In a move that will liberate millions of users, Google has begun rolling out a highly requested feature that finally allows people to change their primary @gmail.com email address. This update puts an end to the era of being permanently tied to outdated, embarrassing, or unprofessional usernames created years ago.
How the Gmail Address Change Feature Works
The feature, first spotted on Google's Hindi support page and reported by 9to5Google, enables users to swap their old Gmail address for a new one without starting from scratch. Crucially, all existing data, emails, and access to Google services remain intact and linked to the same account.
When a user changes their address, the old one does not vanish. Instead, it becomes a permanent alias for the account. This means emails sent to both the old and new addresses will land in the same inbox. Users can also sign in using either address, and their Google Drive files, Photos, and payment info stay unchanged.
This is a significant shift from the previous cumbersome process, which forced users to create a brand new account and manually migrate their digital life—a task many avoided due to its complexity.
Strict Limits and Important Caveats
However, Google is not offering unlimited flexibility. According to the support documentation, the company has imposed strict rules on how the feature can be used.
Users can only change their Gmail address once every 12 months, with a lifetime cap of three changes. This allows a single account to have a maximum of four different @gmail addresses over its existence.
Other key limitations include:
- After a change, you cannot create a separate new Gmail account with your old address for 12 months.
- You cannot delete the new address within the first year of the change.
- The old address will continue to appear in some older instances, like calendar events created before the switch, and won't update immediately everywhere.
The old address remains permanently linked to your account and cannot be claimed by anyone else, effectively acting as a backup.
Gradual Rollout and Availability for Indian Users
Google has stated that the feature is "gradually rolling out to all users," but availability is currently limited. The fact that it appeared first on a Hindi support page suggests a focused rollout in certain regions, including potentially India.
Notably, the company has not yet made an official announcement or published English-language support documentation. This indicates that a wider global rollout may not happen until early 2026.
For countless users in India who created accounts in their youth, have changed their names, or now need a more professional email for work, this update is a welcome solution. It offers a simpler path to a fresh email identity without the fear of losing years of important data and connections.
