MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., December 27, 2025 – Google is finally giving Gmail users the long-awaited ability to change their email addresses, a move celebrated by those hoping to shed digital relics of their past. For years, users have been stuck with the addresses they created, frequently enough during less discerning times.
A Long-Awaited Update for Gmail Users
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The change allows Gmail account holders to update their @gmail.com address while keeping all existing data and services intact.
Can I change my Gmail address and keep my old emails? Yes, your existing data-photos, messages, and emails-will not be affected by the change. Old addresses will remain active, and you’ll continue to receive emails sent to both the old and new addresses.
The update addresses a common frustration: the permanence of early online identities.”Feature needed: 2005. Feature arriving: 2025. Gap: two decades of suffering,” one user lamented on X. Another X user joked, “So all those years of ‘cool’ usernames and cringe emails can be erased… shame it can’t delete the memories associated with them.”
The ability to modify google Account email addresses is rolling out gradually, Google noted on its support page, and isn’t yet available to all users. Those eager to switch to more anonymous addresses or simply outgrow their current usernames are particularly enthusiastic.
A Benefit for Those Starting Fresh
The change is especially welcome for members of the transgender community and others who have legally changed their names, offering a way to distance themselves from previous identities.It also allows users to create more professional-looking addresses, a benefit in today’s digital landscape.
while Microsoft Outlook has long offered the ability to add aliases and change primary addresses, Google’s approach was previously more rigid. Now,Gmail users can update their addresses,but only to another @gmail.com address.
Users should be aware that once an email address is changed, they cannot register another email address for the same account for the next 12 months. However, they can always reuse their old Google Account email address.
How to Check for Availability
To see if the feature is available for your account, Gmail users can click “Manage Your Google Account.” Under “personal Info,” click on your Gmail account email address. If the option is available, you’ll see “change your Google account email address.”
- Gmail users can now change their @gmail.com email addresses.
- Existing data, including emails and photos, will remain unaffected.
- Old email addresses will continue to receive emails.
- The rollout is gradual and not yet available to all users.
- Changes are limited to @gmail.com addresses, and a 12-month restriction applies to new registrations.
Gmail’s update-allowing address changes-addresses a long-standing user request. For years, Gmail users were unable to alter their primary email address without creating a new account, potentially losing access to years of accumulated data.
Some users, like one Reddit commenter, are choosing to embrace their past: “Nah I’m keeping StonerBeast42069 forever!!” But for many, the update represents a welcome opportunity to curate a more current and representative online presence.
