail account, you may still be able to recover it as long as it wasn't deleted too long ago. If you forgot your password, you can recover that as well. This wikiHow article teaches you how to recover a deleted Google account and a forgotten password.

Recover a Deleted Google Account

1. Go to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery in a web browser.
2. Enter your Gmail address and click Next.
3. Check if your account is recoverable and click Next.
4. Enter your password and click or Next.
5. Reset your password and click Continue.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Recover a Deleted Email

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1. 1
   Open the Google recovery page. Go to https://accounts.google.com/signin/recovery in your browser. This will open a page with a text field.

   • Act fast. After deleting a Gmail account, all your emails and email settings will be deleted after 30 days. If you wait too long, you may not be able to recover your account.
2. 2
   Enter your email address and click or tap Next. Type in the address for the Gmail account that you deleted. Then tap the blue button that says Next.
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3. 3
   Check if your account is recoverable and click or tap Next. This page tells you if your account is recoverable or not. If you see a message saying, "This account was recently deleted, but may still be recoverable." Click or tap Next to continue. If you don't see this message, your account is not recoverable.

   • If your account is not recoverable, you will have to create a new Gmail account.
4. 4
   Enter your password and click or tap Next. In the text field in the middle of the page, enter the password for your email address.

   • If you can't remember your password, you'll need to click or tap Try another way and recover your password.
5. 5
   Reset your password. When prompted, enter a strong new password that you haven't used before on any other website or service. Enter the same password again to confirm your password. Then click or tap Save password to continue.
6. 6
   Click or tap Continue. The next page will tell you if your account was successfully recovered. If it was a success, tap Continue to continue to your account.

   • Alternatively, you can tap Secure my account to set up additional security features, such as 2FA and more.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Recovering a Forgotten Password

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1. 1
   Open the Google recovery page. Go to https://accounts.google.com/signin/recovery in your browser. This will open a page with a text field.

   • To make the recovery process easier, make sure you are using a device you previously signed in to your Google account with. Make sure you are using the same web browser you normally use. Also, make sure you are in the same location where you normally use your Google account, whether at work or home.
2. 2
   Enter your email address and click or tap Next. Enter the email address you want to recover and click or tap the blue button that says Next.
3. 3
   Click or tap Try another way. This screen asks you to enter your password. If you can't remember your password, click or tap the blue text that says Try another way.
4. 4
   Enter one of your previous passwords. Next, you may be asked to enter one of your previous passwords. Enter the most recent password that you can remember. If you can't remember any of your previous passwords, take your best guest.
5. 5
   Answer any security questions you are prompted with. Depending on the security settings you previously set up, you may be asked a series of security questions. Answer all questions as best as you can. If you don't know the answer to any of the questions, take your best guess. Wrong answers will not kick you out of the recovery process.
6. 6
   Enter the recovery code. Depending on how your account is set up, a recovery code may be sent to your recovery email or phone number via text message. If you are using an authenticator app, you will be asked to check that instead. If you have an Android device, you may be asked to tap Yes, it's me on your phone or tablet.
7. 7
   Enter an email address you have access to if prompted. You may be asked to enter a current email address that Google can contact you by. If so, enter a current email address that you have access to.
8. 8
   Reset your password. Next, you will asked to enter a new password. Enter a strong new password that you haven't used before on any other website or service. Enter the same password again to confirm your password. Then click or tap Save Password. Once you are done, your account will be recovered.
9. 9
   Follow any additional prompts. To prevent future lockouts, Google may ask you to set up a few security features, such as adding a recovery email or setting up two-factor authentication. Follow any prompts you are given.
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Community Q&A

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• Question

  If my account has been deleted for a long time, is it possible to create another account with the same Gmail address?

  

  Community Answer

  No. It's not possible. Google keeps the email and prevents you from creating an account with that username.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 34 Helpful 54
• Question

  Can I recover an account I deleted six months ago?

  

  Community Answer

  No, you probably cannot. You may try, but there's a very low chance that it's recoverable.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 38 Helpful 67
• Question

  I have lost my mobile number as well as forgetting my Gmail password. Can I still recover my account?

  

  Community Answer

  You can add a recovery email to your account where they can email you a temporary password to recover your account. You can reset your password from there.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

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  Not Helpful 32 Helpful 65

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Warnings

• Never delete a Gmail account if you aren't prepared to lose everything associated with it, including emails, contacts, YouTube data, and Google Drive files.
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