Millions of people use Gmail every day, relying on the email service provider for communication, payments, and professional relationships. Gmail users trust the platform with their sensitive information and don’t often expect that they’ll get hacked. But what happens when worst comes to worst?
If you believe your account was breached, the first step is to use the Google Gmail Security Checkup tool. If you don’t have access to your account, you can use the Google Account Recovery tool. You can follow the prompts on either of these tools to secure and regain access to your account.
Don’t panic if you notice suspicious activity in your inbox or you’re locked out of your Gmail account. There are several ways you can secure your information, regain your account, and prevent future security breaches. Let’s look at your options.
How to Know if Your Gmail Account Has Been Hacked
Your email address is a somewhat sacred account that contains sensitive information like receipts, personal communication, work relationships, and more. It’s natural to be worried if someone hacked your Gmail account if you notice suspicious activity in your inbox. Here are some signs to look out for.
- Suspicious activity in your inbox: Your Gmail account might have been hacked if you notice unusual or suspicious activity in your inbox. You might see emails you didn’t send or read, changes to your labels, or other unusual behaviors.
- Password notifications: Your Gmail account might have been breached if you received a notification from Google that your password was changed or there was unusual activity on your account.
- Unusual login activity: Your Gmail account might have been hacked if you notice unusual login activity or sessions you don’t recognize. You can also check if there are devices linked to your account that don’t belong to you.
- You can’t log into your account: Your Gmail account might have been breached if you can’t log in to your account, even with the correct password.
What to Do When Your Account is Hacked
It’s important to act fast if you believe your Gmail account was hacked. There are a lot of steps to take after your account has been hacked, but how you start will depend on whether you still have access to your account or not.
When You Still Have Access to the Account
There are several steps you can take to secure your account if you can still log in to your email address but notice suspicious activity. The first step is to immediately go to the Google Gmail Security Checkup and protect your account.
These measures are more than enough to secure your account, but we’ll cover them in more detail below.
Change Your Password
The first security measure you should take is to change your password to a new, unique, and strong password. You can use password managers like 1Password or LastPass for additional security.
Review Account Activity
The next step is to review your account activity and check if there was any suspicious activity on your Gmail account. You can head over to your Google Account page and select “Security” from the left panel. Review security events in the “Recent Security Events” section.
If you notice unusual account activity, click “No, it wasn’t me,” and follow the prompts to protect your account.
Review Account Recovery Options
You’ll want to review your recovery email and phone number to ensure there aren’t any changes. You can set up recovery options if you haven’t already and should do so immediately. Recovery email addresses and phone numbers will help you access your account if you ever get locked out in the future.
Inspect Account Permissions
You’ll also want to inspect which third-party apps and services have access to your Google account. You can remove any service that you don’t use or recognize to secure your account. Ensure you’re only giving trustworthy third-party apps and services access to your information.
When You’re Locked Out of the Account
Don’t panic if you’re locked out of your Gmail account and no longer have access. The first step is to use the Google Account Recovery tool if you’re locked out of your account. You’ll need to provide as much information as you can and follow the prompts when necessary.
The account recovery tool is something you use in these situations:
- Your Gmail account was deleted
- Your account information, password, or recovery phone number was changed
- You can’t sign in for suspicious reasons
We’ll walk you through the account recovery process and some of the tips you can use to ensure you have a better chance of regaining access to your Gmail account below.
Follow All Prompts as Best as You Can
You’ll need to use the Google Account Recovery tool to regain access to your Gmail account. You’ll be faced with several different questions and prompts when you go through the account recovery process. It’s important to answer or take your best guess instead of skipping questions.
Use a Familiar Device
Ensure you’re using a familiar device during the account recovery process if you can. This looks like:
- The same PC, smartphone, or mobile device you normally would for signing in.
- The same browser that you normally would, like Chrome or Explorer
- The same or similar location where you would normally sign in, such as at home or school.
Also be sure to avoid typos and misentries, and pay close attention to uppercase or lowercase characters.
Be as Accurate as Possible
Try to be as specific as possible with passwords and answers to security prompts during the account recovery process. The Google Account Recovery tool might ask for the last password you remember or previous security questions.
- Password: Enter the most recent password you remember. The more recent, the better. Take your best guess if you can’t remember.
- Security questions: Take your best guess if you can’t remember the answer to security prompts. Consider variations, like “CO” instead of “Colorado.”
Use a Recovery Email
You can enter a recovery email address that’s connected to your account when prompted. Google can send security notifications to the recovery email to help you access your locked Gmail account.
Provide Additional Details
It’s important to provide helpful details when regaining access to your account. You might want to include additional details such as:
- You received an error message
- You believe your account was breached due to malware or viruses
- You recently changed your password
- You’re out of your home town, state, or country
Should You Delete Your Email?
It might be best to start a fresh email address if you’ve been hacked or your account has been breached several times. However, you might not want to delete your previous email address.
Your previous email address might be recycled, and a hacker could use it to impersonate you. You might also lose access to personal websites and have to change your data. Instead, you can start a fresh email and use the previous one as needed.
How to Change Your Gmail Password
- Launch your Google Account and click the sign-in button.
- If you can’t log in, select the “Forgot Password” button and follow the prompts.
- If you can log in, go to the “Security” section of your Google Account and select “Signing into Google.”
- Click “Password.” You might have to sign in again for security purposes.
- Finally, type your new, hard-to-guess password, and confirm your choice by clicking “Change Password.”
How to Verify Your Identity
Google might ask you to verify your identity if your account has been hacked. You’ll need to correctly answer prompts from Google, including:
- Your full name
- Date of birth
- When you created the account
Your identity and account will be verified if you answer all the questions correctly. From there, you’ll have the option to change your password and adjust your settings.
How to Contact Gmail Customer Support
You might want to contact Gmail directly if none of the solutions above are working. You should contact Gmail if you’ve tried some of the basic troubleshooting methods above.
It might also be time to turn to Gmail support if the issue isn’t with your Internet Service Provider and your internet is working fine.
You can use The Gmail Help Center to ask questions and find useful information. Use the Gmail Help Center to browse through frequently asked questions, submit queries, and find community forums with helpful solutions.
How to Prevent Your Email From Being Hacked
It’s essential to secure your account and prevent it from being hacked in the future. There are several security measures you can take to secure your sensitive information and email address.
Regularly Review Account Activity
Ensure you’re reviewing your account activity frequently. You can head over to your Google Account page and click Security on the left panel. Review security events in the “Recent Security Events” section. You can manage the devices linked to your account and protect your information.
Enable 2-Step Verification
Enabling 2-step verification can help protect your account in the future. 2-Step verification means you’ll need two devices to access your account from a new location, like a phone, computer, etc.
You can enable these features in the Security tab of your Google Account and select 2-step verification options from the panel.
Remove Harmful Software
You might want to check your computer or mobile device for any malware, viruses, or harmful software. Deleting and preventing harmful software can help keep your sensitive information safe in the future. You can consider antivirus programs as well, like Avast or McAfee.
Use Password Alert
You can activate Password Alerts on your Google Chrome browser for added protection. If your password is entered into a non-Google site, you’ll receive a notification from Google Chrome. This can help you protect your information from malicious sites.
Use a More Secure Browser
In some cases, you might want to consider using a more secure web browser. Some internet browsers have security flaws that can increase your chances of losing your information.
You might want to switch to Google Chrome, as they have added security measures and features to prevent your data from being stolen.
Remove Access to Apps
You might want to consider removing apps that have access to your Google account or personal information. You can remove less secure applications or unnecessary products to reduce the likelihood of your information being breached.
Ensure you’re only giving trustworthy third-party apps and services access to your information in the future.
Use a Password Manager
One of the best ways to keep your account safe in the future is to invest in a password manager. Password managers create difficult, unique passwords and store them for you on an encrypted, secure platform.
These services are also useful if you have difficulty keeping track of passwords or creating strong passwords. Some services to consider are LastPass and 1Password.