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 This update puts an end to the era of being permanently tied to outdated, embarrassing, or unprofessional usernames created years ago.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 Gmail addresses without losing any data. All existing emails, account access, and linked Google services remain perfectly intact. When a user changes their address, the old one automatically becomes an 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. Crucially, the old address is permanently linked to the account and cannot be claimed by anyone else, ensuring security and continuity.
Strict Limits and Important Caveats
However, Google is imposing significant restrictions on this new capability. According to the support documentation, users can change their Gmail address only once every 12 months. Furthermore, there is a lifetime cap of three changes, allowing a maximum of four addresses per account over its entire existence.
After making a switch, users cannot create a brand new Gmail account with their old address for one year. They are also barred from deleting the new address during that 12-month period. It's important to note that the old address may still appear in some older instances, such as calendar events created before the change, as updates won't be instantaneous across all Google products.
Rollout Timeline and Impact for Indian Users
Google has stated the feature is "gradually rolling out to all users," but availability is currently limited. The company has not yet made an official announcement or published English-language documentation, suggesting a wider global rollout may not happen until early 2026.
For years, Indian users who created accounts in their youth, changed their names, or simply wanted a more professional email handle faced a tedious process. The only option was to create a fresh account and manually migrate data—a hassle many avoided. This new feature provides a seamless, one-stop solution, allowing users to update their digital identity without starting from scratch.
The discovery on the Hindi support page indicates Google is actively preparing the feature for the Indian market, which is one of its largest user bases. This update will be a significant quality-of-life improvement for countless users across the country.
