What to Do if You Forget Your Chromebook PIN or Password

Instead of smacking yourself in the head

You can’t unlock yourChromebookwithout a password or PIN. ChromeOS also requests your account password before changing yourChromebook’s security and privacy settings. But what happens if you forget your password or PIN?

We’ll show you how to access your Chromebook without a password or PIN. You’ll also learn how to recover your Chromebook’s password.

Before proceeding, ensure you enter the correct username or password on the sign-in page. If you recently changed your account password, try signing in with your old password.

Connect Your Chromebook to the Internet

Connectivity issues can cause your Chromebook to display error messages when you try to sign in. “Sorry, your password could not be verified,” “Couldn’t find your Google Account,” “Your username or password cannot be verified on this current network,” and “Wrong password. Try again.” are common sign-in error messages.

If your Chromebook displays these error messages, connecting your device to the internet might resolve the issue.

Select thetimein the bottom corner of the sign-in screen and select theWi-Fiicon. Turn on Wi-Fi and select the Wi-Fi network you want to join.

Try signing in with your (old or new) password and check if you can sign in to your Chromebook.Reboot your Chromebookand try signing in again if the error messages persist.

You can sign in using biometric authentication if your Chromebook has a fingerprint sensor. If there’s a “Unlock with fingerprint” text on the sign-in screen, place a registered finger on the fingerprint sensor to unlock your Chromebook.

Note:You can’t sign in with your fingerprint after turning on or rebooting your Chromebook. Also, ChromeOS disables fingerprint authentication 48 hours after locking your Chromebook—12 hours on managed Chromebooks.

Reset your password (see the next section) if fingerprint authentication doesn’t work on your Chromebook.

Reset Your Google Account Password

If you still can’t remember your password or PIN, change or reset your Google account password on a different device. Afterward, connect your Chromebook to the internet and sign in with thenew password.

Open a web browser on any mobile device or computer and follow the steps below to recover your account password. Google recommends recovering your account from a previously-used device.

Note:Your Google account may have different password recovery options. Also, Google may temporarily disable a recovery option after too many incorrect attempts. Double-check the information you provide and ensure they’re accurate, so you don’t get locked out of your account permanently.

You’ll get messages in your primary and recovery email addresses confirming your account was successfully recovered.

You’ll get options to recover your password usingGoogle Authenticator. You can also recover your password via the Gmail app linked to your Google account on iOS or Android devices.

Open your Gmail inbox and selectReviewon the “Password reset started” pop-up to see the waiting period.

After resetting your password, connect your Chromebook to the internet and try signing in with the new password. Reboot your Chromebook if you have trouble signing in with the new password.

You might be unable to reset or change your password if your Google account is locked or disabled. Google locks or disables an account when it detects suspicious activities or too many unsuccessful sign-in attempts.

If your account is locked or disabled, check outWhat To Do If You Are Locked Out Of Your Google Accountfor recovery instructions.

Contact Your Administrator

If you forgot the password to a shared (word or school) Chromebook, contact the device administrator for assistance. Powerwash your Chromebook orcontact the manufacturerif you can’t sign in with the correct password or PIN.

Founder of Help Desk Geek and managing editor. He began blogging in 2007 and quit his job in 2010 to blog full-time. He has over 15 years of industry experience in IT and holds several technical certifications.Read Aseem’s Full Bio

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What to Do if You Forget Your Chromebook PIN or Password#

Connect Your Chromebook to the Internet#

Sign In Using Fingerprint Authentication#

Reset Your Google Account Password#

Contact Your Administrator#