Forgot Your Email Password? How to Reset It Safely

Quick fix

Go to your provider's sign-in page and select the forgot-password link, then follow the steps to get a code on your recovery phone or email. Use only the official page from Google, Yahoo, Microsoft or Apple, never a phone number or service found in an ad or search result.

What it means

If you forgot your email password, your provider's own recovery page can reset it, usually by sending a code to your recovery phone number or backup email. Each provider has one official page: Google Account Recovery for Gmail, the Sign-in Helper for Yahoo, Microsoft's password reset for Outlook.com and Hotmail, and Apple's iforgot page for iCloud. No real provider will ask for your password by phone, and paid recovery services are not needed.

Common causes

The password was forgotten or a saved password was lost after a new device or browser
The password was changed on another device and not updated everywhere
Too many wrong tries temporarily locked the account
Someone else changed the password
Recovery phone number or backup email is out of date

How to fix it

Work down the list. Each fix is safe to try before moving on to the next.

01Before you start, avoid recovery scamsEasy

Only use the recovery page reached from your provider's own sign-in page: Google, Yahoo, Microsoft or Apple.
Don't call phone numbers from ads, search results or pop-ups that claim to be email support. Yahoo warns that searching for its contact details can lead to support scams, and Microsoft says its real error messages never include a phone number.
Never give your password or a verification code to anyone who calls, emails or texts you. Google says it never asks for these, and that you can't call Google for help signing in.
Don't pay a third-party "account recovery" service. Google says it doesn't work with any.

Why it helps: Fake support lines and recovery services are a common way people lose their accounts and money.

02Check for a saved password firstEasy

Check whether your email still opens on another device, such as your phone or tablet.
Look in your browser's saved passwords or autofill settings; the password may be stored there.
Make sure Caps Lock is off and type the password slowly instead of using a saved one.

Why it helps: Many people haven't really lost the password; it's saved on a device or was typed with Caps Lock on.

03If you use Gmail, use Google Account RecoveryEasy

Go to the Gmail sign-in page, enter your email address and select Forgot password?.
Use a phone, computer and browser you usually sign in with, from a place you usually use, such as home.
Answer every question as well as you can. A best guess is better than skipping, and wrong guesses don't end the process.
If asked for an old password, enter the most recent one you remember.
Create a new, strong password you haven't used for this account before.
If a recovery code doesn't arrive, check that the phone or email shown is still yours and look in that email's spam folder before trying again.

Why it helps: Google's recovery page is the only way to reset a Gmail password, and it works best when it recognizes your usual device and location.

04If you use Yahoo Mail, use the Sign-in HelperEasy

Open Yahoo's official Sign-in Helper from the Yahoo sign-in page (the forgotten password option).
Enter your recovery mobile number or recovery email address.
Follow the on-screen steps to get a code and reset your password.
If Yahoo says the account is locked after too many tries, the lock lifts by itself after 12 hours, or the Sign-in Helper can get you in sooner.
Once you are back in, choose a strong new password.

Why it helps: The Sign-in Helper is Yahoo's official way to reset a password or find a forgotten Yahoo ID.

05If you use Outlook.com or Hotmail, reset your Microsoft account passwordEasy

On the Microsoft account sign-in page, select Forgot password?. If that window has closed, select Reset password, enter your email address and select Next.
Choose where to send a security code: your recovery email or phone.
Type the first part of the email address or the last four digits of the phone number that Microsoft hints at, then select Get code.
Enter the code you receive, select Next, and create a new password.
If you no longer have any of the recovery options shown, use Microsoft's sign-in helper tool. Microsoft support agents can't send reset links or change account details for you, so anyone offering to is not real support.

Why it helps: Outlook.com, Hotmail and Live addresses use a Microsoft account, so the password is reset through Microsoft.

06If you use iCloud Mail, reset your Apple Account passwordEasy

On an iPhone or iPad already signed in: go to Settings, tap your name, then Sign-In & Security > Change Password, and follow the prompts.
On a Mac already signed in: choose Apple menu > System Settings, click your name, then Sign-In & Security > Change Password.
No signed-in device? Go to Apple's official iforgot page in a browser and follow the steps.
On a borrowed Apple device, open the Apple Support app, go to Support Tools > Reset Password and choose Help Someone Else.
If none of these work, Apple's account recovery can take several days. If you started it in a web browser, Apple suggests turning off your other Apple devices during the wait, since using a signed-in device cancels it.
Changing your password signs out mail apps that use app-specific passwords; create new ones afterward.

Why it helps: iCloud Mail uses your Apple Account password, and Apple lets you reset it fastest from a device you already use.

07If you think someone changed your password, secure the accountMedium

Get back in with the official recovery steps above, then change the password to a new, strong one.
Follow your provider's official "secure your account" steps: Google's page for a hacked or compromised Google Account, Yahoo's steps to secure a hacked Yahoo account, Microsoft's guide to a hacked or compromised Microsoft account, or Apple's page for a compromised Apple Account.
Check that the recovery phone and email are yours, and remove any you don't recognize.
In your mail settings, look for forwarding or filters you didn't set up and remove them.
Change the same password on any other site where you used it.

Why it helps: Someone who changed your password may also have changed recovery details or forwarding to keep access.

08After you get back in, prevent it happening againEasy

Update your recovery phone number and recovery email so you can reset your password next time.
Turn on two-step verification (Google, Yahoo) or two-factor authentication (Apple) for extra protection.
Update the new password in any mail apps on your phone or computer. If an app used an iCloud app-specific password, create a new one, because Apple cancels them when you change your password.
Store the password somewhere safe, such as a password manager.

Why it helps: Current recovery details are what make a forgotten password a five-minute fix instead of a lost account.

09If recovery doesn't work, start a new accountAdvancedBack up first

Warning: a new account does not bring back the old account's emails, contacts or files.
First, try the recovery steps again later from your usual device and location, and check your spam folder for replies from the provider.
If your recovery details are wrong or no longer yours, the provider may not be able to return the account.
Create a new email account, add a recovery phone and email straight away, and tell your contacts and important services your new address.

Why it helps: Providers can't hand over an account they can't verify is yours, so a new account is the last option.

Check it's fixed

You can sign in with the new password on the provider's website.
Your mail apps on your phone and computer connect without asking for the password again.
Your recovery phone number and recovery email are correct in your account's security settings.

When to get help

If the official recovery steps fail, use your provider's help center only: Google Account Help, Yahoo Help, Microsoft Support or Apple Support. Never pay a third-party service or call a number from an ad, and for a work or school address, contact your IT administrator.

Questions

Can I call Gmail or Yahoo to reset my password?

Google says you can't call Google for help signing in, and Yahoo warns that contact numbers found through search engines can be scams. Use the official recovery page instead.

Will a support agent ever ask for my password?

No. Real providers don't ask for your password or verification codes by phone, email or text. Anyone who does is trying to take over your account.

Why didn't the reset code arrive?

Check that the recovery phone or email shown is still yours, look in the spam folder, and wait a few minutes before asking for a new code. If the recovery details are out of date, follow the provider's other recovery options.

What if I forgot my email address, not just the password?

Google and Yahoo can find your address from your recovery phone number or email. Use the find-username option on Google's recovery page or Yahoo's Sign-in Helper.

Do I need to change my password in my mail apps?

Yes. Update it in every app that uses the account. Apple also cancels app-specific passwords when you change your Apple Account password, so you will need to make new ones.

Still stuck?

Paste the exact message to find the closest fix, or search it on Google, Microsoft, Apple, Reddit and YouTube.

What to do if you forgot your email password