How to do two step verification if I lost my phone?

Regaining Access to Your Account with Two-Step Verification After Losing Your Phone

Losing your phone can be a stressful experience, especially if it has critical information like your Google account credentials. However, it’s not impossible to reclaim your account if you’ve enabled two-step verification (2SV).

2SV adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to verify your identity using a second method, typically via a code sent to your phone. Unfortunately, this can become a hurdle if you lose access to your phone.

Alternative Verification Methods

Fortunately, Google provides alternative methods for verifying your account:

• Secondary Phone: If you have a secondary phone linked to your Google account, you can use it to receive verification codes.

• Registered Backup Phone Number: You can designate a backup phone number to receive verification codes if your primary phone is unavailable.

• Backup Codes: You can generate and store backup codes as an offline method of verification.

Steps to Reclaim Your Account

1. Choose an Accessible Method: Determine which alternative verification method you have access to (secondary phone, backup phone number, or backup codes).

2. Go to the Google Sign-In Page: Visit https://accounts.google.com/signin/recovery and follow the prompts.

3. Select “Try Another Way to Sign In”: If you’re prompted for your phone verification code, click “Try another way to sign in.”

4. Choose Your Verification Method: Select the alternative method that you can use and follow the on-screen instructions.

• Secondary Phone: Enter the phone number of your secondary phone and click “Continue.”

• Backup Phone Number: Enter the backup phone number you registered and click “Continue.”

• Backup Codes: Enter one of your backup codes and click “Continue.”

5. Verify and Reset: Once you’ve verified your identity, you’ll be prompted to reset your password. Create a new strong password and click “Save Password.”

6. Sign In to Your Account: You can now sign in to your Google account with your new password.

Security Recommendations

• Always keep your secondary phone or backup phone number up to date.
• Generate and store backup codes in a secure location.
• Consider using a password manager to securely store your passwords and backup codes.
• Be cautious of phishing attempts that try to trick you into revealing your verification code or backup codes.