Google has announced a new feature that will enable individuals change their Gmail addresses without losing data.

A common grievance among Google users has been the lack of flexibility to change a primary email address without abandoning the existing account.

This new feature will retain all the data, purchases, and history, as you will receive both the new and old addresses in the same inbox.

However, the latest rollout will complement the following:

• Old address becomes an alias (you still get mail)
• Once per year, 3 times total
• Rolling out gradually

How Google Has Been Behaving in the Past

From outdated usernames created in your teenage years to a simple wish for a new brand, Google has traditionally treated Gmail addresses as permanent.

Google has begun a gradual rollout of a feature that allows users to change their existing Google Account email address to a new one, while retaining all their data, purchases, and history.

How the Change Works

The updated support documentation enables users whose email addresses end in @gmail.com to replace them with a new @gmail.com address.

This is a major departure from previous functionality, where changing a username required creating a new account and manually migrating data.

The process doesn’t delete the old email address, but also the previous address into an alias, which ensures continuity.

You will receive emails sent to both the new and old addresses in the same inbox.

Your stored data, including Drive files, Google Photos, and purchase history, remains untouched.

You can sign in to Google services using either the new or the old email address.

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Security of the New Feature

Google has further implemented security measures that prevent the misuse of this feature. Once a user changes their email address, they cannot create another new @gmail.com address for this account for the next 12 months.

However, users retain the ability to revert to their original address at any time.

Meanwhile, Google warns that changing the primary identifier may cause friction with third-party services.

If you use “Sign in with Google” for external sites, or if you use a Chromebook or Chrome Remote Desktop, you may need to re-authenticate or adjust settings after the switch.

Google urges users to secure critical data and verify application settings before making the change.

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How to Check for a Feature

This new feature may not be available to all users immediately and therefore, you can check if your account is eligible by following this procedure.

Navigate to myaccount.google.com/google-account-email on a computer.

Select Personal Information from the left-hand menu.

Click on the Google Account email under the “Contact info” section.

Look for a button labeled Change your Google Account email address.

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Gmail logo. PHOTO/Courtesy