Key Takeaways
- Gmail users will be able to change their @gmail.com username for the first time.
- The old email address will become an alias, delivering mail to the same inbox.
- Users can sign in with either the old or new address across Google services.
- Each account can change its Gmail address up to three times.
- The feature is rolling out gradually and not available to everyone yet.
Google is preparing to introduce a major quality-of-life upgrade for Gmail users. According to a newly updated Google support page, the company is “gradually rolling out” a feature that allows users to change their @gmail.com email address, something that was previously impossible for most accounts.
Until now, only users who signed up with third-party email addresses could modify their Google Account email. Standard Gmail users were locked into the address they created years ago, even if it no longer reflected their name, brand, or professional identity.
Under the new system, users will be able to switch to a new Gmail username while keeping the same Google account. Once the change is made, the original Gmail address will automatically become an alias. Emails sent to both the old and new addresses will land in the same inbox, and users can sign in using either address across Gmail, YouTube, Google Drive, Maps, and Google Play.
Google says the change will not affect any existing data. Emails, photos, messages, files, subscriptions, and purchases will remain exactly as they are. Importantly, the old Gmail address will stay permanently linked to the account and cannot be claimed by another user, addressing long-standing security concerns.
There are, however, some limitations. After changing a Gmail address, users will not be able to modify or delete the new address for 12 months. Each account can change its Gmail address three times, allowing a maximum of four Gmail addresses tied to a single account. Some older Google services, such as calendar events created before the change, may still display the original email address.
The feature is not live for all users yet. Google says availability will expand gradually, and once enabled, users will be able to initiate the change through the “My Account” settings page.
For millions of Gmail users who created email addresses years ago and outgrew them, this update marks one of the most meaningful changes to Gmail identity management in its history.
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