Previously if you want to recover your Google account you will be provided with recovery options from Google to your secondary email account. But in some cases you may no longer use that secondary email account, for example if you had used your college email account, then it will become difficult for you to recover your main Google account.

Google has added a new password recovery option by which you can connect your main account with your mobile phone.

Google said the following about this new password recovery option:

"Since most people use cell phones these days, we decided text messaging would be an easy, convenient addition to our password recovery options. To set up password recovery via your mobile phone, just sign in to your account and click Change Password Recovery Options. Enter your mobile phone number and current password and then click Save. If you lose access to your account for any reason, you'll be able to regain access by entering a code we'll send in a text message."

How to add the password recovery option via your mobile phone?

To enable this option perform the following steps:

1. Sign in to your account. https://www.google.com/accounts/ManageAccount
2. Click the "Change password recovery options".
3. Select your country from the drop-down menu and enter your mobile phone number.
4. Click Save.

This option is available in most countries and most carriers.

Once you set this option and later if you try to recover your password for your main account, do the following:

How to recover the password via SMS?

1. Enter your username on the password-assistance page. Google will ask for some details about your account, keep this page open until you receive the recover code from Google via SMS text message.
   
2. Check your phone for a text message from Google.
3. Enter your recovery code in the Google page you are in and click "Submit recovery code".
4. Type your new password.

Also, try to change your password and security settings once or twice a year and make sure you use the secure Gmail page https://mail.google.com.