Google has announced a new account recovery feature called Selfie Video, designed to help users regain access to their accounts if they forget their password, lose access to their trusted devices, or cannot use their usual two-factor authentication methods.
The new feature allows users to record a short video of their face using a smartphone or computer during setup. Google securely stores this encrypted reference video in the cloud. If users are ever locked out of their account, they can record another short selfie video, which Google compares with the stored version to verify their identity and restore access.
During setup, users are guided through a series of simple head movements while looking into their device’s camera. The process captures multiple angles of the face, similar to how facial recognition systems work, although it does not require specialized infrared hardware like Apple’s Face ID.
Google says the stored selfie video is encrypted and linked to the user’s account rather than a specific device, making it available whenever account recovery is needed. Users can delete the saved video at any time from their account settings. By default, the video is only used for account recovery, although Google says users can choose to share it for additional purposes if they wish.
When using the feature to recover an account, users must record a new short video while performing simple movements. Google says it uses multiple layers of security to verify that the video is live and not a photo, recording, or AI-generated deepfake. The company also applies its existing security systems to detect and block suspicious login attempts.
Google is rolling out the Selfie Video recovery feature gradually to users worldwide. Those who want to check whether their account is eligible can visit g.co/signin-selfie to see if the feature is available for their account.
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Google Introduces Selfie Video Login Recovery to Help Users Regain Account Access
