Your Google Account holds a lot of valuable information, from cherished photos to important emails and documents. To keep that information private, secure, and readily available, Google recommends setting up multiple sign-in methods. Today, Google is introducing a new way to sign in: selfie video.

Selfie video gives people more options to access their accounts, especially if they are ever locked out or don't have access to their primary phone or computer.

Setting up a selfie video is simple: Users just need to look at their device's camera and complete a few short, guided head movements to capture multiple angles.

If they are having trouble signing in later on, they just have to take another selfie to get back into their account. Selfie video compares the new video to the one they set up to confirm it is really them and help them get back into their account.

Their selfie video is theirs and they’re in control. It is recorded and securely stored with their consent, and they can delete it at any time in their Google Account. It is used only for helping them sign in, unless they opt to share it for additional purposes. Their selfie video is encrypted at rest, meaning it's securely stored even when it's not being used.

When they use a selfie to sign in, Google uses multiple layers of security to help prevent impersonation attempts like fake photos and videos (i.e., deep fakes). For example, Google matches their video against their saved selfie and requires them to perform simple movements to prove it's a live video. Google also uses its standard security practices to detect and help prevent suspicious sign-in attempts.

This update builds on Google’s ongoing work to provide secure and flexible sign-in options, like passkeys and recovery contacts.