Google is rolling out a new account recovery option that lets eligible users verify their identity with a short selfie video if they lose access to their usual sign in methods. The feature expands the company's recovery toolkit without replacing passwords, passkeys, recovery contacts or two factor authentication.
The capability is available for eligible personal Google accounts, including those used for Gmail, Google Drive, Google Photos, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, Google Calendar, Google Meet, Google Chat and Google Contacts. It is not available for Google Workspace accounts, child accounts or accounts enrolled in Google's Advanced Protection Programme. Users can check whether their account qualifies before enabling the feature.
The new recovery method reflects a wider move toward biometric verification as technology companies look for ways to simplify account recovery while making it harder for attackers to exploit compromised credentials. Google said the selfie video is intended only for recovery scenarios in which users cannot access a trusted device or have forgotten their sign in information.
According to Google, users enroll by recording a short selfie video while following guided head movements that capture multiple angles of their face. If account recovery becomes necessary, they record another selfie video that is compared with the original to confirm their identity.
“Your Google account holds a lot of valuable information, from cherished photos to important e-mails and documents,” said John Gronberg, director of product management at Google.
“We always want to make sure that information is private, secure and readily available to you, which is why we recommend setting up multiple sign-in methods.
“Selfie video is a new way to get into your account, giving you more options if you’re ever locked out, or don’t have access to your usual phone or computer.”
Google said the stored selfie video is encrypted and remains under the user's control. Users can delete it at any time through their account settings. The company added that the verification process includes checks intended to distinguish legitimate users from impersonation attempts, including AI generated deepfakes, and requires live head movements to confirm the person recording the video is physically present.
Google continues to recommend that users configure multiple recovery methods instead of relying on a single authentication option. If users later need to regain access to their account, they record a new selfie video that is matched against the original as part of the verification process.
