Prime Highlight
- Google is testing a Gmail address change feature that allows users to switch emails while keeping all data, including emails, photos, and access to services.
- The old Gmail address remains active as an alias, so messages continue to arrive in the same inbox, and users can still sign in with it.
Key Facts
- The feature is currently visible only on the Hindi version of Google’s help pages, suggesting an initial rollout in India or Hindi-speaking regions.
- Limits include no new Gmail address for 12 months after switching, and the new email cannot be deleted, while the old ID can still be reused within the same account.
Background
Google has started quietly testing a new feature that lets users change their Gmail address while keeping all their existing data, ending a long-standing limitation that forced people to open a fresh account for a new email ID.
The update appears only on the Hindi version of Google’s account help pages, which suggests that the company may begin the rollout in India or other Hindi-speaking regions. The English support page still says that Gmail addresses “usually cannot be changed.”
According to the updated guidance, users can replace their current @gmail.com address with a new one without losing emails, photos, messages, or access to services such as Google Drive, Maps, and YouTube. Once the change happens, the old address will remain active as an alias. This means that emails sent to the earlier ID will continue to land in the same inbox, and users can still sign in using the old email.
Until now, users who wanted a cleaner or more professional Gmail ID had to create a new account and manually move their data, a process that often broke app logins and third-party integrations. The new feature removes this hurdle and keeps everything linked to one account.
Google also sets some limits on the change. After switching, users cannot create another new Gmail address for the next 12 months, and they cannot delete the newly chosen address. The old email ID can be reused later, but only within the same account.
The company has not issued an official announcement or press release. Reports say users first spotted the update on online forums and tech communities. Google also did not respond to media questions on which regions will receive the feature first.
The support page notes that the feature is rolling out in phases and will reach all users gradually. If the test succeeds, Gmail users around the world may soon get the chance to finally drop their old, awkward email IDs without starting from scratch.