Apps & Consumer
Google now lets U.S. users change their Gmail address
Google is rolling out a feature for U.S. users to change their Gmail address without losing data, though the rollout is gradual and limited to once every 12 months.
Google announced on Tuesday that it is rolling out a feature allowing users in the U.S. to change their Gmail address without starting over or losing access to their existing data. Previously, changing a primary email address on a Google Account required starting over with a new account. Under this new update, Google preserves the user’s old emails, and the legacy email address continues to function as an alternate address for the account. This ensures that users can still sign in to Google services using either their old or their newly created email addresses.
To manage this transition, Google has established specific constraints for users updating their addresses:
- Users are restricted to changing their username once every 12 months.
- Users cannot delete their new email address during that same 12-month period.
The company noted that the feature is rolling out gradually, meaning it might not be immediately available to all users in the U.S. For those who currently have access to the feature, the process can be initiated directly through their Google Account settings. Users must navigate to the “Personal info” section, select “Email,” and then locate the “Google Account email” option. From there, they can tap the “Change Google Account email” button to begin updating their username.
The rollout follows earlier indications that Google was preparing to introduce this functionality. The feature was previously observed in some Hindi-speaking territories, as noted by the technology news publication 9to5Google. The outlet had noticed a Hindi-language support page from Google that described the exact process for changing a username, signaling that a broader release was in development.
Why it matters
This update simplifies account management for users who want to change their identifier without the friction of migrating data or losing access to legacy communications. By preserving the old address as an alternate login, Google reduces the risk of missed messages during the transition.