Are you still stuck with that embarrassing email address you created when you were in high school? It really does feel weird to say that email address now, doesn’t it? Well, Google has started rolling out a feature that allows users to change their Gmail address without opening a new account or losing existing data.
For millions of users who created their email IDs years ago and later regretted the name they chose, this update brings a major sense of relief. With the new update, users can choose a new @gmail.com address while keeping all their emails, Google Drive files, photos and contacts.
Before this update, changing a Gmail address meant creating a new Google account and manually moving emails, contacts and files. This process was time-consuming and often confusing for users.
One of the most important parts of the update is that the old Gmail address does not stop working. Instead, it becomes an alias. This means emails sent to both the old and new addresses will arrive in the same inbox. Users can sign in using either address.
However, there are some limits. Users can change their Gmail address only a few times in total. Once a change is made, another change cannot be requested for about a year. The old address also cannot be released for someone else to use.
The feature is being introduced slowly and is not yet available to everyone. Reports say it first appeared in Google’s Hindi support pages, which suggests an early rollout in India before it expands to other regions.
Users can see if the feature is available by visiting their Google account, then going to Personal Info and selecting Email. If they see the option to change their Gmail address, it is available for their account. If not, they will need to wait, as Google is gradually rolling out the update.
After more than 20 years, Google has finally accepted that people grow, careers change, and online identities need flexibility. This small-looking update may turn out to be one of the most user-friendly changes Gmail has ever made.
