Forgotten Google Gmail Accounts: Email accounts are an integral part of our online presence, enabling communication, document sharing, and various other online activities. One of the most popular email services is Gmail, provided by Google. However, with the multitude of online accounts we create, it’s not uncommon to forget the login credentials for one or more of them, including Gmail. If you find yourself in the situation of needing to recover a forgotten Gmail account, fear not! This comprehensive guide will walk you through the steps to find and recover forgotten Google Gmail accounts.
Just over two months ago, Google announced that it plans to delete all accounts that have not been used for two years (with a few exceptions, such as accounts with YouTube videos). It has now become known that accounts will be subject to deletion starting December 1, 2023.
How to use the Google Reading Mode app for Android
How to Find Forgotten Google Gmail Accounts
There seems to be at least one way to try to figure this out: using Google’s “find your email” page. This will find any Google accounts associated with an email address or phone number that you may have entered as a “recovery” account – one that can be used to verify your identity if you lose your password to another Google account.
Here’s how to do it.
- Go to usernamerecovery and enter any email accounts or phone numbers that you have had for a while that may have been used as recovery information.
- On the next page, you will be asked to enter your name.
- Next, you will be sent a verification code to the phone number or email account you provided.
- You will then be presented with a list of Google accounts for which that phone number or email has been registered as a recovery resource.
So, what happens if your old Google account is suddenly opened to you – and you have no idea what the password was?
- First, I selected an old, forgotten account from the list, and was asked to verify that I was human by checking the CAPTCHA box.
- I was then asked to enter a password which I did not have. Fortunately, there was a message “forgot your password?” the link I clicked on.
- They sent me another verification code using the phone number I originally entered and then offered to change my password, which I did immediately.
- At this point, I was asked to verify an existing recovery email account, which turned out to be my old work email address. I was prompted to enter a new recovery account and a code was sent to that account.
There are two more things to note. First, it is recommended that you use the Find Your Email page to check any and all active email addresses or phone numbers that you may have used as recovery links. You can also view any other apps you may have used to link to other Gmail accounts. For example, just out of curiosity, I checked my password manager and found another Google account that wasn’t on the list of others because the phone number it was associated with was one I no longer used. Since I still had the password, it wasn’t hard to log in and change my recovery phone number.
Secondly, this is a good reason not to neglect adding a recovery phone number and email address to each of your Google accounts. You never know when they might come in handy.
Recovering a forgotten Gmail account might require some patience and diligence, but by following these steps and providing accurate information, you’ll increase your chances of regaining access to your valuable email account. Remember to take proactive steps to prevent this situation in the future by maintaining up-to-date recovery information and practicing good account security habits.
