Up until now, in order to change their email address, Gmail users have needed to create a whole new account. However, Google has now introduced a new feature whereby a Gmail address can be changed without needing to create a new account and without any data loss.
The feature is being rolled out gradually, so not all users will have immediate access.
Note: The feature is included in your Google account settings, not in Gmail’s settings.
To Change Your Gmail Address
- Sign in to your Google Account
- From the left-hand panel, select Personal info
- In the center panel, click Email
- Under Google Account email, if your current email address is associated with an edit/change option, you’re good to go
If it still says “You can’t change this address“, then the feature hasn’t reached you as yet. As I said, the feature is being rolled out gradually, so, in time, it will be available for everyone.
What Happens To Your Old Gmail Address
The old email address will remain active as an alias, so you’ll still receive email sent to that address. This presents somewhat of a two-edged sword:
- On the positive side, it means that you won’t need to update login details for existing accounts
- On the negative side, if your old email address is being heavily spammed, this feature does not provide a solution
BOTTOM LINE:
Apparently, the ability to change a Gmail username has been one of the most often requested features. Although, for the life of me, I fail to see why.
With the possible exception of users whose circumstances have changed, including a name change, surely the primary reason for anyone to change their Gmail address would be to combat spam, and as already pointed out, this feature does not achieve that goal.
In fact, I see little difference between what this feature achieves and creating a new alias as a primary email address.
What are your thoughts? Let us know via the comments.
All the best for a safe and prosperous 20226.
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