How to solve common issues with Ecosia accounts

Find the section that best matches your issue and follow the steps. If that doesn’t fix the problem, scroll to “Still need help?” at the end to contact us.

Seeds counter doesn’t go up

If your seed counter doesn’t increase as you expect, try these checks:

1. Make sure you’re logged in

• Look at the top of the Ecosia page:
  • Do you see your profile image and seeds?
  • Or do you see a “Sign in / Sign up” button?

If you’re not logged in, sign in and try again.

2. Use the same account on all devices

If you use Ecosia on multiple devices:

• Check you’re using the same login method everywhere (for example, the same Google account or the same email address).
• If you create separate accounts, each one will have its own seed count.

3. Understand how seeds are earned

Seeds are not earned for every single search. They are mainly earned for:

• Daily active use of Ecosia while logged in, and
• Occasionally one‑time actions or campaigns

This means:

• Even if you search a lot, you’ll only earn a limited number of seeds per day.
• It’s normal not to see the number go up after every search.

See also: “About your impact, seeds, levels, & collectibles” for details.

4. Check your browser or app

If you are logged in, but seeds still don’t move:

• Make sure you’re using a supported and up‑to‑date browser or app version.
• Try:
  • Closing and reopening your browser or app
  • Logging out and logging in again

If the problem persists only on one device, it’s often related to that browser’s cookies or cache (see “Login doesn’t work (general steps)” below).

My seeds / level look different than I expected

If you expected a different number of seeds or a different level, consider these common causes:

1. Different account than before

You might be:

• Signed in with a different account than the one you used before.
• Using email login on one device and Google/ Apple login on another, effectively having two separate Ecosia accounts.

What to do:

1. Log out of Ecosia on all devices.
2. Decide which login you want to keep (e.g. your main Google account).
3. Log back in with that same account everywhere.

2. Switching from signed‑out to signed‑in

If you used Ecosia for a while without an account, you may have seen a small counter.

When you later create an account:

• The system gives you a standard starting amount of seeds and a starting level, not a detailed import of all your past signed‑out activity.
• This is expected behaviour and helps keep the system fair and simple.

3. Difference between seeds and level

Your level is based on long‑term growth points, not directly on your current seed balance.

So for example:

• You can spend seeds on collectibles and see your seed count go down.
• Your level will not go down because your growth points stay the same.

I don’t receive the password reset or login email

If you requested a password reset or verification email but nothing arrives:

1. Check your spam/junk folder - These automated emails sometimes land there.
2. Confirm which email address you used

   • Did you sign up with Google / social login?

     → In that case, you might not have a password with Ecosia at all; you need to log in via that Google account instead of using “forgot password”.

   • Did you sign up with a different email in the past?

     → Try the process again with that address.

3. Wait a few minutes and try again - Sometimes email delivery is slightly delayed.
4. Check for typos - Make sure there are no spelling mistakes in the email address you entered.

If you still don’t receive anything after these steps, contact us (see “Still need help?”).

I keep getting logged out

We ask you to sign in on a monthly basis or if you have not used the Ecosia account for 14 days. If you’re being logged out more often than that:

1. Check if cookies are blocked or cleared automatically

• Make sure your browser allows cookies for Ecosia.
• If your browser is set to clear cookies on exit, you’ll be logged out each time you close it.

2. Avoid private / incognito modes
   • In many browsers, private or incognito windows don’t keep you logged in once you close them.
3. Update your browser or app
   • Use the latest version of:
     • Your web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, etc.), or
     • The Ecosia app on Android / iOS.
4. Log out and in again
   • Manually log out from Ecosia, then log back in once.
   • This can help refresh your session.

If this continues and happens across devices, please reach out to us with:

• Which devices and browsers or apps you use
• How often you get logged out

My email verification fails

If you’re asked to verify your email and get stuck:

1. Follow the same steps as for missing emails:
   • Check spam / junk.
   • Confirm you typed your email address correctly.
   • Wait a few minutes, then resend the email.
2. The link doesn’t work 
   • Only the most recent verification link is valid, old ones expire quickly.
   • Some email clients break long URLs. Try copy‑pasting the full link into your browser.
   • Switch to a different browser or device, some setups prevent link redirects from working.
   • Again, disable any browser extensions or strict privacy settings that might block the flow.
3. If you signed up with Google or another provider, usually: Your email is already verified with that provider.

If verification still doesn’t work after several attempts, contact us (see “Still need help?”).

Login doesn’t work (general steps)

If login just won’t work at all, try these steps in order:

1. Check your login method

• If you originally created your Ecosia account with Google or Apple, always use “Continue with Google / Apple”.
• If you created it with email and password, use that same email address.

Trying a different method (e.g. creating a new password when you always used Google) can create a second account instead of fixing the first.

2. Clear cache and cookies for Ecosia

On desktop browsers:

1. Open your browser settings.
2. Go to Privacy / History / Cookies.
3. Clear cookies and cache only for ecosia.org if possible.
4. Close the browser completely and reopen it.
5. Go back to Ecosia and log in again.

On mobile browsers or in the Ecosia app:

• Try:
  • Closing and reopening the app
  • Updating to the latest version
  • Clearing cache for the app (Android) if needed

3. Try another browser or device

• If login works on one device but not another, the issue is likely with:
  • The browser configuration, or
  • A local extension or blocker

Try disabling ad‑blockers or privacy extensions temporarily for ecosia.org and see if that changes anything.

How to delete your Ecosia account

If you wish to delete your Ecosia account, please send a message to account.support(at)ecosia.org. Use the email address associated with your account and include the account owner's name in your message. We’ll take it from there. 

1. We will:
   • Process your deletion request, and
   • Confirm via email once your account has been deleted.

Deleting your account will:

• Remove your account data from our systems
• Remove your levels, seeds, and collectibles from the account

It will not undo the climate impact that has already been funded through your past use of Ecosia. We’re working towards making account deletion easier directly in the product.

How to change your Ecosia account password

This only applies if you created your Ecosia account with email and password (not with Google or another social login).

1. Go to the login page from the Ecosia account button.
2. Choose “Forgot password?” (or a similar link).
3. Enter the email address you used for your Ecosia account.
4. Check your email inbox for a password reset email and follow the link.
5. Set a new secure password and confirm.

If you only ever used Google or social login:

• You usually don’t have a separate Ecosia password.
• To change your password, update it in your Google / identity provider account instead.

Can I change the email address on my Ecosia account?

At the moment, changing the email address of an existing Ecosia account is not supported.

If you signed up with the wrong email or want to use a different one:

1. You can keep using your current account as is, or
2. You can:
   • Log out
   • Create a new Ecosia account with the correct email 

If you take option 2, your seeds, levels and collectibles from the old account won’t automatically transfer to the new one.

Can I use multiple Ecosia accounts on one device?

Technically, yes, but with important limitations:

• You can log out and log in with another account on the same device.
• Each account will have its own:
  • Seeds
  • Levels
  • Collectibles

However:

• We don’t currently offer a quick “switch account” feature.
• Sharing one device between many accounts can be confusing, especially for seed counts and levels.

For the smoothest experience, we recommend:

• Using one main Ecosia account per person, and
• Logging out only when really needed.

Can I sync my bookmarks, search history or passwords with my Ecosia account?

Right now, your Ecosia account does not sync bookmarks, history, saved passwords or open tabs.

• If you use Ecosia inside another browser (like Chrome, Firefox, or Edge):
  • Use that browser’s own sync feature for bookmarks and similar data.
• If you use an Ecosia‑branded browser:
  • Any existing browser sync is separate from your Ecosia account and may not yet be tied to it.

We may explore tighter integrations in the future, but there is no bookmark sync via Ecosia accounts at this time.

How do I change my profile picture?

Your profile picture on Ecosia usually comes from the account you used to sign up.

• If you signed up with Google:
  • We show your Google profile picture.
  • If you don’t have one, Ecosia might assign you a tree profile image

To change your picture:

1. Update your profile photo in your Google (or other provider) account.
2. Log out of Ecosia and log back in.
3. Your updated picture should now show in Ecosia. If not, give it a bit of time or refresh the page.

At the moment, you can’t upload a custom profile picture directly inside Ecosia.

Still need help?

If none of the above solves your problem, then please submit your issue here.