You can always count on friends. Even when you can no longer access your Google Account.
Lost your phone or forgotten your password? Getting back into your Google Account isn’t so simple. In this situation, Google expects you to prove you’re the owner—for example, by receiving a one-time SMS code. That’s hard when you’ve lost your phone.
Fortunately, you can always rely on friends and family. Google is adding “Recovery Contacts” to Google Accounts. This lets you designate a trusted person as a recovery contact who can securely help you regain access to your account.
Step 1: Add a Recovery Contact
First, choose your recovery contacts; you can add more than one. Go to this page and enter your recovery contact’s email address. Google will then send a recovery contact request that’s valid for seven days. Once the request is confirmed, you’ll receive an update.
Step 2: Share a Code
If the situation arises and you no longer have access to your account, you can contact one of your recovery contacts for help and share a code. They’ll then receive a prompt to verify that it’s really you. After that, you’ll regain access to your account.
The recovery contact does not get access to your account or personal data; it’s purely an extra verification by a trusted person to help you regain access safely.