Google announced the launch of selfie video, a new way for users to sign in to their Google Account, designed to provide an additional recovery option for people who are locked out or don’t have access to their usual phone or computer. Users set up the feature by looking at their device’s camera and completing a series of guided head movements to capture multiple angles.
To sign back in later, users take another selfie video, which is compared against the original recording to confirm identity. Google said the feature is built with privacy and security in mind: the video is recorded and stored only with user consent, can be deleted at any time from the account settings, is encrypted at rest, and is used solely for sign-in purposes unless the user opts to share it for other reasons.
To guard against impersonation attempts such as fake photos or deepfake videos, Google said it matches the new video against the saved selfie and requires users to perform specific movements to confirm it is a live recording, in addition to its standard practices for detecting suspicious sign-in attempts. The feature builds on Google’s existing set of sign-in options, including passkeys and recovery contacts, and is available for eligible accounts at g.co/signin-selfie.
