Google is preparing to roll out a long-awaited feature that will allow Gmail users to modify their primary email address. Until now, this option was limited mainly to users with third-party email accounts linked to Google. With the upcoming update, Gmail users will be able to update their username directly through the My Account settings.
To avoid any disruption in communication, Google will keep the old email address active as an alias. This means users will continue to receive emails sent to their previous address, and it will still work for signing in to Google services such as YouTube, Google Maps, and Google Drive. Importantly, all existing data across Google services will remain unchanged after the username update.
The feature was initially discovered by the Google Pixel Hub Telegram channel and was mentioned on Google’s Hindi-language support page. Although not yet widely available, Google is expected to roll it out globally in the near future.
However, there will be certain limitations. Each Google account will be allowed to change its username up to three times, resulting in a maximum of four unique email addresses over the account’s lifetime. Once a change is made, users won’t be able to remove the new address or create another one for the next 12 months.
Google has also clarified that old email addresses will remain permanently linked to the original account and cannot be reused or claimed by other users. In some cases, the old address may still appear in places like previously created Google Calendar events.
This update marks a significant shift for Google and addresses a long-standing user request. As Gmail approaches its 20-year milestone, many long-time users feel their original usernames no longer reflect who they are today. With this new feature, Google is finally giving users the flexibility to update their digital identity.