Reviews Tech
- There are a few routes you can take to contact Google for help with a Google-related issue.
- Google has a customer service number you can call, though it's largely automated.
- Google Support tutorials and Community help forums provide online support and troubleshooting tips.
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Don't take this personally, but Google doesn't want to talk to you. Part of it is that they'd be absurdly busy if they ran an employee-reliant customer support call center, as hundreds of millions of people use some form of Google every day.
The other thing is that Google values your security, and they don't want to put you at risk for a hack by dealing with things like password resets or account recoveries over the phone.
So, how do you contact Google? Here are a few options.
How to contact Google by phone
You can call Google customer support at 650-253-0000. The number leads to an operator service called "the Googleplex" that is based at Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California.
Calling the number will take you to an automated menu that will walk you through a series of other menus. Most of the time, the end result of your call will be a voice recording telling you which webpage to visit to try to resolve your issue. In some instances, you may be connected to a human customer service representative.
The Googleplex service has its working hours listed as Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm PST. If you call outside those hours, you'll simply be directed through menus by a voice recording and won't be able to reach a human representative.
There is also an international option for those based in India. That Google contact team can be reached at 1-800-419-0157.
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How to get help from Google Support online
With most issues you encounter in the course of using Google, be it a problem with your Gmail, your Google Chrome browser, or Google Maps, other people have likely encountered and documented the same issues a dozen times over.
Google staffers write tutorials on dealing with common issues, and there are also user forums addressing myriad problems. Here's how to find the former.
1. Log into your Google account, then go to support.google.com.
2. You will see a search bar into which you can type your issue above nine icons displayed in the middle of the screen.
3. If you have a problem with one of these specific products, like Google Chrome or YouTube, click the icon. If not, briefly describe your issue in the search bar.
4. The page following each icon will list out many of the more common issues users experience, so look for your problem there.
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How to use Google Community help forums
If you can't find the help you need from Google's posted content, consider sifting through or asking its forums.
1. On the support.google.com page, select the icon of the Google product or service at issue and click it.
2. On the next page, near the top left of the screen, click the word Community.
3. There will be multiple categories with many answered questions displayed on the Community page; browse through for answers, or type a question into the search bar auto filled with Describe your issue in the center of the page.
4. In the box at the bottom of the Featured posts section on the Community page, you can click the blue words Ask now to pose a question to the community.
Devon Delfino is a Brooklyn-based freelance journalist specializing in personal finance, culture, politics, and identity. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Los Angeles Times, Teen Vogue, Business Insider, and CNBC. Follow her on Twitter at@devondelfino.
Freelance Writer
Steven John is a freelance writer living near New York City by way of 12 years in Los Angeles, four in Boston, and the first 18 near DC. When not writing or spending time with his wife and kids, he can occasionally be found climbing mountains. His writing is spread across the web, and his books can be found at www.stevenjohnbooks.com.
