Google is rolling out a long-awaited feature for Gmail users stuck with old or embarrassing email addresses. Users can now update their @gmail.com address to a new one while keeping all their existing data and services intact, according to Google’s updated account help page.
Interestingly, the guidance on changing email addresses currently appears only on Google’s Hindi support page, hinting that the initial rollout may focus on India or Hindi-speaking regions.
Google notes that the feature will gradually expand to all users worldwide, though the English-language page still lists the old rule that @gmail.com addresses “usually cannot be changed.”
Under the new system, users who switch their email address automatically retain their old address as an alias. Emails sent to the original address will continue to land in the inbox, and it can still be used to sign in to Google services like Drive, Maps, and YouTube.
Previously, changing a Gmail address required creating a new account and manually transferring data—a complicated process that often disrupted integrations with third-party apps. With this update, all existing data, including emails, messages, and photos, remains unaffected. Users can also reclaim their old Gmail address at any time.
There are a few limits: accounts that update their Gmail address cannot create another new Gmail address for 12 months, and the newly chosen address cannot be deleted.
This move finally makes it easier for Gmail users to ditch outdated or unprofessional email addresses without losing years of data.
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