You can turn off 2-Step Verification in Gmail from your Google Account security settings in about thirty seconds. Go to myaccount.google.com, open Security, select 2-Step Verification, and click Turn off. You have to be signed in, because no support line or third-party service can remove it from outside the account.
Think of 2-Step Verification as a deadbolt. Your password is the doorknob lock, and the deadbolt is the second thing standing between a stranger and your inbox.
The deadbolt only turns from the inside. That one detail explains almost everything people find confusing about switching it off, so this article spends most of its time there.
Why Use 2-Step Verification in Gmail?
2-Step Verification asks for a second proof of identity after your password. A stolen password on its own won’t open your account.
Google states the tradeoff plainly on its own help page.
If you turn off 2-Step Verification, you remove an additional layer of security, which can make it easier for someone else to access your account.
Google Workspace documentation puts a number on it. It describes 2-Step Verification as “the first line of defense that can cut account takeover by as much as 50%.”
With 2-factor authentication enabled, someone who guesses or buys your password still can’t get in. Without it, they are one correct guess away.
So why turn it off at all? Usually because a second device broke, a phone number changed, or an old app keeps failing to sign in. Those are real problems, and some of them have better fixes than removing the deadbolt.
How to Turn Off Gmail 2-Step Verification (Desktop)
Open your Google Account, click Security and sign-in, select 2-Step Verification, then click Turn off and confirm in the pop-up window.
Google lists it as four steps and notes “You might need to sign in” partway through. Expect to retype your password even though you are already logged in.
- Go to your Google Account at this link.
- In the Security and sign-in section, click 2-Step Verification.
- Sign in again if Google asks you to.
- Click Turn off.
- Confirm by clicking Turn off in the pop-up window.
Google renamed this area from Security to Security and sign-in, so older screenshots won’t match what you see today.
How to Turn Off 2-Step Verification in Gmail (Android Devices)
On Android, open your Google Account settings and tap Security and sign-in. Tap 2-Step Verification under “How you sign in to Google,” then tap Turn off and confirm.
The Android wording differs slightly from the desktop page, which trips people up when they follow desktop instructions on a phone.
How to Turn Off 2-Step Verification in Gmail on Apple (iOS) Devices
On an iPhone or iPad, the path runs through a browser. Open myaccount.google.com in Safari or Chrome, go to Security, tap 2-Step Verification, then tap Turn off.
You can’t turn 2-Step Verification off inside the Gmail app on any platform. The setting lives in your Google Account, not in Gmail.
Can You Turn Off 2-Step Verification Without Signing In?
No. 2-Step Verification is a setting inside your Google Account, so reaching it means signing in to that account first. Google publishes no method for removing it from outside.
That is the deadbolt again. It only turns from the inside, and that is the entire reason it works.
Google is blunt about the scam risk around this question.
For your security, you can’t call Google for help to sign into your account. We don’t work with any service that claims to provide account or password support.
Ouch. Anyone selling a bypass is selling you a way to lose the account for good.
If you are locked out, account recovery is the real path, and it runs slower precisely because 2-Step Verification is switched on.
How long does Google account recovery take with 2-Step Verification on?
Google says account recovery “can take 3-5 business days” when you have no second step available and cannot use your password. Recovery starts at accounts.google.com/signin/recovery, where Google asks questions to confirm you own the account.
A second delay sits on top of that. Google calls it a security hold. Recovery requests “can be delayed for a few hours or a number of days, depending on a variety of risk factors.”
Having 2-Step Verification on makes that hold longer by design. Google says a request “might be delayed for longer” specifically because you added 2-Step Verification.
The wait is doing a job. Google uses the delay to warn you that a recovery request was made.
That way, if someone else is trying to access your account, you have time to deny the request and secure your account.
Two more documented delays catch people out. Changed recovery info “may take up to 7 days” to take effect. A newly added 2-Step Verification phone number also needs up to 7 days before Google trusts it.
Every documented way to get back into an account with 2-Step Verification
| Recovery option | What you need to already have | How fast it works |
|---|---|---|
| Backup code | An 8-digit code from a set you saved before losing access | Immediate, and each code works once |
| Another signed-in phone | A second phone already signed in to the same Google Account | Immediate |
| Second phone number | A backup number added in the 2-Step Verification section | Immediate |
| Hardware security key | A key already registered on the account | Immediate |
| Passkey on another device | A passkey created on a device you still have | Immediate |
| Trusted device | A computer where you checked “Don’t ask again on this computer” | Immediate |
| Account recovery form | Answers to Google’s identity questions and a reachable email or phone | 3 to 5 business days, plus a possible security hold |
| Advanced Protection account | A backup security key, which is the only accepted option | Immediate with the key, otherwise account recovery |
Google’s Advanced Protection Program narrows that list hard. If you enrolled in it, “you can only use a backup security key,” and without one you go into the recovery queue.
One trap worth naming. Google warns that if you use Google Voice for verification codes, “you could lock yourself out of your account.” Your codes arrive in the account you cannot open.
Good news for anyone mid-panic. Google says wrong guesses during recovery “won’t kick you out of the process.” There’s no limit on how many times you can try.
After Disabling 2-Step Verification in Gmail
Turning 2-Step Verification off doesn’t clean up after itself. Two loose ends need your attention: your saved backup codes and any app passwords you created.
Google tells you to “destroy all the backup codes that you’ve saved for signing in to this account.” Those codes stop working once 2-Step Verification is off, and a stray text file helps nobody.
App passwords are the part that bites. Google warns you “may get errors when you turn off 2-Step Verification” in apps that use them. It recommends revoking them under Security and sign-in.
Revoked app passwords don’t always fail right away. Google notes that an app might not ask you right away. In that case “it might take longer to recognize that its app password has been revoked.”
How many backup codes does Google give you?
Google issues backup codes in sets of 10, each one 8 digits long, and each code works only once. Generating a new set immediately deactivates the old set.
You will find them under 2-Step Verification, in the Backup codes section of your Google Account. If you downloaded a set and lost the file, Google suggests searching your computer for Backup-codes-username.txt.
Google never asks for a backup code except at the sign-in screen. Anyone requesting one by email, chat, or phone call is running a scam.
What If Your Work or School Account Won’t Let You Turn It Off?
If your Google Workspace administrator enforces 2-Step Verification, the toggle disappears. Google states it directly. “If 2SV is enforced across your organization, the option to turn off 2SV for an individual user is disabled.”
Only an admin can change that, under Security, then Authentication, then 2-step verification in the Admin console. Google also notes an admin “can’t turn off 2SV for a user if their account is suspended.”
Admins have a better move than switching enforcement off for one person. Google recommends generating a backup code for the locked-out user instead, and says turning 2SV off for them “isn’t recommended.”
Google is also making 2-Step Verification mandatory for Workspace administrator accounts. Its documentation says admins covered by that policy “cannot bypass it,” and the only remaining option is removing their admin rights.
The rollout comes with notice. Super administrators get roughly 90 days’ warning and other admins about 60 days. After that deadline, mobile app access stops at 15 days and web access at 30.
Admins tightening sign-in rules usually want to know what else touches the mailbox. EmailAnalytics is one of those tools, and it visualizes team email activity in Gmail and Outlook. Because of the read-only access model it runs on, it never sends mail or changes account settings.
Passkeys Skip the Second Step Without Removing It
If daily friction is your reason for turning 2-Step Verification off, a passkey fixes that while leaving the deadbolt on the door. Google says a passkey “bypasses the second authentication step, since this verifies that you own the device.”
Adding one changes nothing else. Google states that a passkey “doesn’t change or remove any authentication or recovery factors currently on your account.”
Give it a week before you rely on it. Google says you may need to wait 7 days before a newly created passkey works at sign-in. For the wider picture, we set out what Google publishes about how secure Gmail is, including the settings it has since removed.
Start Here: What to Do Before You Turn Off 2-Step Verification
- Name your reason. If the answer is that the codes are annoying, add a passkey and keep 2-Step Verification on.
- Check whether this is a work or school account, because an enforced policy removes the option entirely.
- List every app and device using an app password, so you know what breaks the moment you switch it off.
- Turn 2-Step Verification off at myaccount.google.com under Security and sign-in.
- Revoke the old app passwords and delete every saved backup code afterward.
Frequently Asked Questions About Turning Off 2-Step Verification
Can you turn off 2-Step Verification in Gmail without signing in?
No, you can’t turn off 2-Step Verification without signing in, because the setting lives inside your Google Account security page. If you’re locked out, Google’s documented path is account recovery at accounts.google.com/signin/recovery, which can take 3 to 5 business days. Google states it won’t take phone calls for sign-in help, and works with no service claiming to offer account support.
Does turning off 2-Step Verification delete your app passwords?
Turning off 2-Step Verification doesn’t automatically revoke app passwords. Google recommends removing them yourself under Security and sign-in. Apps holding an old app password may return sign-in errors, and Google notes an app can take a while to notice.
Can a Google Workspace admin turn off 2-Step Verification for a user?
A Google Workspace admin can turn off 2-Step Verification for an individual user. That option disappears when 2-Step Verification is enforced across the organization, and it never applies to a suspended account. Google recommends issuing a backup code to a locked-out user instead, and calls turning the setting off for them not recommended.
Does adding a passkey turn off 2-Step Verification?
Adding a passkey doesn’t turn off 2-Step Verification. Google says a passkey bypasses the second authentication step at sign-in, and every existing recovery factor stays in place. A newly created passkey may take up to 7 days before it works at sign-in.
What happens to your backup codes when you turn off 2-Step Verification?
Backup codes stop working when 2-Step Verification is off, and Google instructs you to destroy any copies you saved. Google issues them in sets of 10 eight-digit codes, each usable once, and a fresh set deactivates the previous one. You’ll find them in the Backup codes area of the 2-Step Verification settings.
Is 2-Step Verification required on Google accounts?
2-Step Verification isn’t required on personal Google accounts, though Google warns that a password alone makes an account much less secure. It’s becoming mandatory for Workspace administrator accounts, and Google states those admins cannot bypass the requirement. Google auto-enrolled large numbers of consumer accounts in 2021 and 2022, and consumers can still switch it off.
Is it safe to turn off 2-Step Verification in Gmail?
Turning off 2-Step Verification measurably lowers your account security, and Google says it removes a protection against someone else reaching your account. Google Workspace documentation calls it a first line of defense that can cut account takeover by as much as 50 percent. If the goal is fewer sign-in prompts, a passkey achieves that without switching the protection off.
Keep the deadbolt on unless you have a reason that survives five minutes of thought. If sign-in prompts are the problem, add a passkey and leave your account protected.
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Jayson is a long-time columnist for Forbes, Entrepreneur, BusinessInsider, Inc.com, and various other major media publications, where he has authored over 1,000 articles since 2012, covering technology, marketing, and entrepreneurship. He keynoted the 2013 MarketingProfs University, and won the “Entrepreneur Blogger of the Year” award in 2015 from the Oxford Center for Entrepreneurs. In 2010, he founded a marketing agency that appeared on the Inc. 5000 before selling it in January of 2019, and he is now the CEO of EmailAnalytics and OutreachBloom.
Thank you. I am an ordinary person. But it was easy to follow the instructions shown in your web page for removing two step verification.
I turned off 2 step verification for my computer, however it is still asking for codes from my phone when I sign in – so apparently it didn’t turn it off!
Same for me. No change what so ever! They should spend their time fixing their site rather than “making sure it’s you”.
If you make the mistake of leaving on your 2-Step verification and upgrade to a new phone, you will NEVER ever recover your Google gmail account. It is actually impossible, apparently. It always needs to verify by using an open gmail account on your old phone, and since you cannot do that, there is no way to recover your account. Stupid Google.
Google is Ridiculous!! Ridiculous!! I kept same phone and changed phone number and have Gmail active on phone with three Gmail emails. The main Gmail I use for 2 step authentication it won’t show emails past a week ago.The other 2 Gmail emails I see all current emails. That right there stops me from logging in. This was the last option. Another option was to send to a different email which they have on file but 2 ridiculous things!!! They don’t simply send the 2 variation email to other email like they say on the screen. Instead….they send you a email and say we will send it in 48 hours…..then on top of that they change the topic to resetting the password instead of the 2 step verification code. I’m not trying to change the password. I already typed it in to get to the 2 step variation page. Google is Ridiculous!!!
Google is useless. Most cryptic. Their engineers don’t understand how people use the gmail. Microsoft, Amazon are much better at understanding people’s pulse.
I inputted my phone number in account signin and recovery, 2-step is turned off, but still sends code to a Tablet 🙁 🙁
Go figure….
that does not sound true because it gives you an option to try another way. for example mine usually asks me to verify using my ipad or another device that you have signed on with in the passed or even account recovery.. so you just have to keep down the rabbit hole until it comes to an end
Thank you for the info. Been driving me mad, only able to access email via Firefox, couldn’t use Outlook.
Thank you so much.
This is really helpful
Its more than being tired of it. If you use an email client instead of web email. It quits working because a client logs in many times a day and has no ability to use two stage authenticatio. If you have multiple addresses, an email client, for example Mozilla Thunderbird,is the only sane approach.
So what if you can’t log in to your account since your phone has been stolen?
My email login the of all tune off to step verification code
It appears that Google will be turning on 2-Step verification from time to time anyway. I disabled 2FA on all my accounts a few month ago, but recently I got a new email from Google that it will be auto enabled on December 9, 2021, and indeed it was auto (re)enabled. I disabled it again, but the question is: is Google planning to auto enable 2FA from time to time for all user anyway, regardless of their setup? It would be inconvenient for me to dump Google email accounts completely, but is this auto enabling of 2FA behind my back and contrary to my setup continues, I would be tempted to look for another email accounts.
Time to replace Gmail.. I use Zoho mail now.
BTW using gmail in a client is less of a problem, google gives you a specific login code, after that you don’t need 2FA
Hi, can you confirm the generated App Password for the email client will remain active after disabling 2-Step Verification?
Is there a way to generate App Password without giving the phone number?
I would like to turn off the 2 verification to sign in, but did not see any pop up word ” turn off”
Me too. They just told me I was being switched to 2 step verification for security and was given no way to exit out.
Right now there are 4 G icons showing for me to log in and go looking for my cell phone. I know exactly where it is, on the other side of the house hooked to the charger where I put it when I come into the house.
Being retired, I’m not wedded to my phone.
I finally got fed up and did a search and here I am. Hoping for a permanent cure.
I lost my phone and I can’t login to my Gmail because of this 2 step verification. It’s also sending the sms on my old number which I don’t use anymore
My account have very important documents from work and also from insurance companies. I don’t know what to do now, I know my email address and my password but I can’t get in. Please help me
Hey @steven, did you get any resolution. I am stuck in a similar situation.
had set my recovery phone number to my Google Voice number, which I can’t access.
my recovery phone number IS MY GOOGLE VOICE NUMBER, so I obviously CANNOT RECEIVE TEXTS because I CANNOT ACCESS MY GOOGLE VOICE ACCOUNT because I CANNOT sign into MY GOOGLE ACCOUNT …@gmail.com! PLEASE HELP! backup gmail is …@gmail.com, which I *do* have access.
I travel the world, use a VPN and this doesn’t work as I always get an “unusual location detected”. I am also not able to use my google account on my phone as it won’t validate itself. This is often problematic. Stupid google!
I turned off 2 step verification on my primary and secondary e-mail accounts but sign in keeps on failing. I cannot send or receive e-mails on my primary account on my pc or phone. Secondary account are all working. How can i resolve this matter please?
I lost my old phone including the phone number and I can no longer sign into any gmail or Google account as I had the 2 step verification code linked to that phone number, is there anything I can do?
Please help
Hey @Paris, did you get any resolution. I am stuck in similar situation. Help would be highly appreciated.
That does not work for what happens to me. I get one of those “Is this you?” code requests for every single thing I do on Google websites. I really hate it and I need trust this device by serial number and name for these accounts settings.
This is such bullshit. I see there are several people in the same predicament as me.
How do we protect ourselves from Google?!
What kind of class action lawsuit can be filed against them then? Theyre worse than the hackers they claim to be protecting us from.
Because I am sorry but this is absolutely UNACCEPTABLE. Google has NO BUSINESS taking over everything and inoculating itself into our lives so that we store all our important shit in Google drive and everything is connected to this Google acct for 20 years and we are relying on them and then suddenly one day out of nowhere for no reason just fuck us with ‘sorry we need verification’ and tell us we are just shit out of luck.
No. I don’t think so.
GOOGLE NEEDS TO PROVIDE SOLUTIONS.
THIS IS NOT WORKING AND IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
Obviously theres a bug or something because none of the things suggested for recovery work.
I have tried everything on web and gmail app but still can’t disable two step authentication, is there any other way please?
Thanks !
I have 2FA turned off, but I still can’t use gmail when I travel or use another pc. It is driving me nuts – I don’t want to have to take a mobile phone everywhere ! The only solution seems to be finding another email service. Maybe ProtonMail ?
2-Step Verification is ON since Oct 16, 2022
This method is not working. I already turned off the 2-Step Verification on my Google account – now is displayed as turned off – and in spite of this every time I try to login into Gmail on my computer, Gmail keeps sending to my smartphone two verification numbers that I must tap before letting me access my Gmail inbox on my computer and refuses to let me into my Gmail unless I tap those numbers sent on my smartphone.
this is very upsetting, I only use a mobile when there is wi-fi, and I never use it when I travel, does this mean I cannot continue using gmail?
with 3 gmail accounts for specific activities, that google continues to change the rules in disguise of IMPROVEMENTS; thanks to my old reliable yahoo accounts. Junk mail and all. 9 years with the same info, methods, and sigh-in’s and all still working the same…..
Set my brother up with email years ago. (gmail) and he no longer uses it. He has no phone or computer. Wanted him to go to library and communicate with me and the world. Google sees he is using a new device and tries to authenticate. (2-step verification is off. Use phone to sign in is “off”) My number is recovery phone so it tries to communication with me. Not workable, if I am not there. just need simple communication.
Google is driving me insane too with their verification nonsense. They have the nerve to ask me a 2-step verification every 2 days and I haven’t change device. Moreover, today, I’ve waited a long time for them to send me a verification code by SMS but nothing came. It worked in the past and now it no longer works. They’ve got to get their stuff right. They are so useless. They are taking me hostage and I cannot do my work like this. Now I have to wait a few hours before I can retry to log on. Get it right Google or stay away with all your verification nonsense. I can understand security but this is way over the top. You are kidnapping my job.
Not working for me. I have 2 step identification switched off, and it still forces me to do 2 if not 3 step identification now and then. It’s driving me crazy!!!
I have a problem. I can’t sign into my account because of the two step verification (which I had no idea even existed) but to get rid of the two step verification I have to sign in? But I can’t sign in exactly because of this, I have no idea what to do and need help!
An organization to which I belong (half a dozen of us access that gmail account for the organization’s work) is experiencing this problem. We never enabled 2-factor verification but at some point one of us gave a ‘recovery e mail’ and ‘recovery phone number’ and now every time one of us gets a new device (computer, phone,etc.) or if a new person wants access, we have to give a verification code. We’ve deleted our recovery phone number and e mail but the verification code now comes to the gmail account itself. How do we get out of this endless loop?