Google account password recovery.

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bigboy529

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Hi all
My dad created a Google account more than a year ago when he got a Android tablet. He got a new phone now and want to sign in with the same account, but have no idea what the password is or was.
He has no recovery email address or phone number set up on it.

When I click on forgot password it first asks me to enter my last remembered password, dad has no clue but we tried a few possibilities. Next it asks me what date the account was created, but dad also doesn't remember this, best guess is Feb 2016. Next step it asks me to enter another email address on which I can get a verification code, I enter my address, get the code, enter it.
But then it says that it couldn't verify that this account belongs to me and it throws me out.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can get this password recovered? He can still get mails sent to the address on his tablet, but any changes to the account requires that I enter the password so I can't go in to try set up a recovery phone number or email.

I never even knew that he had a Google account, if I was the one who set this up for him, it would have a recovery email address and phone number.
 
Keep trying the recovery process, but only answer the questions you are most sure of. At the very least it might jog his memory a bit, or you might get a question right that gives you access.
 
bigboy529 said:
He can still get mails sent to the address on his tablet, but any changes to the account requires that I enter the password so I can't go in to try set up a recovery phone number or email.
.
Click to expand...

How does he access his emails, ie what app does he use?

Does he use any other apps like chrome etc to login to google?
 
ponder said:
How does he access his emails, ie what app does he use?

Does he use any other apps like chrome etc to login to google?
Click to expand...



Will also double check if Chrome on the tablet is signed in to his Google account, should be.
 
bigboy529 said:
Hi all
My dad created a Google account more than a year ago when he got a Android tablet. He got a new phone now and want to sign in with the same account, but have no idea what the password is or was.
He has no recovery email address or phone number set up on it.

When I click on forgot password it first asks me to enter my last remembered password, dad has no clue but we tried a few possibilities. Next it asks me what date the account was created, but dad also doesn't remember this, best guess is Feb 2016. Next step it asks me to enter another email address on which I can get a verification code, I enter my address, get the code, enter it.
But then it says that it couldn't verify that this account belongs to me and it throws me out.

Does anyone have any ideas how I can get this password recovered? He can still get mails sent to the address on his tablet, but any changes to the account requires that I enter the password so I can't go in to try set up a recovery phone number or email.

I never even knew that he had a Google account, if I was the one who set this up for him, it would have a recovery email address and phone number.
Click to expand...

Try doing the password recovery directly on the tablet. Google might send the security prompts to it instead of asking for external security input.
 
bigboy529 said:
Will also double check if Chrome on the tablet is signed in to his Google account, should be.
Click to expand...

Then you're in luck I reckon ;)

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!msg/chrome/Q2Hibl0OnPs/F3BHsa5eqHoJ
To see passwords you’ve saved to Chrome through your Android device or PC, follow these instructions.

If you’re accessing the passwords through your Android device follow these steps:

1. Sign into Chrome by opening Chrome on your phone, clicking the menu (icon) on the top right corner, and signing in to your account.
2. Next, type in passwords.google.com into your address bar
3. Under the Saved passwords section your saved passwords will be listed. Click on any of those and your password will appear as a row of dots, if you click the eye symbol next to the dots, it will reveal the exact text of your password.
Click to expand...

I did steps 2-3 on my phone and it shows me my passwd.

Step 3 is gonna ask you for a passwd and when you tap on the passwd field it will bring up a list of accounts and select the gmail one and then tap the eye once the passwd field is populated with dots.

You might as well get the passwds for all the listed ccounts if he has more than one.
 
Last edited:
ponder said:
Then you're in luck I reckon ;)

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!msg/chrome/Q2Hibl0OnPs/F3BHsa5eqHoJ


I did steps 2-3 on my phone and it shows me my passwd.

Step 3 is gonna ask you for a passwd and when you tap on the passwd field it will bring up a list of accounts and select the gmail one and then tap the eye once the passwd field is populated with dots.

You might as well get the passwds for all the listed ccounts if he has more than one.
Click to expand...

Except that passwords.google.com requires the password he is trying to recover.

Otherwise it would be horribly insecure.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Except that passwords.google.com requires the password he is trying to recover.

Otherwise it would be horribly insecure.
Click to expand...

Exactly and that password is saved on the android tablet which you usually see as hidden ******. The password field gets populated from the tablet and when you tap on the eye it makes the ****** visible. Just try it for yourself and you'll see.

Remember that his tablet is working and logged into the accounts, he needs the password for his new phone.
 
ponder said:
Exactly and that password is saved on the android tablet which you usually see as hidden ******. The password field gets populated from the tablet and when you tap on the eye it makes the ****** visible. Just try it for yourself and you'll see.

Remember that his tablet is working and logged into the accounts, he needs the password for his new phone.
Click to expand...

If that is the case Android is even less secure than I thought.

Good thing I don’t use it then.
 
SauRoNZA said:
If that is the case Android is even less secure than I thought.

Good thing I don’t use it then.
Click to expand...

It's no different to your web browser on your PC.

This is the login page for google on my PC using Chrome,
Capture.PNG

You see those dots in the password field hiding the actual passwd from view? Well you can unhide it in all of 2-3 seconds!
 
You might be able to do a recovery via Google support

Ages ago they would request the most common recipients mailed as an added check and might be able to reset it for you.
 
ponder said:
It's no different to your web browser on your PC.

This is the login page for google on my PC using Chrome,
View attachment 464977

You see those dots in the password field hiding the actual passwd from view? Well you can unhide it in all of 2-3 seconds!
Click to expand...

Pretty sure my Chrome insists I put my password in to log into passwords.google.com but it could just be that I used to brain and told it never to remember the password that unlocks my entire universe.

I am however signed in and synced to Chrome and would honestly hope it's default behaviour NOT to remember that password in browser.

****

Unless that screenshot isn't from Chrome? Then it would make sense that whatever browser just goes with it.
 
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SauRoNZA said:
Pretty sure my Chrome insists I put my password in to log into passwords.google.com but it could just be that I used to brain and told it never to remember the password that unlocks my entire universe.

I am however signed in and synced to Chrome and would honestly hope it's default behaviour NOT to remember that password in browser.

****

Unless that screenshot isn't from Chrome? Then it would make sense that whatever browser just goes with it.
Click to expand...

And so does mine, the passwd field is blank when I open the site. I think there might be some misunderstand here. Would you prefer a live demonstration via teamviewer? :D

Yes that is from my chrome browser but it's not browser specific.

If your google password was never saved then you can't unhide it, in the OPs case it is from what I gather seeing as it auto logs in when you open the email client or chrome.
 
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ponder said:
And so does mine, the passwd field is blank when I open the site. I think there might be some misunderstand here. Would you prefer a live demonstration via teamviewer? :D

Yes that is from my chrome browser but it's not browser specific.

If your google password was never saved then you can't unhide it, in the OPs case it is from what I gather seeing as it auto logs in when you open the email client or chrome.
Click to expand...

Yes I'm purely referring to the authentication at passwords.google.com which you need to get past in order to un-hide all the other passwords.

If that one (password.google.com) is being saved by the browser it's a huge security risk and I would advise anyone to immediately stop allowing it.

******

You can still use the "rememebr me on this computer" option for other Google services. It will only ask you for it when accessing security features.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Yes I'm purely referring to the authentication at passwords.google.com which you need to get past in order to un-hide all the other passwords.
Click to expand...

No you don't and that is the whole 'trick' to recovering a password on a active device you have forgotten. I've never visited that site in my life before and I doubt many people are even aware of it's existence.
 
SauRoNZA said:
Yes I'm purely referring to the authentication at passwords.google.com which you need to get past in order to un-hide all the other passwords.

If that one (password.google.com) is being saved by the browser it's a huge security risk and I would advise anyone to immediately stop allowing it.

******

You can still use the "rememebr me on this computer" option for other Google services. It will only ask you for it when accessing security features.
Click to expand...
He's not talking about the passwords stored in google but about the password field. Normally it's hidden with stars or dots when you enter it but with a few simple tools or even an extension in the case of chrome you can unhide it and see the password.


In any case seeing as he still has access to the account it's possible to go into settings and see when it was created, or at least it used to be. Don't know where that option is hidden now but it still shows the date the password was changed which should be the creation date in his case.
 
Last edited:
Swa said:
He's not talking about the passwords stored in google but about the password field. Normally it's hidden with stars or dots when you enter it but with a few simple tools or even an extension in the case of chrome you can unhide it and see the password.
Click to expand...

Not even needed, highlight all the dots, right click on them and select 'inspect element'
Code: 
<input type="password"
and change password to text, click back on the page and it gives you the passwd in plain text
 
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