How to change your Gmail address without losing data?

For years, one of the most common frustrations for Google users was the permanence of their @gmail.com address. If you created a "silly" email as a teenager or needed to change your address due to a name change, your only option was to start an entirely new account and manually migrate your data.

That is finally changing. According to a recently updated Google support page, the company is gradually rolling out an official way to change your Gmail address while keeping all your emails, photos, and files in one place.

What’s changing?

Google has begun updating its support documentation to detail a new process for changing your primary Gmail address.

Key details of the new policy:

• Aliases: When you change your address, your old @gmail.com address becomes an alias. You will still receive emails sent to the old address in the same inbox.

• Sign-in: You can use either the old or the new address to log in to Google services (Maps, YouTube, Drive, etc.).

• Data integrity: Your data remains completely unaffected.

• Limitations: You can change your address up to 3 times (totaling 4 addresses over the life of the account).

• Cooldown period: Once you change your address, you must wait 12 months before you can change it again or create a new Gmail account.

How to change your @gmail.com address

While the feature is rolling out in phases, here is how you can check if you have access and perform the switch:

Step 1: Check eligibility

1. Go to your Google Account settings.

2. On the left-hand navigation, select Personal info.

3. Scroll down to theContact info section and click on Email.

4. Look for Google Account email. If you see an Edit button or an arrow next to your @gmail.com address, the feature has reached your account.

Step 2: Choose Your New Username

1. Click Edit next to your current Gmail address.

2. Enter the new username you want (e.g., newname@gmail.com).

   • Note: The address must be available and not currently in use by another user.

3. Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm the change.

Step 3: Verify and Update

1. Once confirmed, Google will update your primary identifier.

2. Send a test email to your old address to ensure it arrives in your inbox.

3. While Google services will update automatically, you should manually update your email for banking, social media, and other external services that use your Gmail for login.

 Important considerations

• Older Google Calendar events created before the change may still show your old email address for a period of time.

• Your old address remains yours. No one else can claim it, which prevents identity theft or missed communications.

• If you do not see the option yet, don't worry, Google is deploying this "gradually," likely starting with specific regions like India before a global release.