Gmail Help

Some tips to help keep your Google account safe:

• Always sign out when you've finished reading your mail.
• Only select Stay signed in if you're signing in from a personal computer.

Checking the box next to Stay signed in on the Gmail login page will automatically sign you in each time you visit mail.google.com. This makes for easier access to Gmail, but if you check your email from a computer that other people have access to, automatically signing in may not be the best option.

When you check the box and sign in, Gmail sets a cookie (lasting two weeks) to remember you when you return to the site from the same computer. To disable the cookie, just click Sign out at the top of any Gmail page. You'll need to re-enter your username and password when you return to Gmail.

We encourage you to sign out of Gmail at the end of each session to protect the security of your email information. Signing out of Gmail is especially important if you check your email on a public computer. To end your Gmail session, just click Sign out at the top of any Gmail page.

• Clear forms, passwords, cache, and cookies in your browser on a regular basis - especially on a public computer.

For instructions, please select your browser below:

Firefox

In Firefox for PCs:

1. Log out of Gmail and close all other open browser windows.
2. Click the Tools menu at the top of your browser and select Clear Private Data...
3. Select the Cookies and Cache checkboxes.
4. Click Clear Private Data Now.

In Firefox for Macs:

1. Log out of Gmail and close all other open browser windows.
2. Click the Firefox menu at the top of your browser and select Preferences...
3. Select the Privacy tab.
4. Click Clear Now... at the bottom of the dialogue box.
5. Check the boxes next to Cache and Cookies in the new dialogue box.
6. Click Clear Private Data Now.

Internet Explorer

In Internet Explorer 6.x:

1. Log out of Gmail. Close all other open browser windows.
2. Click the Tools menu at the top of your browser, and select Internet Options.
3. Click the General tab at the top of the dialogue box.
4. Click Delete Files under Temporary Internet files.
5. Select Delete all offline content by checking the box.
6. Click OK.

In Internet Explorer 7:

1. Log out of Gmail and close all other open browser windows.
2. Click Tools > Internet Options.
3. Select the General tab.
4. Click Delete under Browsing History.
5. Under Temporary Internet Files, click Delete Files.
6. Click Delete Cookies.
7. Click OK.

Mozilla

In Mozilla:

1. Log out of Gmail. Close all other open browser windows.
2. Click the Edit menu at the top of your browser, and select Preferences.
3. Click the + next to Advanced.
4. Select Cache under Advanced.
5. Click Clear Cache.
6. Click OK.

Netscape

In Netscape:

1. Log out of Gmail. Close all other open browser windows.
2. Click the Edit menu at the top of your browser, and select Preferences.
3. Click the + next to Advanced.
4. Select Cache under Advanced.
5. Click Clear Cache.
6. Click OK.

Safari

In Safari:

1. Log out of Gmail. Close all other open browser windows.
2. Open the Safari menu on your browser's toolbar.
3. Select Empty Cache.
4. Click Empty in the dialogue box.

Other browsers

We're sorry, but other browsers are not fully supported by Gmail, and may not work properly with all Gmail features and functions.

We suggest using Google Chrome, Internet Explorer 6+, Mozilla Firefox 1.0+, or Safari 3.0+ for the best Gmail experience.

• Keep secrets! Never tell anyone your password, or your secret question and answer; if you do tell someone, change it as soon as possible.
• Choose a good password and security question and answer.
  • Don't write this information down anywhere
  • Never send this information by email
  • Never reuse your Gmail password for an account on another website
  • Periodically change your password, and your security question and answer

    To change your password or security question:

    1. Click Settings at the top of any Gmail page, and open the Accounts and Import tab.
    2. Click Google Account settings.
    3. In the new window, click Change password or Change secret question under the Personal information option.
    4. Complete the form and click Save to make your changes.

• Download the free Google Pack, which includes Mozilla's Firefox browser as well as antivirus and anti-spyware utilities that can help keep your computer safe.
• Never give out your gmail password after following a link sent to you in an email. Access gmail directly by typing mail.google.com in your browser's address bar.

For more information on account security, please see our Privacy and Security topic.