Google Lets Gmail Users Change @gmail.com Addresses Without Losing Data

Google has quietly begun rolling out a feature that lets users change their Gmail addresses ending in @gmail.com while retaining all emails and account data.

The capability was first noticed in a Google Pixel Hub Telegram group and is currently reflected on Google’s Hindi-language support page; Google said the option is “gradually rolling out to all users.” The company did not immediately answer questions about timing or eligibility.

Under the change, a user’s old address becomes an alias that continues to receive mail. Users can sign in with either the old or new address, and all files, photos, subscriptions, calendar invites and purchase history remain on the existing account.

The rollout appears limited to standard @gmail.com accounts and does not apply to accounts provided by employers, schools or other groups. Users must pick an address not already taken by another Gmail account.

The support page lists restrictions: an address can be changed only once every 12 months, an account may create up to three new addresses (a lifetime total of four), and new addresses cannot be deleted.

The change should appeal to longtime users who want new usernames without losing decades of mail and linked Google services.

Key Topics

Culture, Tech, Gmail, Google, Email Aliases, Account Management, Data Retention