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How to set up a new email account with Gmail
If you're taking the plunge and moving away from your old ISP email, see our
step-by-step guide for creating a Gmail account
With over a decade of experience at Which?, Tom covers everything from tech advice to money-saving tips, and highlights the best deals during major sales events.
Our experts at Which? Tech Support always recommend having an email address that isn't hosted by your ISP. This means you can continue to use it, even if you switch to another broadband provider.
Gmail is free and easy to set up, and because your account isn't tied to a particular device, you can access your emails from any computer, tablet or smartphone through a web browser or the Gmail app.
Below, we explain how to create a Gmail account and secure it with two-factor authentication (2FA). Plus, we've shared some tips on choosing a strong password.
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How to choose an email password
Before you go ahead and create your Gmail account, think about the password you're going to use.
Cyber criminals use automated tools to try to crack passwords, while passwords exposed in data breaches can also be used to target other accounts.
Don't use something a criminal could easily guess, such as your pet's name, your place of birth or your favourite football team. Avoid using your surname, date of birth, the word ‘password’ or simple number combinations.
Instead, consider a longer passphrase made up of three random words, such as ‘umbrella kitten pink’. This should be easier to remember while making your password harder to crack. Make sure you use a unique password for your email account rather than reusing one from another service.
Find out more about how you can create secure passwords.
Create your new Gmail account
To create a Gmail account, follow these steps:
- Head to google.com/gmail and select Create an account. You'll be asked to choose For my personal use, For my child or For work or my business. For a standard personal Gmail account, choose the first option.
- Enter your name, preferred username and password. When choosing your username, remember that you may need to share your email address with family, friends, employers and other organisations. Pick something you're comfortable using in both personal and professional situations. Your first choice of username may already be taken, so try a variation or add a number if you need an alternative.
- On the next page, add your phone number. You'll receive a code that you'll need to enter on the setup screen.
Next, you'll be offered the choice of Express personalisation or Manual personalisation. The latter takes longer but lets you choose how much data you want to share with Google.
Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA)
Although your email account has a password linked to it, you should always have the extra protection of two-factor authentication (2FA).
To turn it on, select your initial in the circle in the top right-hand corner and then Manage your Google Account.
- On a computer – select Security and sign-in on the left side of your screen. Under How you sign in to Google, choose 2-Step Verification.
- On a mobile – select Security underneath your profile picture, then choose 2-Step Verification.
You may be asked to enter your password again. Follow the instructions to set up 2-Step Verification and choose how you want to verify that it's you when you sign in.
If you choose to receive codes by text message, make sure that the phone number is correct and that Text message is selected. You'll be sent a code to your phone. Enter it when prompted to complete the setup.
To go back to your inbox, click the Google apps menu button next to your initial in the top right-hand corner (it looks like a square of nine dots) and choose Gmail.
Once you've done all this, your email address is up and running. Don't forget to update your phone number if you ever change it.
Useful Gmail features you need to try right away – learn how to schedule messages, 'unsend' emails, organise your inbox, put Gemini AI to work and more.
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