setting up google apps password recovery by sms

Random

i use google apps free edition. i'm trying to setup password recovery via sms, much like what is offered in gmail and with regular google accounts.

i can see plenty of reference to it in the help guides but the closest i can find is the option to setup a secondary email account.

has anyone set this up and is anyone familiar with this?

thanks

Shane O' Malley

You should see it in Account settings.

https://www.google.com/accounts/b/0/ManageAccount

Try that link.

Random

i don't get the option on that page.
can you talk me step by step to get to the page from the google apps domain management page?

Shane O' Malley

Ahh, Sorry did not know it was linked to a domain.

That is not possible in google apps with a domain. That is because the email accounts for the domain are controlled by the administrator. IE Users need to contact the administrator to have the password reset.

Random

i am the admin. i would like to setup the sms recovery option for the admin account. i can't find the option.

recently i had the misfortune of needing to use the password recovery setup. it did not prompt me to email an alternative address. it did suggest that there is a sms option available but that i did not set it up. i had to use a method which involves editing a cname which takes 24 hours and i'd really like something quicker.

thanks

Shane O' Malley

Not possible.

Only two ways to reset the admin password.

1. By sending a reset email to secondary email address that you have set up.
2. By domain verification. IE Changing a tag or field in your domain dns agreed with google.

They do not allow sms reset for google apps.

Random

i noticed that it did not give me a secondary email recovery option either, although i have a secondary address added to my account. is there an option i should have toggled for that too?

Shane O' Malley

Are you trying to recover the password at the moment.

In the Domain Settings of the Administation screen is a section to put in a secondary email address and a box to tick to set up the option to use this form of recovery.

Random

i'm not trying to recover anything at the moment. i've gone through the recovery options already and have full access to the account.

i have the option filled out above "In case of forgotten administrator password, send password reset instructions to secondary contact." and i have the box ticked but this option was never given to me.

have you any experience with this yourself?

Shane O' Malley

Going to try recovery myself for one of my accounts.

Give me a few min.

Shane O' Malley

Just tried it.

Signed out.

Clicked on "Can not access my account"

It stated " Contact your administrator to reset password" but under that it stated i was the administrator and a link to reset it.

Clicked on that and had to type in a a word verification.

Did that and link was sent to my secondary email.

Is that what you are finding?

Random

thanks for taking the time shane.

tried it again there now and it's working as you say above. i'm not sure why it didn't prompt me with that option last time. i'm sure it said "sms not available and you've opted not to allow sending details to secondary address" or words to that effect, and then only gave me the cname option.