How to Change Your Gmail Address (and What Happens to the Old One)

Here's what most guides skip. Changing your Gmail address doesn't replace the old one, it adds a new one. Your previous address becomes an alternate email, you keep getting mail sent to both, and nobody else can ever use the old one, even if you later delete your whole account. That's good for keeping your mail, and less good if you were hoping to make an old address disappear.

It's worth being clear on why the address matters. Google says your Google Account email is what you use to sign in to its products, it shows next to your name and profile photo when you're signed in, and it's visible to other people when you share Drive files, send Calendar invites or use Sign in with Google. Change it, and that's the address people start to see.

What changes and what stays the same

After the change	What Google says, as of October 2026
Your old address	Becomes an alternate email on your account. You can't delete it or hide it
Incoming mail	Arrives in the same inbox whether it's sent to the old or new address. Check the To field to see which
Your saved data	Not affected: photos, messages and emails sent to the old address stay
Signing in	Works with either address on Gmail, Maps, YouTube, Google Play and Drive
Sending	Both addresses are available to send from
Old calendar invites and shared items	Not updated: events made before the change still show the old address
The new address	Can't be deleted once you've made it

The limits on how often you can change it

Google caps this tightly. You can create a new Google Account email ending in gmail.com once every 12 months, and three times in total, which gives you up to 4 addresses on one account. Switching back to an address you've already had doesn't count: Google says you can change back to a previous one at any time. So the realistic plan is to choose the new name carefully, because you won't get another go for a year.

Step 1: check whether your account can change

1. On your computer, visit myaccount.google.com/google-account-email. You may be asked to sign in.
2. At the top left, click Personal info.
3. Click Email, then Google Account email.
4. Under Google Account email, look for Change Google Account email. If you don't have that option, it might not be possible to change your address. If you do, carry on.

Step 2: sort these out before you switch

Google flags three situations where the change can cause problems with its services, and asks you to check them first: you use a Chromebook, you use Sign in with Google on non-Google sites, or you connect remotely with Chrome Remote Desktop. Each has its own help article, and it's worth reading the one that applies before you go any further.

Google also recommends backing up your data as a precaution, and warns that some app settings may be reset, much like signing in on a new device. Its list of things to back up includes your Android device data, Chrome sync, contacts, photos and videos, and Timeline data.

Step 3: make the change

1. Enter the new username you want. It can't be one that's used by another Google Account, or one that was used in the past and then deleted.
2. Click Change email, then Yes, change email.
3. Follow the steps on the screen.
4. When it's done, your new address is your Google Account email and the old one shows as an alternate email.

If you can't find a username you like, the Gmail rules still apply. A username has to be 6 to 30 characters, can contain letters, numbers and periods, and can't have more than one period in a row. Google shows you when a name isn't available and suggests similar ones.

Dots, going back and the old address

Want to add or remove a dot? You can't change the punctuation of your Google Account email. Google says periods don't matter in Gmail addresses, so the dotted and undotted versions already receive your mail. If you want to send from a version with different dots, add it as an alias in Gmail instead.

To go back to your old address, visit myaccount.google.com, select Email, then Google Account email, find your previous address and select Make this your Google Account email. You'll keep the newer address as well.

If you don't want to send from the old address any more, remove it as a send alias. If you don't want to receive mail sent to it, Google suggests creating a filter. Removing it completely is only possible by deleting your Google Account and creating a new one, and even then, nobody can reuse that old address, including you.

When you're not on a standard Gmail account

• Gmail to a non-Gmail address: Google says you'd need to delete your Gmail service. If you don't want to, add the other address as an alternate email instead, which you can use to sign in.
• Non-Gmail account to a Gmail address: add Gmail to your Google Account.
• Work, school or other group account: contact your administrator, who controls the address.
• Only the name is wrong: you don't need a new address. The name people see can be changed on its own.

For that last one, Google gives the example of someone who marries and changes from Lisa Brown to Lisa Jones while keeping the same address. You change it on a computer in Gmail under Settings, See all settings, then the Accounts and Import tab and Edit info next to Send mail as. Google says you can't do it from the Gmail app. My full guide on how to change your Gmail name walks through it.

The other addresses Google keeps on your account

Your Google Account email is the main one, but Google's Manage your email addresses page shows several others sitting alongside it, all under Personal info and then Email. Knowing which is which saves confusion after a change.

• Recovery email: used to get you back in quickly if you forget your password or get locked out. Add it under Recovery email with Add recovery email.
• Contact email: where Google tells you important things about your account and products like YouTube. It can be from any provider, but should be one you check often. Google notes that some products still use your Google Account email even if you add one.
• Alternate emails: non-Gmail addresses you own that you can use to sign in and get your password back. Your old Gmail address lands here after a change.
• About me emails: addresses from your About me page, where you choose Only you or Anyone to control who can see them across products like Drive or Photos.

Google says it uses these addresses to help you get into your account, to send security information such as unusual activity, to send account updates like running out of space or a policy change, and to send Play Store receipts.

My verdict on changing your Gmail address

I'd change it if your current address is embarrassing, out of date or tied to an old business name, because you lose nothing and mail to the old one still arrives. I'd skip it if you only want a different display name or a second address to hand out, since Gmail aliases or a name change will do that without using one of your three changes. And if you're changing because you think someone's got into the account, change the password first, not the address.

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose my emails if I change my Gmail address?

No. Google says the data saved in your account isn't affected, including emails sent to your previous address, and mail to both addresses arrives in the same inbox.

How many times can I change my Gmail address?

You can create a new address ending in gmail.com once every 12 months and three times in total, for up to 4 addresses on one account.

Can I delete my old Gmail address after changing it?

No. Your old address stays as an alternate email and can't be removed. The only way to remove it completely is to delete your Google Account.

Why don't I see the option to change my Gmail address?

If Change Google Account email isn't shown under Personal info, Google says it might not be possible to change the address on your account. Work and school accounts are changed by an administrator.

Can someone else take my old Gmail address?

No. Google says it stays as your alternate email, and even if you delete your Google Account, nobody can use it.