Gmail Help

We apologize for any inconvenience you're experiencing by not being able to access Gmail. To resolve this issue as quickly as possible, please follow the troubleshooting steps below. Following the instructions exactly will help ensure the best results.

What's preventing you from accessing Gmail? I forgot my password I forgot my username My account has been compromised My password doesn't seem to be working Loading issues Another error or problem

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What happens when you try to load your inbox? I see 'Loading...' or 'This seems to be taking longer than usual' I'm returned to the login page without an error I'm shown a blank white page My browser refreshes the page or the 'Loading...' bar multiple times I'm shown garbled symbols and text, not my inbox Another error or problem

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Please select your error below. 'Temporary Error (502)' 'Account Lockdown: Unusual Activity Detected' 'Page cannot be displayed' I'm locked out after using POP or IMAP Certificate error 'We're sorry...' (error 403) My issue isn't listed here

Certificate errors are typically caused by an incorrect date or time in your operating system's calendar.

To set your Date and Time Properties in Windows, please follow these steps:

1. Double-click the time in your taskbar to open the Date & Time Properties menu.
2. From the Date & Time tab, verify that the appropriate month, day, and year are selected.
3. Click Apply to save any changes you make.
4. From the Time Zone tab, verify that your time zone is selected. If the time zone in which you are located is not displayed, select your time zone from the drop-down menu.
5. Verify that the box beside Automatically adjust clock for daylight savings changes is checked.
6. Click OK.
7. Close all your browser windows, restart your browser and try signing in again.

To set your date and time on a Mac, follow these steps:

1. Click the Apple icon in the top left corner of your menu bar.
2. Select System Preferences...
3. In the System section, click Date & Time and verify that the appropriate month, day, and year are selected.
4. From the Time Zone tab, verify that your time zone is selected.
5. Close all your browser windows, restart your browser and try signing in again.

Please note that the password field is case-sensitive, so make sure you're using the correct capitalization and check to see if Caps Lock is on. You don't have to worry about being locked out for trying to sign in too many times since Gmail doesn't limit your attempts.

Also, unless you're using an alternate username, be sure to enter only your username (everything before '@gmail.com') in the Username field. Include any dots (.) that you used in the username during the Gmail address creation process, but do not use any spaces or '@' signs. Please note that spaces, hyphens, and underscores aren't valid characters in Gmail usernames, and all usernames must be at least six characters long.

If you're still unable to sign in, please begin with these steps:

1. Visit our password recovery page.
2. Enter your username.
3. Click Submit.

If Gmail accepted your username, you'll now see a CAPTCHA (letters in a distorted picture).

Did Gmail accept your username? Yes No, I got an error

To recover your Gmail password, please begin with these steps:

1. Visit our password recovery page.
2. Enter your username.
3. Click Submit.

If Gmail accepted your username, you'll now see a CAPTCHA (letters in a distorted picture).

Did Gmail accept your username? Yes No, I got an error

Good. Please answer the CAPTCHA and click Submit.

A message will be sent to the secondary address you listed for your account. Please wait a few minutes, then check any email addresses you might have listed as your secondary address.

Did a password reset message arrive at your secondary address? Yes, I received the password reset message No, I didn't receive the message I don't have a secondary email address

If you received the password reset message at your secondary address, follow the instructions to reset your password. You will then be able to access Gmail!

Start by waiting one minute and refreshing the page of your secondary email account. If you still can not find the password reset message, check your Spam and Trash folders to ensure that your provider hasn't filtered our email. If you still can't find it, you'll need to answer your security question. To answer your security question, do not attempt to sign in to Gmail for 24 hours. Please note: accessing Gmail via POP, IMAP, mobile, or with other Google products is considered activity.

It's been 24 hours since I last tried to sign in to Gmail, including Gmail for mobile, POP, IMAP, or Gmail with other Google products

You'll now have a chance to answer your security question.

1. Visit the password recovery page.
2. Enter your username.
3. Click Submit.
4. Answer the CAPTCHA.
5. Click Submit.

You should now be presented with your security question. Please answer it.

Were you able to successfully answer your security question? Yes No

If you answered your security question successfully, you'll be directed to our password reset page. Follow the steps provided and you'll be able to access Gmail again!

If you're unable to answer your security question and you listed an alternate email address when you signed up for Gmail, a link will appear at the bottom of the security question results page.

Did a link appear at the bottom of the security question results page? Yes No

Please click the link. A password reset message will be sent to your secondary email address. Please check your secondary address for password reset instructions.

Did a password reset message arrive at your secondary address? Yes No I don't have a secondary address

Please try to answer the security question given. If you're still unable to answer the security question and are sure you're the correct owner of the address, contact us and provide as much information as possible to help us investigate your issue.

Please try to answer the security question given. If you're still unable to answer the security question and are sure you're the correct owner of the address, contact us and provide as much information as possible to help us investigate your issue.

Please try to answer the security question given. If you're still unable to answer the security question and are sure you're the correct owner of the address, contact us and provide as much information as possible to help us investigate your issue.

Be sure to enter your username (everything before '@gmail.com') in the Username field. Include any dots (.) that you used in the username during the Gmail address set-up process, but do not use any spaces or '@' signs. Please note that spaces, hyphens, and underscores aren't valid characters in Gmail usernames, and all usernames must be at least six characters long.

In order to proceed with resetting your password, you'll need to stop making login attempts. Please allow 24 hours since your last login attempt then visit the page again. Please note: accessing Gmail via POP, IMAP, mobile, or with other Google products is considered activity.

It's been 24 hours since I last tried to sign in to Gmail, including Gmail for mobile, POP, IMAP, or Gmail with other Google products

If you can't remember your username, follow these steps to retrieve it:

1. Visit the username recovery page.
2. Enter your secondary email address in the Email: field.
3. Click Submit.
4. Type the letters in the distorted picture in the appropriate field, and click Submit.
5. A list of any usernames associated with that secondary email address will be sent to the address you provided.

If you didn't enter an alternate email address when you created your Gmail address, but you were invited to Gmail, you may be able to retrieve your username by clicking the link in your Gmail invitation.

If you didn't use an invitation to sign up for Gmail and didn't list a secondary address when you created your Gmail address, please ask any contacts you've sent messages to to verify what your username is.

If you're seeing a 'Temporary Error (502)' message when you try to sign in, it means that Gmail is temporarily unavailable. These errors generally resolve themselves within a few minutes, so please wait a bit before trying to sign in again. Please note that while your inbox is inacessible, your messages and account information are safe.

If you continue to see this error over an extended period of time, please let us know so we can look into the issue.

If you get stuck on 'Loading...' and are directed to our basic HTML version of Gmail, please use our troubleshooter for step-by-step instructions to resolve the issue.

If you get stuck on a blank white page, please use our troubleshooter for step-by-step instructions to resolve the issue.

Internet security, firewall and anti-virus applications can prevent Gmail from working correctly.

Please select any applications you have installed for further instructions. BellSouth Internet Security eTrust EZ Firewall Freedom Privacy and Security Kerio McAfee Norton Proxomitron Telus ZoneAlarm Pro None of the above

We suggest seeing if a browser extension or toolbar may be causing the problem. Browser extensions and toolbars are intended to enhance browser functionality, but they can interfere with Gmail.

Please select any extensions you have installed for further instructions. Better Gmail Firebug FunWebProducts My Web Search Toolbar None of the above

Please disable your BellSouth Popup Blocker by following these steps:

1. Click Start from your system tray and select Run...
2. Type cmd and click Okay.
3. Type cd c:Program Files//BellSouth/BellSouth Internet Security and press Enter.
4. Type regsvr32.exe/u pkr.dll and press Enter.

If the above steps didn't resolve the issue, you can see if a browser extension or toolbar may be causing the problem. Browser extensions and toolbars are intended to enhance browser functionality, but they can interfere with Gmail.

Please select any extensions you have installed for further instructions. Better Gmail Firebug FunWebProducts My Web Search Toolbar None of the above

Please follow these steps to adjust your EZ Firewall security settings:

1. Open EZ Firewall.
2. Click Privacy, then Site List.
3. Add gmail.com and google.com to your list.
4. Right-click the red x under Cookie Control: 3rd Party, and select Allow for both sites.

If the above steps didn't resolve the issue, you can see if a browser extension or toolbar may be causing the problem. Browser extensions and toolbars are intended to enhance browser functionality, but they can interfere with Gmail.

Please select any extensions you have installed for further instructions. Better Gmail Firebug FunWebProducts My Web Search Toolbar None of the above

To use Gmail with Freedom, please follow these steps:

1. Click the Start button in your operating system's taskbar.
2. Select Settings, and click Control Panel.
3. Open Internet Options, and click the Advanced tab.
4. Remove the check next to Enable third party browser extensions under the Browsing header.

If the above steps didn't resolve the issue, you can see if a browser extension or toolbar may be causing the problem. Browser extensions and toolbars are intended to enhance browser functionality, but they can interfere with Gmail.

Please select any extensions you have installed for further instructions. Better Gmail Firebug FunWebProducts My Web Search Toolbar None of the above

To use Kerio Internet Security Software with Gmail:

1. Add mail.google.com to Kerio's site exceptions list.
2. Exit and restart Kerio.
3. Clear your browser's cache.
4. Restart your browser and log in to Gmail.

If the above steps didn't resolve the issue, you can see if a browser extension or toolbar may be causing the problem. Browser extensions and toolbars are intended to enhance browser functionality, but they can interfere with Gmail.

Please select any extensions you have installed for further instructions. Better Gmail Firebug FunWebProducts My Web Search Toolbar None of the above

To use Gmail with McAfee products, please follow these steps:

1. Open your McAfee security, privacy, or firewall software.
2. Find your preferences for cookies, and set www.google.com and mail.google.com as allowed.

If the above steps didn't resolve the issue, you can see if a browser extension or toolbar may be causing the problem. Browser extensions and toolbars are intended to enhance browser functionality, but they can interfere with Gmail.

Please select any extensions you have installed for further instructions. Better Gmail Firebug FunWebProducts My Web Search Toolbar None of the above

To use Gmail with Norton products, you may have to create a specific rule allowing pop-ups on the Gmail website.

Here's how to create a rule with 2003 Norton products:

1. Open your Norton software.
2. Click Options and select Web Content.
3. Select Add Site, and enter gmail.google.com.
4. Click the User Settings tab, and uncheck Use Ad Blocking settings.
5. Select Permit.

If you're using 2004 Norton products:

1. Open your Norton software.
2. Highlight Ad Blocking and select Configure.
3. Click Advanced.
4. Click Web Contents, and select Add Site.
5. Enter gmail.google.com.
6. Click the User Settings tab, and uncheck Use Ad Blocking settings.
7. Select Permit.

And for 2005 or 2006 Norton products:

1. Open Internet Explorer.
2. Log in to Gmail at http://mail.google.com.
3. Click the NIS (2005 products) or Norton Internet Security (2006 products) icon on your browser's toolbar.
4. Uncheck the box next to Block pop-ups from this website.
5. Restart Internet Explorer.

If you'd like to disable the Norton 2006 pop-up blocker, just follow these steps:

1. Open the Norton 2006 program installed on your computer.
2. From the Options drop-down menu, select Norton Antispam.
3. Click General under Ad Blocking.
4. Uncheck the box next to Turn on Pop-up Window Blocking.
5. Click OK.

If the above steps didn't resolve the issue, you can see if a browser extension or toolbar may be causing the problem. Browser extensions and toolbars are intended to enhance browser functionality, but they can interfere with Gmail.

Please select any extensions you have installed for further instructions. Better Gmail Firebug FunWebProducts My Web Search Toolbar None of the above

To use Gmail with Proxomitron, you may need to change some web settings. Please disable the following options in Proxomitron:

• Kill pop-up windows
• Restore pop-ups after a page loads
• Suppress all JavaScript errors
• Stop browser window resizing

If the above steps didn't resolve the issue, you can see if a browser extension or toolbar may be causing the problem. Browser extensions and toolbars are intended to enhance browser functionality, but they can interfere with Gmail.

Please select any extensions you have installed for further instructions. Better Gmail Firebug FunWebProducts My Web Search Toolbar None of the above

To use Gmail with Telus, please follow these steps:

1. Click the Start button in your operating system's taskbar.
2. Select Settings, and click Control Panel.
3. Open Internet Options, and click the Advanced tab.
4. Uncheck the box next to Enable third party browser extensions under the Browsing header.

If the above steps didn't resolve the issue, you can see if a browser extension or toolbar may be causing the problem. Browser extensions and toolbars are intended to enhance browser functionality, but they can interfere with Gmail.

Please select any extensions you have installed for further instructions. Better Gmail Firebug FunWebProducts My Web Search Toolbar None of the above

To use ZoneAlarm Pro with Gmail:

1. Open ZoneAlarm Pro, and click Privacy.
2. Click Site List, and then click Add.
3. Enter mail.google.com.
4. Click the X under Persistent Cookie Control for mail.google.com.
5. Set the cookie control to Allowed.
6. Clear your browser's cache, and log in to Gmail.

If the above steps didn't resolve the issue, you can see if a browser extension or toolbar may be causing the problem. Browser extensions and toolbars are intended to enhance browser functionality, but they can interfere with Gmail.

Please select any extensions you have installed for further instructions. Better Gmail Firebug FunWebProducts My Web Search Toolbar None of the above

We're glad to hear your problem has been resolved. Return to Gmail.

For the best Gmail performance, we suggest disabling Firebug for www.google.com.

Windows or Linux Users

To disable Firebug:

1. Open the Firebug pane in your Gmail tab by clicking the Firebug icon.
2. Click the down arrow next to the Net tab, and select Disable monitor for mail.google.com
3. Repeat Step 2 on the Console and Script tabs.

If you'd like to keep Firebug running, you may improve Gmail performance by following these steps:

1. Click the green or red icon in the bottom right corner of the browser window to open Firebug.
2. Click the Console tab.
3. Select Options.
4. Uncheck Show XMLHttpRequests.
5. Click the Net tab.
6. Select Options.
7. Check Disable Network Monitoring.

Mac Users

To disable Firebug:

1. Click the green or red icon in the bottom right corner of the browser window to open Firebug.
2. Click the bug icon in the top left corner of Firebug and select 'Disable Firebug for mail.google.com.'

If disabling Firebug for Gmail doesn't improve performance results, you may have to entirely disable Firebug.

If you're still experiencing problems, clearing your browser's cache and cookies can resolve many issues in Gmail. Select your browser below for instructions.

What browser do you use? Firefox Internet Explorer Safari None of the above

The Better Gmail browser extension may interfere with Gmail. If you are experiencing problems, please upgrade to Better Gmail 2

If you're still experiencing problems, clearing your browser's cache and cookies can resolve many issues in Gmail. Select your browser below for instructions.

What browser do you use? Firefox Internet Explorer Safari None of the above

The My Web Search Toolbar and FunWebProducts may interfere with Gmail. If you are experiencing problems, please follow these instructions to uninstall the software:

1. Click Start on your Windows taskbar.
2. Select Settings, then select Control Panel.
3. Double-click Add or Remove Programs.
4. Select My Web Search Bar or FunWebProducts and click Remove.

If you're still experiencing problems, clearing your browser's cache and cookies can resolve many issues in Gmail. Select your browser below for instructions.

What browser do you use? Firefox Internet Explorer Safari None of the above

Clearing your browser's cache and cookies can resolve many issues in Gmail. Select your browser below for instructions.

What browser do you use? Firefox Internet Explorer Safari None of the above

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.

If clearing your browser's cache and cookies didn't fix the problem, visiting the secure site may resolve the issue.

Gmail offers an encrypted site for extra security. Because browsers and security applications are more likely to trust encrypted data, visiting Gmail through its encrypted login will often resolve issues caused by that software.

Please try logging in to Gmail via https://mail.google.com.

Did signing in at https://mail.google.com/mail, the secure site, fix the issue? Yes, it's fixed! No, I'm still having problems

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.

If clearing your browser's cache and cookies didn't fix the problem, visiting the secure site may resolve the issue.

Gmail offers an encrypted site for extra security. Because browsers and security applications are more likely to trust encrypted data, visiting Gmail through its encrypted login will often resolve issues caused by that software.

Please try logging in to Gmail via https://mail.google.com.

Did signing in at https://mail.google.com/mail, the secure site, fix the issue? Yes, it's fixed! No, I'm still having problems

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.

If clearing your browser's cache and cookies didn't fix the problem, please try the following:

• If the date on your computer isn't correct, please change it to the current date.
• Make sure that 'Private Browsing...' isn't enabled in your browser's preferences. Click Safari in the browser menu. If there's a check mark next to 'Private Browsing...,' select it to disable it.

If you've ensured your settings are correct and are still having difficulty loading your inbox, visiting the secure site may resolve the issue.

Gmail offers an encrypted site for extra security. Because browsers and security applications are more likely to trust encrypted data, visiting Gmail through its encrypted login will often resolve issues caused by that software.

Please try logging in to Gmail via https://mail.google.com.

Did signing in at https://mail.google.com/mail, the secure site, fix the issue? Yes, it's fixed! No, I'm still having problems

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.

If we detect abnormal usage that may indicate that your address has been compromised, we may temporarily disable access. It will take between one minute and 24 hours for access to be reinstated, depending on the behaviour detected by our system.

Unusual activity includes, but is not limited to:

1. Receiving, deleting, or downloading large amounts of mail via POP or IMAP in a short period of time.
2. Sending a large number of undeliverable messages (messages that bounce back).
3. Using file-sharing or file-storage software, browser extensions, or third party software that automatically signs in to Gmail.
4. Leaving multiple instances of Gmail open.
5. Browser-related issues. Please note that if you find your browser continually reloading while attempting to access your Inbox, it's probably a browser issue, and it may be necessary to clear your browser's cache and cookies.

If you feel that you have been using Gmail according to the Gmail Terms of Use, please contact us.

We're sorry for any inconvenience you might have experienced. Report your issue.

Symptoms:

While signing in or using Gmail, you receive one of the following errors:

Page cannot be displayed
Page cannot be found
Error 403
Error 404
Error 405

Cause:
Your network administrator, Internet Service Provider (ISP) or security software has blocked some or all access to Gmail.

Solution:
Contact your network admin or the customer service department of your ISP to ensure that access to 'www.gmail.com' and 'mail.google.com' is allowed.

Lockouts are often caused when abnormal or excessive usage with POP or IMAP access is detected in a very short period of time. This is often caused by users frequently downloading their entire inboxes to a mail client or using third-party software that automatically signs in to Gmail and is not supported by Google.

Please note that these lockouts are temporary, and you will be able to access Gmail again within 24 hours.

Symptoms:
When logging in, you see the error 'We're sorry but your query looks similar to automated requests from a computer virus or spyware application.' You may also see '403 Forbidden' in your browser.

Cause:
Potential causes include abuse of Google sites on your network, malicious software on your computer, or an issue with your browser.

Solution:
If the error page displays a squiggly word with a box (a CAPTCHA), just type the squiggly word into the box to continue using Gmail. A CAPTCHA helps us determine whether traffic is coming from automated robot software or from individual users.

If the page doesn't display the CAPTCHA, or if you're continually receiving the CAPTCHA page, you may be able to resolve this problem by clearing your browser's cache and cookies.

If clearing your browser's cache and cookies doesn't resolve the issue, we suggest trying a different browser, such as Mozilla Firefox, available for free download.

If you continue to experience this error, you may want to try scanning your computer for malicious software. Such software is often bundled with other free downloads without your knowledge and can trigger Google to serve the CAPTCHA page. We've suggested some well-known, free programs below that can detect and remove such applications. Please remember that we have no connection with these companies and can't comment on their effectiveness. We can tell you, though, that trying the most up-to-date versions of these programs often makes a difference.

• Lavasoft Ad-Aware
• Spybot Search and Destroy
• MacScan (for Mac users)

Please fill out our account recovery form to help us process your request as quickly as possible.

We're sorry your issue wasn't listed here. Please try searching our Help Center for further troubleshooting.