Users can change the portion of their email address before ‘@gmail.com’ without having to set up a brand new account.
“2004 was a memorable year, but your Gmail address doesn’t have to be stuck in that time,” remarked Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai on X.
Those who registered years ago with quirky or embarrassing usernames will no longer need to forfeit their inbox history, contacts, and stored information just to adopt a more professional-looking email ID.
“To say goodbye to v0t3f0rp3dr02004@gmail.com or mrbrightside416@gmail.com (or whatever you were into back then), go to your Google Account settings and select any available name. You’ll retain your old username and can log in with both,” he stated.
2004 was a good year, but your Gmail address doesn’t need to be stuck in it.
To say goodbye to v0t3f0rp3dr02004@gmail.com or mrbrightside416@gmail.com (or whatever you were into at the time), go to your Google Account settings and choose any name available. You’ll keep your old…
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) March 31, 2026
Previously, altering a Gmail address meant starting anew by creating a different account and manually transferring emails, files, and contacts. This new update eliminates that inconvenience, allowing users to simply update their existing address while keeping everything intact.
Upon selecting a new name on Gmail, your old email becomes an alternative address. If someone sends an email to your old ID, it will still arrive in your inbox. Additionally, you can use either your old or new email ID to access other Google services such as YouTube, Google Drive, or Google Maps.
How to change Gmail address?
Navigate to your Google account settings page on your device.
At the top left, click ‘Personal info’ and then select Google account email.
Access email settings, and click on ‘Change Google Account email.’
Select a new username that must be unique and not already in use by someone else.
Confirm the update and save.
Your email receives a new name, yet remains the same account. All your previous emails, photos, and files are secure, and you can log in using both the old and new email IDs.
Google is also introducing intelligent AI features to Gmail to enhance inbox management. The ‘AI Inbox’ is a new capability powered by Gemini that automatically organizes your emails, so you don’t have to sift through every message.
Gmail will emphasize important emails like bills, deadlines, or urgent notifications, which will appear in bold with due dates. Instead of opening numerous emails, you’ll see everything related to a single topic collectively, such as travel bookings and hotel details.
This feature is currently available to select users in the US and is expected to roll out soon for others.
