How to check your recovery phone number and backup email before you get locked out

Account Safety

Many people only think about account recovery after something has already gone wrong. A phone is lost, a password is forgotten, a code goes to an old number, or an account is locked because a sign-in looked unusual.

The calmer approach is to check your recovery details before there is a problem. A few minutes now can save a great deal of stress later, especially if your email account is tied to banking, shopping, NHS logins, family messages, and password resets.

This guide explains what to check on Google, Apple, and Microsoft accounts in simple terms, plus a few easy habits that make lockouts less likely.

Why this matters more than people realise

Your email account is often the key to many other parts of life online. If somebody gets into your inbox, or if you cannot get into it yourself, password resets for other services can quickly become difficult.

The National Cyber Security Centre says 2-step verification is especially important for email because access to your inbox can be used to reset passwords on other accounts. Recovery details matter for the same reason. If your recovery phone number or backup email is out of date, the safety net may not work when you need it.

The five-minute check to do today

1. Open your main email or account settings from the official app or website you normally use.
2. Look for recovery options, security info, or sign-in and security.
3. Check the mobile number shown is current and still in your control.
4. Check the backup or recovery email address still works and is different from the account you are protecting.
5. Turn on 2-step verification if it is available, and save backup codes if the account offers them.

If you already use 2-step verification for email, Simply Tech Support has a separate guide on how to turn on 2-step verification for your email account.

What counts as a good recovery phone number

A good recovery number is one that belongs to you, works for text messages or calls if needed, and is unlikely to disappear without you noticing. In other words, it should not be an old SIM card in a drawer or a number from a phone contract you no longer use.

• Use your own current mobile number where possible.
• Check it has been verified if the account shows a warning.
• Remove old numbers you no longer control.
• If a service allows more than one trusted number, consider adding a second one you can still reach if your usual phone is lost or damaged.

Be careful with shared family numbers. They can be helpful in some circumstances, but they can also cause confusion if several people depend on the same device or inbox.

What counts as a good backup email address

Your backup or recovery email should be an address you can actually open, preferably on a different account. If your Gmail is the account in trouble, a recovery email that points back to the same Gmail account will not help much.

• Choose an address you check regularly.
• Use a different account from the one you are protecting.
• Avoid old provider addresses you may lose if you switch broadband or phone companies.
• Keep the backup email secure too with a strong password and 2-step verification where possible.

If passwords are becoming hard to manage, our guide on storing passwords safely with a password manager may help you keep things organised without scraps of paper everywhere.

How to check this on a Google account

Google’s current account-help guidance says a recovery phone number can help you get back into your account if you forget your password or lose access, and a recovery email can help if you cannot sign in.

Google also advises choosing a recovery email address that you use regularly and that is different from the one you use to sign in to your Google account.

1. Open your Google Account through Gmail, the Google app, or myaccount.google.com.
2. Go to Security or Security & sign-in.
3. Look for Recovery phone and Recovery email.
4. Update anything old, missing, or unverified.

The exact wording can vary slightly by device, but the idea is the same: make sure Google can still reach you if you ever need to prove the account is yours.

How to check this on an Apple account

Apple says that with two-factor authentication you need at least one trusted phone number on file so you can receive verification codes when signing in on a new device or browser.

Apple also warns that if your iPhone is your only trusted device and the only device with access to your trusted phone number, you may be unable to receive the verification codes you need if that phone is missing or damaged.

1. On iPhone or iPad, open Settings and tap your name.
2. Tap Sign-In & Security.
3. Open Two-Factor Authentication.
4. Check your trusted phone numbers and add another one if it makes sense for you.

You can also review these details on account.apple.com. If you ever lose access to all trusted devices and trusted phone numbers, Apple says account recovery can take several days or longer, so it is much better to sort this out in advance.

How to check this on a Microsoft account

Microsoft’s current security guidance says you should keep the list of email addresses used to verify sign-in up to date. Microsoft also notes that you can add more than one sign-in or verification method, such as an email address, an authenticator app, or a passkey.

Microsoft is also moving away from SMS for personal Microsoft account recovery, which makes it even more sensible to check that your other recovery methods still work.

1. Sign in at account.microsoft.com/security.
2. Open Manage how I sign in.
3. Review the ways Microsoft can verify you.
4. Add or update a working email address, authenticator app, or other method you will still be able to use.

Microsoft says the extra email address does not have to be your own, only one you can access if you need it. For some people that may mean using a partner’s or close family member’s address in an emergency, but only if everyone involved understands what it is for.

Do not forget backup codes and backup plans

The NCSC says many services offer more than one second step for 2-step verification, and that backup codes are especially useful if you need to log in without your phone to hand. If an account gives you backup codes, store them somewhere safe that is not inside the same phone you might lose.

• Keep backup codes in a safe place at home.
• Do not leave them in a note stuck to the laptop.
• If you print them, label them clearly so they are not thrown away by mistake.
• If you save them digitally, make sure that file is itself protected.

A simple backup plan is often enough: current recovery number, working backup email, 2-step verification on, and backup codes stored safely.

What not to do

• Do not wait until a suspicious sign-in or lockout happens.
• Do not leave old phone numbers attached to important accounts.
• Do not use the same email account as both the account and the backup.
• Do not hand recovery codes to a caller or a message that claims to be support.
• Do not share your main password just because somebody helps you with technology.

If a caller, pop-up, or message tries to rush you into reading out a code, installing software, or “confirming” your account, stop there. Genuine account recovery should be started by you from the official app or website, not from a surprise message or phone call.

If you are already locked out

Stay calm and go straight to the official recovery route for that service. Avoid links in texts or emails that claim to fix the problem for you.

• Google: use Google’s account recovery process from the official sign-in page.
• Apple: use the official sign-in flow and trusted-device recovery options.
• Microsoft: use Microsoft’s sign-in helper or recovery form if needed.

If you are locked out of email and worried about what else may be exposed, it can also help to check which devices are signed in to your email account once you are back in.

When patient support helps

Account recovery settings are easy to postpone because nothing looks urgent on a normal day. But when something changes suddenly, they can become the difference between a quick sign-in and a very stressful few days.

Simply Tech Support helps independent clients and families with email accounts, phones and tablets, suspicious messages, password changes, safer settings, and calm one-to-one tech support at home. You can read more on the Simply Tech Support personal tech support page.

Sources

• Google Account Help: Add your phone number
• Google Account Help: Add recovery email address
• Google Account Help: Update your recovery info
• Apple Support: About trusted phone numbers and trusted devices for Apple Account
• Microsoft Support: Microsoft account security info and verification codes
• Microsoft Support: Help with the Microsoft account recovery form
• National Cyber Security Centre: Setting up 2-Step Verification