Once you learn how to create a new Gmail account, you'll have a clean slate with one of the best email services around. It's also one of the most generous email services, with 10GB of free storage for consumers and extra capacity from as little as $1.99 a month.
For most people, however, Gmail's main selling point is that it offers an awful lot at no cost while looking more professional than your average Yahoo or Hotmail account. If you’ve recently made the jump to Android, you’ll also need a Gmail address to log in and get started.
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Fortunately, it's going to take no time at all for us to walk you through how to create a new Gmail account, as the process is incredibly straightforward.
1. Head to Google's signup page
This is at http://accounts.google.com/signup, and it's also easily searchable, as you’d expect from a Google product.
2. Enter your name, desired address and password
Google needs some fairly basic stuff to open your Gmail account: your first name, last name, the username you want, and a password typed twice.
While there’s no rule that you have to use your real name like with Facebook, bear in mind that this is how your emails’ recipients will see you.
3. Find a unique email address (optional)
Skip this section if you don't see the below error.
People have been grabbing up Gmail addresses since 2004, so it’s vanishingly unlikely that you’ll get the dream firstnamelastname@gmail.com address on your first attempt, unless you happen to have an unusual moniker.
Think creatively here. Try including an initial, your profession, or a series of numbers that’s memorable to you, though avoid anything that could be useful to cybercriminals looking to phish you.
(Note: Gmail ignores periods in email handles, so "john.smith", "joh.nsmith" and "johnsm.ith" would all end up being equivalent to "johnsmith@gmail.com".)
Tap outside of the box when you’ve changed the username. Do that enough times, and eventually the warning that an email address already exists will vanish. That’s your cue that it’s available.
You may need to confirm your identity by giving Google your phone number for a two-factor authentication code.
4. Fill in personal information
You’re in! Now you just need to fill in a few more details before you can start using your shiny new Gmail account.
Note this time that two of the boxes are optional. There’s no need to fill in your phone number or recovery email address if you don’t want to, although the latter seems like a sensible precaution to avoid lockouts at a later date.
You may also get a prompt to use your phone number with your account — feel free to click Skip.
5. Complete the Privacy and Terms section
It’s easy to glide through this and simply tick the two compulsory boxes — that you agree to abide by Google’s rules and agree to have your information processed according to the privacy policy — but there are actually a couple of extra customizations available.
Expand the "More Options" dropdown just above the checkboxes and you can stop ad personalization and prevent your app, web and YouTube history from being linked to your new account if you wish.
Your page may look different, depending on the rules in your country.
6. Your Google account is ready
You’ve created a Google account — and with it, your free Gmail address.
7. Open Gmail.com
You could also click the Gmail icon in the top right corner.
More Gmail tips
- How to use Gmail — essential tips and tricks
- How to create a new Gmail account
- How to delete your Gmail account
- How to log out of Gmail
- How to change your name in Gmail
- How to block emails in Gmail
- How to recall email in Gmail
- How to mark all as read in Gmail
- How to delete all emails in Gmail
- How to create folders in Gmail
- How to empty trash in Gmail
- How to change your password in Gmail
- How to archive email in Gmail
- How to activate Gmail dark mode
- How to turn on Gmail's two-factor authentication