Change your Chromebook password through your Google Account settings
Your Chromebook password is actually your Google Account password — the same one you use for Gmail, YouTube, and other Google services. When you change it, you change it in one place, and that change takes effect everywhere you use that Google Account. You do not change the password directly on the Chromebook itself.
The fastest way is to go to myaccount.google.com on any device with internet access, sign in if you are not already signed in, and change your password there. After you change it, sign out of your Chromebook completely, then sign back in with your new password. That is the entire process.
If you want to change it directly from your Chromebook, you can do that too — the steps are almost the same, just done on the Chromebook instead of another device. Both methods take about five minutes.
Key Takeaways
- Your Chromebook password is your Google Account password, so changing one changes the other everywhere you use that account.
- You change your password at myaccount.google.com, not in Chromebook settings — Chromebook settings do not have a password change option.
- After you change your password, you must sign out of your Chromebook completely and sign back in with the new password.
- If you forget your current password, you will need to recover your Google Account through the recovery options you set up earlier.
- Changing your password does not affect any files or settings saved to your Chromebook — only how you sign in.
Change your password from myaccount.google.com on any device
This method works on any computer, phone, or tablet with a web browser. You do not need to be on your Chromebook.
- Go to myaccount.google.com in your web browser.
- Sign in with your Google Account email and current password if you are not already signed in.
- On the left side, click Security.
- Scroll down to the section labeled How you sign in to Google and click Password.
- Enter your current password again when prompted.
- Type your new password in the first box. Google will show you a strength meter — aim for at least a medium-strength password (a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols is strongest).
- Type the same new password again in the second box to confirm it.
- Click Change Password.
Google will send you a notification that your password has changed. You may see a message asking you to sign in again on your other devices — this is normal. Your Chromebook will not automatically sign you out, so you need to do that manually in the next section.
Change your password directly from your Chromebook
If you prefer to change your password while sitting at your Chromebook, you can do it this way instead. The steps are nearly identical.
- On your Chromebook, open a web browser (Chrome is the default).
- Go to myaccount.google.com.
- You should already be signed in as the account on your Chromebook, but if you are not, sign in now.
- Click Security on the left side.
- Under How you sign in to Google, click Password.
- Enter your current password.
- Type your new password in the first box and again in the second box.
- Click Change Password.
You will see a confirmation message. Close the browser tab or window. Your password has now changed, but your Chromebook is still signed in with the old password in the background. You need to sign out and sign back in so the Chromebook recognizes the new password.
Sign out of your Chromebook and sign back in with your new password
This step is essential. If you skip it, your Chromebook will not know about your new password, and you may have trouble the next time you restart or need to sign in again.
- In the bottom right corner of your Chromebook screen, click the time.
- Click the power icon (it looks like a circle with a line at the top).
- Click Sign out. Do not click Power off — you want to sign out, not shut down.
- You will see the Chromebook sign-in screen with a list of accounts. Click your account.
- Type your new password in the password box.
- Press Enter or click the arrow button.
Your Chromebook will sign you in with your new password. If the password does not work, double-check that you typed it correctly — passwords are case-sensitive, meaning capital letters are different from lowercase letters. If you are still stuck, you may need to recover your Google Account.
What to do if you forget your new password
If you change your password and then forget it before you sign back in, you will need to recover your Google Account. Go to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery on any device and follow the steps to verify your identity. Google will ask you to enter the last password you remember, answer security questions, or verify through a recovery email or phone number you set up earlier.
This is why setting up recovery options ahead of time matters — if you have a recovery email or phone number on file, you can get back into your account much faster. If you do not have any recovery options set up, the process takes longer and may require you to answer detailed questions about your account history.
Common mistakes that cause problems
The most common mistake is forgetting to sign out and sign back in after changing your password. Your Chromebook will keep working with the old password until you restart or sign out, which can be confusing. Always sign out completely and sign back in with the new password before you close your browser or walk away.
Another common mistake is typing your password wrong when you sign back in. Chromebooks are strict about passwords — one wrong letter and it will not work. If your password has numbers or symbols, make sure you are typing them correctly. If you are not sure, try typing it slowly and checking each character as you go.
A third mistake is changing your password and then immediately restarting your Chromebook without signing back in first. When you restart, the Chromebook will ask for your password, and if you have not signed out and back in yet, it will still be looking for your old password. This can lock you out temporarily. If this happens, restart again and use your new password — it should work the second time.
Your password is now changed on all your Google services
Once you have signed back into your Chromebook with your new password, you are done. Your new password is now active on Gmail, Google Drive, YouTube, and any other Google service you use. If you are signed into Google on your phone, tablet, or other computers, you may see prompts to sign in again on those devices too — this is Google's security feature to make sure it is really you.
You do not need to change anything else. Your Chromebook files, bookmarks, and settings stay exactly as they were. Only the password you use to sign in has changed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my password delete my files or settings on my Chromebook?
No. Your files, bookmarks, browser history, and all Chromebook settings stay exactly the same. Only the password you use to sign in changes. Everything synced to your Google Account remains synced.
Can I change my password if I do not remember my current one?
No, you cannot change your password without knowing your current one. You will need to recover your Google Account first at accounts.google.com/signin/recovery. Have your recovery email or phone number ready, or be prepared to answer security questions.
What if I change my password but my Chromebook still asks for the old one?
This means you have not signed out and back in yet. Sign out completely by clicking the time, then the power icon, then Sign out. Then sign back in with your new password. Do not just restart — you need to go through the sign-out step first.
Do I need to change my password on each device separately?
No. You change your Google Account password once at myaccount.google.com, and it takes effect everywhere. However, each device needs to sign out and sign back in to recognize the new password. Your Chromebook will not automatically know about the change until you sign out and back in.
Is there a way to change my password without going to myaccount.google.com?
Not directly from Chromebook settings — there is no password change option in the Chromebook settings menu. You must go to myaccount.google.com. This is by design, because your Chromebook password is your Google Account password, and Google manages that centrally.