📧 Create an email account
Set up a free email address so you can send and receive messages.
Which device are you using?
Pick one and the steps below will use the right words for you.
📱 A quick heads-up
This guide is written for phone, tablet, and computer. Choose that device above to follow along — or look at the related guides below for your device.
An email account is like your own mailbox on the internet. We will use Gmail, which is free and works on any device. You only need to set this up once.
🧭 New to this? Start here first
These short guides cover what you need before this one — no rush.
✅ What you need
- Your device, connected to the internet
- A notebook to write down your new address and password
Step by step
- Open your web browser (such as Safari or Chrome) and go to gmail.com. Open your web browser (such as Edge, Chrome, or Safari) and go to gmail.com.
- Tap Create account, then choose For my personal use. Click Create account, then choose For my personal use.
- Type your first and last name. This is the name people will see on the messages you send.
- Choose a username. This becomes your email address, like jane.smith@gmail.com. If your choice is taken, the page will suggest one that is free.
- Create a password, type it a second time to confirm, then tap Next. Create a password, type it a second time to confirm, then click Next.💡 Write the password in your notebook right away, so you never lose access to your account.
- Follow the remaining prompts. You may be offered the chance to add a phone number to keep the account safe — that is a good idea, though any extras marked optional can be skipped.
- Agree to the terms, and your new email address is ready to use.
💡 Helpful tips
- Your email address never changes, so keep it written down somewhere safe along with your password.
- The same account works on your phone, tablet, and computer — set it up once, then use it everywhere.
There is no rush. If you need to stop partway through, you can simply begin again — nothing is lost. Once your address is set up, sending your first email is the fun part.