As of 1 April, Gmail will have been in operation for 22 years. Many people have email addresses they now regret, yet have been stuck with for years. Some may have had them longer than most university students have been alive, and these addresses remain the way others contact us. Google is now offering users the opportunity to adopt a more suitable Gmail address.
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Currently, all users in the US can change the username associated with their Google Account — the part before the @ in a Gmail address. Google announced in December that this feature would gradually be rolled out to all users. To update a username, navigate to the email settings page, then select Personal info > Email > Google Account email. If the option is available, a Change Google Account email button will appear, allowing users to begin the modification process.
Users are limited to changing their username once every 12 months. Changing the address will not affect previous emails, which will remain in the account. The old Gmail address will also continue to work as an alternate email, so people can contact you via either address. Both addresses can be used to sign into Google services.
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This update provides long-time Gmail users with a simple way to modernise or correct their email addresses without losing access to their messages or contacts. It is part of Google’s ongoing efforts to improve user flexibility and account management.
