If you've been stuck with a Gmail address you're not exactly proud of (like SexySenior69@gmail) – or one that's just too long and clunky to give out (like jsmith8847263@gmail) — Google just made your day.
Starting this week, Google is giving a get-out-of-jail-free card for anyone who wants to change the name part of their Gmail address without creating a new account. Your emails, photos, Drive files, and account history all stay exactly where they are – no moving stuff around necessary.
Here's the part that matters most...
Your old address doesn't go away. It becomes a permanent backup address, so anything sent to your old name still lands in the same inbox. You won't miss a thing from Medicare, your bank, or your grandkids. But, sadly, that scammer in Pakistan either who's been emailing you with some con job for years can still bug you.
Interested? Here's what to do...
To see if this option is available to you, do this:
- Go to your Google Account settings
- Click Personal info, then Email
- Select Google Account email
- If you see a "Change Google Account email" button, you're in
A few things to know before you change it:
You can only do this once a year, and there's a lifetime limit of three changes per account, so choose your name wisely!
Also, some websites where you log in with Google may need a quick update — most will adjust automatically, but it's worth double-checking your most important ones.
The rollout is gradual, so if you don't see the option today, check back in a few weeks.
Gary P Guthrie
