NAIROBI, Kenya – Google is finally giving Gmail users a long-awaited way to ditch their old, embarrassing email addresses without the hassle of creating a new account.
The company has quietly updated its account help page to allow users to change their @gmail.com addresses while retaining all their existing data and services.
The new guidance, however, currently appears only in the Hindi version of Google’s support page, hinting that the feature may first roll out in India or other Hindi-speaking regions.
Google says the feature is gradually rolling out worldwide, though there’s no official timeline for full adoption.
Under the update, users who change their Gmail address will automatically retain their original address as an alias.
Emails sent to the old address will continue arriving in the inbox, and the previous address will still work for signing in to Google services such as Drive, Maps, and YouTube.
Previously, anyone wanting a new Gmail address had to create a new account and manually transfer emails, contacts, and app integrations—a process that was often complicated and risky.
The change comes with a few limitations. Accounts that update their Gmail address cannot create another new address for 12 months, and the new email cannot be deleted.
Google has also confirmed that all existing data, including emails, photos, and messages, will remain intact. Users can reuse their old Gmail address at any time.
The rollout has drawn attention in tech communities and user forums, though Google has not issued a formal press release or public announcement about the feature.
