SOPA Images / Google / Gmail
Are you one of the many people who have been stuck with the Gmail address you made when you were an immature teen? Google is finally letting you change that mistake.
Google has announced that beginning in April, you can now change your email address, meaning you no longer have to open another account.
In a video shared on Google’s YouTube account, a spokesperson announced the company is “rolling out a way to change your Google Account username without starting over,” and it can be done in just a few steps.
U.S. Gmail users can begin the change by opening their Google Account settings, hitting the Personal Options tab, then Email, then Google Account Email.
Following those steps, users should see the Change Google Account Email option, and from there, they will have the ability to make a new, unique user name for the email address.
If you don’t see the option to change your email address, don’t worry, Google said it’s gradually rolling out the feature to its U.S. users.
If you’re worried that you will no longer receive mail from your old email address, don’t be, a spokesperson from the company said, “Don’t worry about your old emails. Your original addresses will stay on your accounts as an alternate.”
Now, before you change your name, do keep in mind that you will have to stick with that decision for 12 months, so you have to be absolutely sure.
Here’s How It Works
So how does it work? Google explains that your old email will become your alternate email address, allowing you to receive email from both your old and new addresses.
Photos, messages, and emails sent to your previous address will not be affected. You can also use both your old and new email addresses to log into any of the programs in the Google suite of apps.
Google reiterates that you cannot change your address more than once every 12 months, but you can switch back to the old one if you fall out of love with your new email address.
Finally, a feature we can all be excited about.
