Short answer
Go to Google’s account recovery page and answer the questions as best you can — ideally from a device and location you have used before, with the last password you remember and your recovery phone or email. Once you are back in, review recent security events, sign out unknown devices, change the password, turn on 2-Step Verification or a passkey, and delete any Gmail filters or forwarding rules you did not create. A hacked Google account can also mean a hacked YouTube channel.
Signs your Google account was hacked
- The password, recovery phone or recovery email changed without you.
- Security alerts about sign-ins you don’t recognise.
- Sent emails you did not write, or contacts receiving scam messages from you.
- Gmail filters or forwarding rules you never set up.
Account recovery, step by step
- Open Google’s account recovery page and enter your email address.
- Answer every question; if you are unsure, give your best guess rather than skipping.
- Use a phone or computer you normally sign in with, on a familiar network.
- Enter the most recent password you remember — even an old one helps.
- Use your recovery phone or email if Google offers them, and choose “Try another way” when a method is not available.
If recovery doesn’t work
Google decides recovery automatically from the signals it has, and there is no phone line that overrides it — numbers claiming to be “Google account support” are scams. Try again later from your usual device and place, with as many correct details as you can. For work or school accounts, the organisation’s admin can reset access.
Secure everything once you are back in
- Review recent security events and remove devices you don’t recognise.
- Change the password, and change it anywhere else you reused it.
- Turn on 2-Step Verification, ideally with a passkey or security key.
- In Gmail, remove unknown filters, forwarding addresses and delegated access.
- Remove unfamiliar third-party apps and Chrome extensions, and run a malware scan.
YouTube and other connected services
Your Google account may also own a YouTube channel, Drive files, Google Business Profile and Play purchases. If a channel was renamed or used for scam livestreams, follow our hacked YouTube channel guide after recovering the account. For takeovers you can’t reverse alone, see hacked account recovery.
Frequently asked questions
Can I call Google to recover my account?
No. Google does not offer a phone line for account recovery; recovery runs through its online process. Treat “Google support” phone numbers as scams.
How long does Google account recovery take?
Sometimes access returns immediately; in other cases Google asks you to wait or try again later.
The hacker deleted my Google account. Is it gone?
Not necessarily. Recently deleted accounts can sometimes be restored through the recovery page if you act quickly.
Is my YouTube channel affected?
If the channel belongs to the hacked Google account, yes. Recover the account first, then clean up the channel.
Sources: Google Account Help — secure a hacked account, Google Account Help — account recovery