What is "forgot password"?
Definition
Forgot password is the sign-in option that lets you set a new password when you can't remember your current one. The service checks it's really you, usually through a code or link sent to a recovery email or phone number.
- Category
- Security
- Also called
- forgotten password, password reset, account recovery
- Last updated
Reviewed by Anthon Wansland
Head of Product & Co-Founder
Serus is a privacy company with paid tools to find and remove your personal data. This page is free and based on official sources.
Sources checked: support.google.com
Last verified against the official page:
Almost every account has a "Forgot password?" link under the sign-in box. You click it, the service asks a few questions or sends a code or link to the email address or phone number you registered, and you pick a new password. Google's help page describes the same pattern: you answer questions to confirm the account is yours, then you're prompted to choose a strong password you haven't used on that account before.
Why the recovery details matter
The reset only works if the service can reach you. If the recovery email is an old address you no longer use, or the phone number changed, you can end up locked out. Google notes that changes to recovery info can take up to 7 days to take effect, so update them before you need them.
There's a flip side. Whoever controls your recovery email or phone number can reset your password too. That's why a hijacked email account is so damaging: attackers use "forgot password" on your other accounts and the reset links land in their hands. Scammers also exploit the feature from the outside. A sudden text or email about a password reset you didn't ask for is a prompt to check your account, not to click.
Fake recovery help
Google warns people to avoid account and password recovery services. You can't call Google to get back into an account, and it doesn't work with any service that claims to offer password support. Anyone who offers to get you back in for a fee, or asks for your password or a verification code, isn't helping you.
Forgot password vs. related terms
- Forgotten username is a separate problem: you remember the password but not which email or username you signed up with. Services usually ask for a recovery phone number or email and your name.
- A hacked account is when someone else is using it. Services have a separate recovery path for that, and you should use it instead of a plain reset.
How to protect yourself
- 1
Keep your recovery email and phone number current
Check them in each important account's security settings. Google says changes to recovery info can take up to 7 days to apply, so don't wait until you're locked out.
- 2
Never share a verification code
A real service never needs you to read a code back to it or to anyone else. Google's guidance is plain: do not give out your passwords or verification codes.
- 3
Start the reset from the service itself
If you didn't ask for a reset, don't click the link in the message. Open the app or type the website address yourself and check the account from there.
- 4
Skip paid recovery services
Google says it doesn't work with any service that claims to provide account or password support. Use the service's own recovery page.
- 5
Use a password manager so you rarely need a reset
A manager remembers a different strong password for each account. See our password manager guide.
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See where your personal data is exposed
Serus finds it on data brokers and people-search sites and removes it.
Frequently asked
What if I can't get the reset code?
Check that the recovery email or phone number on the account is still one you can use, and try the recovery steps again. Google notes there's no limit to the number of recovery attempts, and that wrong guesses don't kick you out of the process.
Can I call the company to reset my password?
Often not. Google says you can't call it for help signing in, and warns against any service offering password support. Use the official recovery page.
What if I get a reset email I never asked for?
Don't click the link. Go to the service directly and check the account. If someone else seems to be using it, follow the service's steps for a hacked or hijacked account.
What should my new password be?
Choose a strong password you haven't used with that account before, as Google's guidance puts it.
Sources
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