Without Google account on your Android phone, you can't download apps from the Play Store or sync contacts. Basically, everything comes to a standstill. And when the phone says you can't sign into Google account, it doesn't tell you what actually went wrong. So if you can't sign into your Google account on your Android phone, I have listed multiple fixes below. Go ahead and check them out.
Why Does Google Sign-In Fail on Android?
First and foremost, signing into a Google account is not just about entering a correct password. Your phone's time setting, its connection to Google's servers and Google's trust in the device all play a role. Here are the most common reasons behind this error.
- The date, time or time zone on your phone is set wrong
- An unstable network, a VPN or a Private DNS server is interfering with the connection
- The cache or data of Google Play services is corrupted or old
- The Play Store, Google Play system or Android System WebView is outdated
- Google doesn't recognise the device or location and has blocked the sign-in attempt
- You recently changed your password and are setting up the phone after a factory reset
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Restart Your Android Phone
Before you change any settings, go ahead and restart your Android phone once. This refreshes Google Play services and the system app that manages your Google account on Android. Often, it clears a temporary bug on its own.
To do so, simply open the power menu and tap on Restart. You can also pull down the Quick Settings panel, tap on the power icon and choose Restart. The button shortcut for the power menu varies between brands, so go through our guide on how to reboot an Android phone if you are not sure. Once the phone boots up, try signing in again.
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Check Your Internet Connection and Turn Off VPN
If your Android phone is facing "problem communicating with Google servers", it means there is a network issue. First off, switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data or the other way round and try again. To reset the connection completely, turn on Airplane mode and wait for 10 seconds. After that, turn it off.
Next, if you use a VPN or a Private DNS server, turn it off for now. On Pixel and most Android phones, you will find Private DNS under Settings > Network & internet > Private DNS. And on Samsung phones, it's under Settings > Connections > More connection settings > Private DNS. Choose Automatic or Off under settings.
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Set the Date and Time to Automatic
Remember that secure connection to Google's servers depend on your phone's time being accurate. So if the date, time or time zone is incorrectly set, the sign-in attempt can fail even with a correct password. Here is how to change it.
- On Pixel and stock Android phones, open Settings > System > Date & time.
- Now, turn on Set time automatically. Under Time zone too, turn on Set automatically.
On Samsung phones, go to Settings > General management > Date and time and turn on Automatic date and time and Automatic time zone.
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Update the Play Store, WebView and Google Play System
Apps that load web content on Android use Android System WebView, so an outdated or buggy WebView can crash the sign-in page. If you want to know more, read our explainer on what Android System WebView is and how it works.
- Open the Play Store and tap on your profile picture > Settings > About.
- Now, tap on Update Play Store under "Play Store version".
- Next, search for "Android System WebView" in the Play Store and tap on Update. Do the same for Google Chrome.
- Finally, go to Settings > Security & privacy > System & updates > Google Play system update.
Note that the Play Store needs a Google account to update apps. If no Google account is added to your phone yet, move to the next method.
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Clear Cache and Data of Google Play Services
Since your Google account is integrated with Google Play services on Android, corrupted data can keep sending you back to the sign-in screen. You can learn more about how cache works in our guide on how to clear cache on Android.
- Open Settings > Apps > See all apps and tap on Google Play Store.
- Go to Storage & cache and tap on Clear cache.
- Here, tap on Clear storage and confirm.
- Next, go back to the apps list and tap on Google Play services.
- Again, tap on Storage & cache > Clear cache. Then tap on Clear storage > Clear all data and confirm.
- Now, restart the phone, connect to the internet and wait for 30 minutes. After that, try signing in again.
Wait 24 Hours If You Recently Changed Your Password
If you reset your phone and it asks for the Google account that was earlier linked to the phone, you are looking at Factory Reset Protection (FRP). This is an anti-theft feature and it only lets you sign in with the phone's old screen lock. You can also add the Google account that was added to the phone before the reset to bypass FRP.
Now, if you forgot that account's password and reset it from another device, Google doesn't let you use the new password for 24 hours. This is a security protection by Google to stop someone who steals your password from taking over the phone. On some older devices, the wait can go up to 72 hours. So, I would advise waiting for 24 to 72 hours.
Sign In From a Familiar Wi-Fi Network
When you try to sign in from a phone or place that is new to your account, Google sometimes stops it as a precaution. You will face this problem most often after buying a new phone or while travelling. So, try signing in while connected to your home or work Wi-Fi network that you usually use.
And if Google keeps saying it could not verify that the account belongs to you, go to Google's account recovery page (visit) from a known device you have signed in from before.
Factory Reset Your Android Phone
If none of the above methods work, a factory reset is the last resort. It deletes everything on the phone, so back up your photos, files and chats before you proceed. On Pixel phones, open Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data (factory reset).
And on Samsung phones, navigate to Settings > General management > Reset > Factory data reset. You can follow our guide on how to reset a Samsung phone for detailed steps.
In most cases, you will not need to reset your Android phone. You can set the correct time or clear Google Play services to fix the Google account sign-in problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my Android phone show "Couldn't sign in" when my password is correct?
Google does not just check the correct password to allow sign-in. The most common culprits are incorrect time or time zone, VPN or Private DNS blocking Google's servers. It could also be a new phone or location that Google does not trust yet.
Will removing my Google account from my phone delete my emails and photos?
No, your emails and photos are stored in your Google account and not on the phone. Removing the account only deletes the synced data from the device. And they can be synced once you sign in again. Just make sure to back up anything saved only on the phone itself.
How long do I have to wait to sign in after changing my Google password?
You can sign in right away without any issues. The wait period only applies when you sign in on a phone that was recently formatted and the password was changed recently. In that case, Google makes you wait 24 hours.
Can I call Google to recover my account?
No, Google doesn't offer a phone number or live support for personal account sign-in issues. You can go to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery to recover your account.
