How to Set Up a Gmail Account

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This wikiHow teaches you how to create a brand new Gmail account on a computer, phone, or tablet.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Signing Up on an iPhone or iPad

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  1. You’ll usually find this app on the home screen.
  2. It’s near the middle of the menu.
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  3. It’s at the bottom of the ″ACCOUNTS″ section.
  4. It’s near the center of the menu.
  5. It’s at the bottom of the page.
    • If you already have a Gmail account and want to connect it to your iPhone, type your username, tap Next , and then follow the on-screen instructions to sign in.
  6. Type your first name into the first blank, and your last name into the second blank.
  7. Use the drop-down menus to select the month, day, and year of your birthday. Then, tap the Gender drop-down to choose the best fit.
  8. This is the name that will come before the ″@gmail.com″ part of your email address.
    • If the username you want is taken, keep trying other options until you find one that works.
  9. Your password must be at least 8 characters long, and should contain letters, numbers, and symbols. Type it the same into both boxes to confirm.
  10. Google needs your phone number so it can send you a verification code to enter on the next screen.
  11. If your phone number is already connected to another Google account, tap Continue when prompted.
  12. Tapping I agree confirms that you agree to all of the terms included listed. Your new Google account is now created.
  13. You’ve now added your new Gmail account to your iPhone or iPad.
    • If you want to receive your Gmail messages in the Mail app, slide the ″Mail″ switch to the On
      iPhone Switch On Icon
      position and tap Save . If you’d prefer to use the Gmail app, slide it Off
      iPhone Switch Off Icon
      and tap Save .
  14. If you want to use Gmail’s official app to send and receive messages, download it from the App Store . Once the app is downloaded, open it, and then follow the on-screen instructions to sign in.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Signing Up on an Android

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  1. You’ll usually find it on the home screen or in the app drawer.
  2. The name of this option will vary depending on your Android. A list of accounts will appear.
  3. It’s at the bottom of the list.
  4. This opens the Google sign-in screen.
  5. It’s at the bottom of the form.
    • If you already have a Gmail account and want to connect it to your Android, type your username, tap Next , and then follow the on-screen instructions to sign in.
  6. Type your first name into the first blank, and your last name into the second blank.
  7. Use the drop-down menus to select the month, day, and year of your birthday. Then, select a gender from the drop-down.
  8. This is the name that will come before the ″@gmail.com″ part of your email address.
    • If the username you want is taken, keep trying other options until you find one that works.
  9. Your password must be at least 8 characters long, and should contain letters, numbers, and symbols. Type it the same into both boxes to confirm.
  10. Google needs your phone number so it can send a verification code to enter on the next screen.
  11. If your phone number is already connected to another Google account, you’ll have to tap Continue creating a new account to proceed.
  12. Tapping I agree confirms that you agree to all of the terms included listed. Your new Google account is now created.
  13. You’ve now added your new Gmail account to your Android.
  14. Once you’ve added the account, add it the Gmail app. Here’s how:
    • Open Gmail (it’s usually on the home screen and/or in the app drawer).
    • Tap the ≡ menu at the top-left corner.
    • Tap your old Gmail account (the one you’re logged into the Android with).
    • Tap Manage accounts .
    • Tap your new account. If it doesn’t already appear, tap Manage accounts , and then follow the on-screen instructions to sign in now.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Signing Up on a Computer

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  1. You can use any browser to create a Gmail account, including Microsoft Edge, Safari, Chrome, or Firefox.
  2. Navigate to https://www.gmail.com .
    • If you or somebody else is already logged into a Gmail account in this browser, click the profile photo at the top-right corner of the page, click Sign Out , and then click Use another account near the center of the page.
  3. It’s at the top-right corner of the page.
    • If someone was already logged in to Gmail, click Create account below the ″Sign in″ area at the center of the page.
  4. On the right side of the web page, you see a few empty text fields. This is where you are going to put our personal information, as listed below:
    • Enter your first and last name into the top two blanks.
    • Type your desired username. This will be the first part of your Gmail address (the part that comes before ″@gmail.com″).
    • Type a password into the first blank. Make sure the password has at least 8 characters, with a mix of letters, symbols, and numbers. Don’t reuse a password from another site.
    • Retype the password into the ″Confirm password″ blank.
  5. It’s the blue button below the form. As long as the username is not already taken, you’ll be brought to another page to confirm more details.
    • If the username you chose was already taken, you’ll see a message that says so beneath the ″Username″ blank. Try typing a different username, or click one of Google’s suggestions.
  6. Google needs to send you an SMS text message to confirm your new account. This text will contain a code you must enter on the next screen.
  7. Once the code is verified, you’ll be prompted to fill out another form.
  8. These are additional details that are required to set up your account:
    • Enter another email address you have access to into the ″Recovery email address″ field. This is optional, but it ensures that you’ll be able to recover your Gmail password if you ever lose it.
    • Enter the month, year, and date you were born.
    • Select your gender from the drop-down menu.
  10. If you want to include your phone number in your account information, click Yes, I’m in , and then follow the on-screen instructions. If not, click Skip .
  11. You can’t create an account without reading these terms. Scroll down to the bottom of the terms after reading to activate the ″I agree″ button.
  12. It’s the blue button at the bottom of the page. Your Gmail account is now active. Once the finishing touches are placed on your account, you’ll be redirected to your Gmail inbox.
    • Click Next on the welcome screen to view the Gmail tutorial.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Someone has set up a fake Gmail account to send me unwanted emails and harass me - how can I find out who this is?
    Community Answer
    Generally, you can't. You can, however, report their email as spam and set up a filter to block them.
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