It’s about time.
On Tuesday, Google announced it will now allow U.S. users to change their Google Account username without opening a new account or losing access to their data.
Translation: you’re no longer stuck with a regrettable early aughts account name, looking at you, slackerboy666, kandyraver69. and chewbacca_is_my_stock_broker.
It seems the feature is long overdue.
According to Google, “‘Can you change your Gmail address?’” was the top-searched ‘can you’ Gmail-related question over the past year in the U.S.
Now that that particular wish is being granted, patience is in order.
According to the company’s support page, the feature is rolling out gradually across the US, so users may not have immediate access to it.
Here’s how to make the change:
- Go to myaccount.google.com/google-account-email.
- Sign in if prompted
- Click “Personal info”
- Click Email > Google Account email
- Under “Google Account email,” click Change Google Account email. If this option does not present itself, it might not yet be possible to change your Google Account email.
- Enter a new username. You’ll need to choose a name that isn’t already in use or one that has once been used but has since been deleted.
- Click “Change email” and then “Yes,” change email
- Follow the steps on the screen
- When complete, you’ll have a brand spanking new Google Account email, and your old account will show as an alternate
Users can change their username only once every 12 months, and they won’t be able to delete their new email address during that period.
Google shared that old emails will be preserved and that users will be able to sign in to Google services using both the old and new addresses.
In the wake of Google’s announcement, many users are rejoicing at the opportunity to rebrand themselves.
“I knew holding onto my Gmail account from when Gmail was in beta would pay off!” shared one Reddit commentator.
“Not too proud of the email name I made at 14, so a name refresh while retaining my data sounds great,” said another.
Others are standing by their original, questionable choices.
“Nah, I’m keeping StonerBeast42069 forever!!,” one user proudly declared.
“I went with my firstname.lastname and couldn’t be happier,” another happy person chimed in with.
It ain’t all glad rags and beneficial swaps, however, as experts warn that cyber attackers are using Gmail address functionality to hack user accounts.
Essentially, cyber criminals are sending emails from legitimate-looking Google addresses claiming that you can change your address by clicking on a link within the email that takes you to a security check.
The “security check” is then used to steal your credentials and hack your account.
This method has been in place for some time, but experts believe the new rollout will make attacks more ubiquitous and users more vulnerable.
In 2025, the FTC received 3 million fraud reports from consumers who lost a staggering $15.9 billion to scammers.
To protect yourself and your Gmail account from would-be hackers, a Google security checkup is recommended.
“Users can protect themselves from credential theft by turning on 2-step verification and adopting passkeys as a stronger and safer alternative to passwords,” a Gmail spokesperson told Forbes.
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