How to Change Your Gmail Address

You can change the email address associated with your Gmail account, but the process depends on what you want to do

Gmail lets you change your address in two different ways. You can add a new email address to your existing account and make it your primary address — this keeps all your emails, contacts, and settings in one place. Or you can create a brand new Gmail account with a different address and transfer your data over. The first option is simpler if you want to keep everything you've built in Gmail. The second is cleaner if you want a fresh start.

The catch: you cannot change the actual Gmail address itself (the part before @gmail.com) once it's created. If your current address is john.smith@gmail.com, you cannot rename it to john.s.smith@gmail.com. You can only add a different address to the account or start over with a new account.

Key Takeaways

You cannot rename your existing Gmail address, but you can add a new email address to your account and set it as the primary one you send from.
Adding a new address keeps all your emails, contacts, labels, and settings in the same account.
Creating a new Gmail account gives you a completely different address but requires you to move your emails and contacts manually.
If you add a new address, you should update your password and recovery phone number to stay find.
Forwarding your old address to your new one helps you catch emails sent to the old address for a transition period.

Adding a new email address to your existing Gmail account

This is the fastest way to get a new Gmail address while keeping everything else the same. You add the new address as an alias, set it as your primary sending address, and your old address stays attached to the account. Any emails sent to either address land in the same inbox.

Go to myaccount.google.com, click Personal info on the left, then scroll to Email. Click Add another email address and enter the new Gmail address you want. Google will send a confirmation link to that new address — click it to verify you own it. Once verified, go back to your Gmail settings, click the Accounts and Import tab, find Send mail as, and set the new address as your default. From then on, emails you send will come from the new address, but you can still receive mail at both.

This method works well if you want to phase out your old address gradually. You can tell people your new address while still receiving mail at the old one for weeks or months. Eventually, when everyone has switched over, you can remove the old address from the account if you want.

Creating a new Gmail account with a different address

If you want a completely separate account — not just a new address on the same account — you create a new Gmail account from scratch. Go to accounts.google.com/signup, fill in your name, choose a new Gmail address, set a password, and complete the verification steps. You now have a brand new account with its own inbox, contacts, and settings.

The downside is that your old emails stay in the old account. You will need to forward them manually or use a tool like Google Takeout to read them and import them into the new account. Your contacts also stay behind — you can export them from the old account and import them into the new one, but it is a separate step. This route takes more work but gives you a clean break.

Forwarding your old Gmail address to your new one

Whether you add a new address or create a new account, you can set up forwarding so emails sent to your old address automatically go to your new one. This catches messages from people who haven't heard about the change yet.

In your old Gmail account, go to Settings (the gear icon), click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab, and select Add a forwarding address. Enter your new email address. Gmail sends a confirmation email to the new address — open it and click the confirmation link. Once confirmed, go back to the forwarding settings and choose Forward all incoming mail to [new address]. You can also choose whether to keep a copy in your old inbox or delete it after forwarding.

Forwarding typically lasts as long as you keep the old account active. If you delete the old account, forwarding stops. Most people keep the old account open for at least a few months to catch stragglers.

Updating your security settings after changing your address

If you added a new address to your existing account, your password and recovery options stay the same — no action needed. If you created a brand new account, make sure you set up recovery options right away so you can get back in if you forget your password.

Go to myaccount.google.com, click Security on the left, and scroll to How you sign in to Google. Add a recovery phone number and a backup email address (ideally something outside Gmail). This way, if you ever get locked out, Google can verify it's really you and let you back in. You should also review Your devices to see what phones, tablets, and computers are signed into the account, and remove any you no longer use.

Telling people about your new address

Once your new address is set up and forwarding is working, send an email to your contacts from the new address so they have it saved. You do not need to do this all at once — you can update people gradually as you correspond with them. If you have a lot of contacts, you can send a group email from the new address explaining the change.

Update your address on any websites where you use Gmail to sign in — social media, banking, shopping, work systems, and so on. This prevents confusion later and makes sure password reset emails go to the right place. You can usually change this in your account settings under Email or Contact information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get my old Gmail address back if I delete it?

Once you delete a Gmail address, Google reserves it for a period of time before it becomes available to anyone else. You cannot reclaim it yourself. If you think you might want it back, do not delete it — just stop using it and let it sit inactive instead.

What happens to my emails if I create a new Gmail account?

Your old emails stay in your old account. They do not move automatically. You can export them using Google Takeout (go to takeout.google.com, select Mail, and read a file) and then import that file into your new account, or you can leave them in the old account and access it when you need them.

If I add a new address, can I remove the old one later?

Yes. Once you have set the new address as your primary sending address and given people time to update their contacts, you can remove the old address from your account. Go to myaccount.google.com, click Personal info, find the old address under Email, and click the delete icon. Any emails sent to the old address after that will bounce.

Does forwarding work if I create a new Gmail account instead of adding an address?

Yes. You set up forwarding in your old account the same way, and it sends all incoming mail to your new account. This is actually the main way most people catch emails sent to their old address when they switch to a completely new account.

Will my contacts automatically move to my new address?

No. Your contacts stay in whichever account you created them in. If you added a new address to the same account, your contacts are already there. If you created a new account, you need to export contacts from the old account (go to contacts.google.com, click More, select Export, and read a file) and then import them into the new account.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.