Google now allows Gmail users to change username: What to know before changing Gmail username, what happens to old username and other key things not to miss – The Times of India
Google finally allows users to change the username of their Gmail account. Sharing a blog post, the company said: “Your digital identity just got an upgrade. You can now change your Google Account username (i.e., the part before @gmail.com), which you use to sign in to apps and services like Gmail, Photos, Drive and more. We started rolling this out last year to help your account grow with you.” Available to Gmail users in the US, the update will help those looking to change their ‘embarrassing’ Gmail username for long. In this article, we list steps you can follow to change your Gmail, things one should keep in mind before changing the username, explain what happens to your old gmail username among other things. Take a look
What happens after you change your Gmail username
As explained on a Google support page, when a user changes Google Account email from one that ends in gmail.com to a new address that ends in gmail.com:
- Your previous Google Account email ending in gmail.com will become an alternate email address.
- You’ll receive emails to both your old and new addresses.
- The data saved in your account won’t be affected. This includes things like photos, messages and emails sent to your previous email address.
- You can change back to your previous email address at any time, but you can’t create a new Google Account email ending in gmail.com for the next 12 months. You also can’t delete your new email address.
- You can sign in with your old or new email address on
Google services , such as Gmail, Maps, YouTube, Google Play or Drive.
Things to keep in mind before changing Gmail username
Some of the precautions that Google advises users are to:
- Back up or restore data on your Android device
- Sign in and sync in Chrome
- Export, back up, or restore contacts
- Back up your Timeline data
- Recreate your app settings
How to change Gmail username
Step 1: On your device, visit myaccount.google.com/google-account-email. You may be asked to sign in.Step 2: At the top left, click “Personal info”Step 3: Click Email and then Google Account emailStep 4: Under “Google Account email”, click Change Google Account email. If you don’t have this option, it might not be possible to change your Google Account email. If you do have this option, move to the next step.Step 5: Review potential issues. There can be some issues with Google services and features if you change your Google Account email that ends in @gmail.com to a new address that ends in @gmail.com. Before you change your Google Account email, check if any of these apply to you.Google also recommends backup data as a precaution. Also, some of your app settings may be reset. This is similar to when you sign in on a new device. Step 6: Change your Google Account email. Enter the new username that you want to use. You’ll need to choose one that isn’t being used by another Google Account or that was used by someone in the past and then deleted.Step 7: Click Change email and then Yes, change email. Follow the steps on the screen.When complete, you’ll have a new Google Account email and your old one will show as an alternate email.
Gmail username change : Common FAQs
Q: How often can I change my Google Account email?A: You can change back to your previous Google Account email at any time, but you can only create a new Google Account email that ends in @gmail.com once every 12 months and three times total.Q. Will I still receive emails sent to my old Google Account email?A. Yes. Emails sent to both your old or your new Google Account emails that end in @gmail.com will appear in your Gmail inbox. To know which address a particular email was sent to, check the “to” field. If you don’t want to receive emails sent to your old Google Account email, you can create an email filter.Q. Will my old Google Account email still appear in some places?A. Yes. After you change your Google Account email, the new address will appear when you use Google products. However, old instances won’t be changed retroactively. This means things like Calendar events that were made before the change will still show your old email.Q. Can I choose to send emails from my old Google Account email? A. Yes. If you create a new Google Account email, both your new address and your old address will be available to send emails.Q. Can someone else use my old Google Account email?A. No. It will remain as your alternate email and no one else can use it. Even if you delete your Google Account, no one can use your old Google Account email. Important: This also means that you can’t use your old Google Account email to create a new account.Q. How do I go back to my old Google Account email?A. Your previous Google Account email will remain as an alternate email address. You can switch back to it at any time. To switch back:
- Visit myaccount.google.com
- Select Email.
- Select Google Account email.
- Find your previous Google Account email and select “Make this your Google Account email”.