The world’s largest email platform provides free services to over 2.5 billion users. It’s no surprise that such a platform is a target for those trying to access important data by any means possible. These threats range from sophisticated attacks to legitimate security prompts from Google. But what if your Gmail account gets hacked and recovery options fail? Here’s everything you need to know.
Help—I Can’t Recover My Gmail Account
I often receive emails and messages from people saying they can’t access their Gmail accounts and asking for my help. As an old and somewhat skeptical hacker, I believe most of these requests can be met with a good effort, but I won’t be fooled into thinking I can help with these matters. I can only direct them to Google’s official support forum, the Gmail subreddit, and Google’s help page.
In recent days, I’ve seen many people posting in these places who are facing an impossible issue with recovering their accounts. If using less trustworthy methods is wrong, here’s an example.
I can’t access my account from a new phone because I use it as a recovery account. This request seems like a genuine effort to get help from Google, but I can’t fully trust it. Fundamentally, this is because you can’t set a recovery email as the account you’re trying to recover, and the reasons are quite clear. However, it might not always be the case, and even if the benefit of the doubt is given, the person still faces a major difficulty.
Read Also: Why You Need A New Email Address In 2025—Google’s Gmail Upgrade
A hacker changed the recovery number of my Gmail account.
A request on Google’s official support forum caught my attention, and it serves as an important reminder to all Gmail users about what to do if they find themselves in such a situation. A user reported,
“I have been hacked, and the recovery number has changed.”
In my view, this seems like another impossible problem. The situation is not hopeless, however. Recently, during a conversation with Google Translator Ros Richendrfer, an expert in Gmail Workspace security and privacy, we discussed this issue.
That’s good news for Gmail users! According to Richendrfer, it’s recommended that all users set a recovery phone number and a recovery email on their accounts. This way, if an attacker changes one or both of them, the legitimate account holder can still regain control of the account using the original phone number within seven days.
Richendrfer also mentioned that these attacks are often successful because account holders do not use technologies that help prevent phishing, such as security keys or passkeys. Accounts can be protected by these tools as an additional layer of security.
Read Also: Google is Crrently Implementing a User Data Purge—Here’s What You Should Know
To protect your Gmail account from hackers, it’s important to take proactive measures. Here are some steps you can follow:
- Use Security keys: To enhance the security of your Gmail account, consider using a security key or Google Passkeys. These options provide an additional layer of protection and help safeguard against phishing attacks. Their robust security and ease of use make them a good choice.
- Set up multiple recovery options: It’s also important to keep your recovery options up to date. Make sure you have a recovery email and phone number set up for your account. This ensures that you have multiple ways to regain access if you ever lose access to your account. This is a reliable way to protect your account from being compromised.
- Perform a security check-up: It’s also helpful to regularly perform a security checkup. Google’s Security Checkup tool is a great resource, as it reviews your current security settings and identifies any potential vulnerabilities that need to be addressed. It’s a proactive way to enhance your account’s security.
- Enable two-step verification: Using two-step verification is a crucial step in securing your account. Even if someone obtains your password, they will be unable to access your account without the second form of verification. Add an extra layer of security by using an authenticator app or a physical security key.
Taking these precautions significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized access to your Gmail account. Being proactive with security measures is always better, especially with the evolving threats.