People with Gmail accounts can now switch to a new Gmail address while keeping all their existing services intact. Messages sent to both the old and new addresses will continue to arrive, and previously saved content - including emails, chats, photos, and other data - will stay connected to the account.
Google has said the feature is rolling out gradually, so not everyone will see the option right away. Many users who’ve long regretted the usernames they chose as teenagers or who simply want more privacy welcomed the change online, joking about finally leaving behind “cool” or embarrassing past email identities. Others shared relief that the feature will help them adopt names that better reflect who they are today.
The update is especially meaningful to people who have changed their legal or chosen names, such as members of the transgender community, who can now further distance themselves from former identities.
While email providers like Microsoft Outlook have allowed primary address changes using aliases for some time, Gmail is only now offering a similar ability. The option applies only to @gmail.com accounts, and the new address must also end with @gmail.com. Users can revert to a previous Gmail address later if they wish, but after making a change they won’t be able to add another new address to the same account for 12 months.
To see if the feature is already available, users can open their Google Account settings, go to “Personal info,” select their Gmail address, and look for the option to change their Google Account email address. If it appears, they can follow the prompts to update it.
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