How to Make a Gmail Account Using a Desktop or Mobile Device

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Do you want to make a new free Google email account? You can set up a new Gmail account for yourself, your child, or your job in just a few minutes. Creating a Gmail account will also generate a Google account , so you'll get access to other features such as Sheets , Docs , and the ability to sync your web browsing sessions on Chrome. This wikiHow will show you how to create a new Gmail address using your computer, Android, iPhone, or iPad.

Creating a Gmail Account: The Basics

  • You can create a Gmail account for yourself, your child, or your business.
  • On desktop, go to the accounts page . Click "Create account". Enter your name, a Gmail address, password, and account recovery options.
  • On a phone or tablet, open the Gmail app. Tap "Sign in" → "Google" → "Continue" → "Create account".
Section 1 of 3:

Using a Computer

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  1. 1
    Go to https://accounts.google.com in a browser. This will open the Google Account sign-in page. [1]
    • If you already have a Google account, you’ll need to sign out before you can continue.
  2. 2
    Click Create account . You’ll find this small blue link near the bottom of the page, next to the Next button.
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  3. 3
    Select your account type from the menu. A menu will pop up with a few options to choose from. Select either For my personal use , For my child , or For work or my business .
    • If you’re trying to create a business account, you might want to consider signing up for a Google Workspace account instead.
    • The process for creating a child’s account is very similar to creating a personal account for yourself. You’ll need to provide information such as your child’s name, birthdate, and desired email address. However, you’ll also need to sign in with your Gmail account to provide parental consent for their account. [2]
  4. 4
    Enter your first and last name. Type your first name into the "First name" text box, then enter your last name in the "Last name" box underneath it.
    • You must enter a first name, but the last name is optional.
    • If you're creating a Gmail account for a friend or a child, enter their information in the fields provided.
  5. 5
    Enter your birth date and gender. On the next page, you’ll be prompted to provide your birthdate (month, day, and year) and gender. If you don’t identify as male or female, select Custom to see additional options. You can also select Rather not say . Click Next when you’re done.
    • Google asks for your birthdate because some Google services have specific age requirements. Google may also use this information to personalize your experience. [3]
    • If you decide to provide your gender, Google will use this information to personalize your account—e.g., by using your preferred pronouns in text that refers to you. [4]
  6. 6
    Select or create a custom email address. On the next page, you’ll be offered some automatically generated email addresses based on your name. If you don’t want any of those, select Create your own Gmail address and type in your preferred username. You can use a combination of letters, numbers, and periods. This is the text that will appear before “@gmail.com” in your email address. Click Next when you’re done.
    • You must enter a unique username that isn't being used by someone else. If it's taken, you'll see: That username is taken. Try another.
    • If the username you want is taken, add a number at the end or change the spelling.
    • Sometimes Google will reject a username if it’s extremely similar to one that somebody else is using (even if there are slight differences), if someone else had that username in the past and then deleted it, or if Google has reserved the name to prevent abuse or spam. [5]
  7. 7
    Enter and confirm your new password. Type your preferred password into the "Password" text box, then type the same password into the "Confirm" box underneath it. Check the Show password box to see what you are typing. Click Next when you’re done.
    • These passwords must match before you can proceed. Make sure to use a strong password to avoid any unauthorized access to your account.
  8. 8
    Enter a recovery email. Google will contact you at your recovery email address if something goes wrong with your new account—e.g. if you get locked out or Google detects unusual activity from your address. Click Next when you’re done.
    • If you don’t have an alternate email, or if you’d rather set up recovery options later, click Skip .
  9. 9
    Review your info and select Next . On the next page, you’ll see your new account name and email address. If it looks good, click Next .
    • Otherwise, you can use your browser’s Back button to go back and make changes to the information you entered in the previous steps.
  10. 10
    Agree to the Terms of Service. On the next page, you’ll be prompted to agree to Google’s terms and privacy policy. Once you’ve reviewed them, click I agree .
    • If you change your mind, click Cancel instead.
  11. 11
    Confirm your personalization options. A window will pop up asking if you want to agree to Google’s personalization options. Click Confirm to continue, or select More options to change your settings.
  12. 12
    Customize your account settings. Once you verify your new address, you’ll be taken to the Google Account home page. From here, you can adjust settings such as:
    • Your account recovery information. Add a recovery email here if you didn’t already, or add a phone number so you have two recovery options.
    • Set a home address for a more personalized experience. For example, Google will show you weather reports and map results based on your address.
    • Adjust your privacy and security settings and review privacy recommendations for your account.
    • Add contacts or set up a family group.
  13. 13
    Go to https://mail.google.com to access your Gmail. You should be automatically logged into your new account. If not, you’ll be prompted to sign in. The first time you visit this page, you’ll see options to customize your inbox, set a profile image, and add or import contacts.
    • To write and send an email, click Compose in the top left corner.
    • To see your emails, click the Inbox tab on the left side of the page. Use the tabs at the top of your inbox on the right to view different categories such as regular emails (in Primary ), marketing related emails (in Promotions ), or email notifications from various social media platforms (in Social ).
    • In the menu on the left, you can also browse your drafts, sent emails, scheduled messages, your spam folder, and more.
    • Adjust your settings by clicking the Settings icon at the top right side of the page.
    • To sign out of your account, tap your initial or profile picture at the top right corner of the page, then select Sign Out .
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Section 2 of 3:

Using the Gmail App on Mobile

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  1. Gmail is available for iOS in the App Store and for Android in the Google Play Store . Once you've installed the app, you can easily create a Gmail account.
    • On iPhone or iPad: Open the App Store. Tap Search and enter Gmail . Tap Get .
    • On Android: Open the Google Play Store. Tap the search bar at the top of the screen and enter Gmail . Tap INSTALL , then ACCEPT .
  2. 2
    Open the Gmail app. This looks like a multicolored M with a white background.
    • You cannot create an account for a child using this method, but you can using the use the desktop method . However, you can create a business email in the mobile app.
  3. 3
    Tap Sign In . You’ll see this option at the bottom of the screen when you first open the app.
  4. This will be at the very top, underneath Set up email .
    • An alert may pop up telling you that Gmail wants you to sign in with google.com. Tap Continue to allow this.
  5. 5
    Tap Create account . You’ll see this option under the text field for your email address or phone number.
  6. 6
    Tap For my personal use . This will be in the drop-down menu.
    • If you’re making a work email, tap For work or my business instead.
  7. [7]
    • Use the first field to enter your first name. You can enter a last name, but this is optional.
  8. Tap the "Gender" drop-down box, then select one of the gender options in the resulting drop-down menu.
    • To enter your birthday, tap the "Month" drop-down box to select the month, and then type the day and year into the "Day" and "Year" text boxes, respectively.
  9. 9
    Create your Gmail address and tap Next . Google will list some available options for you to choose from. Tap an option or tap Create your own Gmail address to enter your own.
    • When creating a username, you can use letters, numbers, and periods. This is the name that appears before the "@gmail.com" section of the address. This email address must be unique or you won't be able to continue.
  10. Enter a password into the Password field. Try to use a strong password with unique symbols. [8]
    • Tap the box next to Show password to toggle password visibility.
  11. 11
    Enter your phone number. You’ll need to do this to verify your account. Enter your number and tap Next . You’ll get a verification code on your phone.
  12. 12
    Enter the verification code. Check your text messages for a verification code. Copy and paste or type in the numbers after the initial “G-”.
  13. 13
    Review your information and tap Next . If you’re satisfied with your name, email address, and recovery phone number, tap Next . You can also use the back arrow at the bottom of the screen to go back and change your information.
  14. You must agree to Google's Privacy and Terms to create an account, so scroll down and tap I agree .
    • You can personalize your Google experience by tapping More Options . You can customize your Web & App Activity , Ad personalization , and YouTube History .
    • If you’re satisfied with the default personalization options, tap Confirm in the alert that pops up.
    • If you aren't automatically logged into your new Gmail account, tap Sign in on the bottom to do so. You'll now be able to use Gmail on your mobile device. You can add contacts and create folders .
  15. 15
    Explore your new inbox. Once you sign in, you’ll be taken to your inbox. Tap the blue Compose button to write a new email, or browse your inbox folders using the menu on the left side of the screen.
    • Scroll down in the left-side menu and tap Settings to customize things like which apps are enabled in Gmail (e.g., Chat and Meet) and which inboxes send you notifications. You’ll also see a variety of inbox customization options.
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Section 3 of 3:

Common Questions

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  1. 1
    Can I have more than one Gmail account? Yes, you can create as many Gmail accounts as you like. You can also add multiple accounts to one device.
    • In the Gmail app, tap your profile picture and select Add another account . Follow the instructions onscreen to log in or create another account.
    • In a browser, click your profile picture in the top right corner of the page and select Add account .
    • You can easily toggle between different connected accounts by tapping or clicking your profile picture and selecting one of your other accounts.
  2. 2
    Is Gmail free? Personal Gmail accounts are free. However, if your inbox tends to fill up quickly, you might wish to upgrade to a Google One subscription plan. This will give you extra storage space in the cloud for emails, Google Drive files, and more.
    • You can see the different plan options here . The free plan comes with 15 GB of storage space, while the basic subscription gives you 100 GB.
  3. 3
    How do I sign out of my Gmail account? If you’re using Gmail in a web browser, click your profile picture in the top right corner, then click Sign Out . It’s slightly more complicated in the mobile app, since you have to fully remove your Google account from the device:
    • Tap your profile picture and select Manage accounts on this device .
    • Tap Remove from this device below the account you want to sign out of.
    • You will now be logged out of all Google apps and services on your device. You’ll need to add the account back to sign in again.
  4. 4
    Can I access my Gmail account from other email apps? Yes, you can add your Gmail account to a variety of other apps. For example, you can:
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wikiHow Video: How to Create a Gmail Account

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References

  1. ↑ https://support.google.com/mail/answer/56256?hl=en
  2. ↑ https://support.google.com/families/answer/7103338?hl=en
  3. ↑ https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/1733224?hl=en
  4. ↑ https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/27442?sjid=7070366728872367191-NC#gender&zippy=%2Cgender
  5. ↑ https://support.google.com/mail/answer/56256?hl=en
  6. ↑ https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6078445?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DiOS&oco=0
  7. ↑ https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/27441?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid
  8. ↑ https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/27441?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid

About This Article

Article Summary X

To create a Gmail account on a computer, go to accounts.google.com/SignUp in a web browser. Type your first and last name into the blanks, and then create a username. Your username can contain letters, numbers, and periods, but no other special characters. If the username you enter is taken, try modifying it slightly, or choose one of the suggestions from Google. Create a secure password and click Next . Now, enter your phone number. When you click Next , Google will text you a 6-digit verification code. When you receive the code, type it into the blank and click Verify . Enter a recovery email, and select your birthdate and gender. Click Next . If you want to link your phone number to your Gmail account, click Yes, I'm in . If not, click Skip . Last, read through the terms and click I agree to create your account. You can access your new Gmail inbox at www.gmail.com. If you're using a phone or tablet, download Gmail from the Play Store on an Android, or the App Store on an iPhone or iPad. Once downloaded, open the Gmail app. If you're signed in with a different Gmail account, tap your profile icon and select Add account . If not, tap Sign in . Now, select Google , tap Create account , and then choose For myself . Enter your name, tap Next , and then your birthdate and gender. Tap Next again, and select one of the suggested Gmail addresses, or choose Create your own to create a custom username. Tap Next . Create a password and tap Next . To add a phone number to your account, enter it, and then tap Yes, I'm in . If not, tap Skip . If you entered a phone number, enter the 6-digit code you received in the text message from Google and tap Next to confirm. Review your account information, and tap Next . Finally, agree to the privacy policy to complete your account setup.

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Reader Success Stories

  • Amya Samone

    Jun 8, 2016

    "Helped me by telling me that I have to go through all the security standards in order to have a Gmail account."
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