Google Begins Rolling Out Feature to Let Users Change Gmail Address Without Losing Data
Google is preparing to introduce a long-awaited feature that will allow users to change their “@gmail.com” email address while retaining access to the same Google Account and all associated data, including emails, contacts, Drive files, photos, and subscriptions. This marks a significant shift from the company’s longstanding policy, under which Gmail usernames were effectively permanent unless the user created a new account.
What’s Changing: Flexible Gmail Addresses
According to updates found on Google’s support documentation and corroborated by multiple reports, users will soon be able to replace the first part of their Gmail address — the portion before “@gmail.com” — with a new username without having to delete or create a separate account.
Once implemented, this feature will:
- Preserve the existing Google Account, including Gmail, Drive, YouTube, Maps, Photos, and other linked services, under the new address.
- Convert the original Gmail address into an alias, meaning emails sent to either the old or new address will be delivered to the same inbox.
- Allow users to sign in with either the old or new Gmail address.
Usage Limits and Access Rules
Google has implemented guardrails to prevent misuse and ensure stability of its systems. Under the newly detailed parameters:
- Users will be allowed to change their Gmail address only once every 12 months.
- Each account may execute the address change up to three times, enabling a total of four Gmail addresses over the life of the account.
- The original email address will remain linked to the same account and cannot be claimed by other users.
These restrictions are designed to maintain account integrity and discourage frequent rewrites of Gmail identity.
Data Retention and Service Continuity
Google emphasises that all account data, including emails, contacts, files, photos, and purchases, remains fully intact after a Gmail address change. Services such as Gmail, Google Drive, Google Photos, YouTube, Google Play, and Maps continue to function without interruption.
In some legacy situations, content such as older calendar entries may continue to display the original email address, but this does not otherwise affect functionality.
Limitations and Considerations
Although the new feature offers more flexibility than ever before, it comes with a few caveats:
- Accounts with work, school, or managed domains may not be eligible for this feature through standard Google Account settings.
- Google warns that changing a Gmail address could affect login access for some third-party applications that used “Sign in with Google,” requiring users to re-authenticate those connections.
- The feature is currently rolling out gradually, and not all users will see it immediately in their Google settings; early availability has been noted in specific regions or language-localised support pages.
Why This Matters
For years, Gmail users have been tied to the email address they selected at signup. Mistakes, outdated usernames, and professionally unsuitable addresses have forced many to either live with an address they no longer want or create a new account and manually migrate data, a process that was time-consuming and imperfect.
This change removes a longstanding limitation, aligning Gmail with competing services that already offer more flexible username management while retaining continuity of data and services.
How to Check for Availability
Users should monitor their Google Account settings, under “Personal info” and “Email”, for the appearance of the Gmail address change option. If the option appears, the account supports the feature. At the time of writing, the rollout remains incremental, and Google has not provided a global timeline for full availability.
