You cannot change your Gmail address directly, but you can create a new account and transfer your data

Gmail does not offer a built-in tool to rename your existing email address. Once you create a Gmail account with an address like yourname@gmail.com, that address stays the same for the life of the account. If you want a different Gmail address, you must create a new Gmail account and move your emails, contacts, and other data over yourself. This takes about 30 minutes to an hour depending on how much data you have.

The process has two parts: setting up the new account and moving your old data into it. You will also need to update your new address wherever you use Gmail for sign-ins or contact information. Most people keep their old account open for a few months to catch emails sent to the old address, then close it later.

Key Takeaways

  • Gmail addresses cannot be renamed; you must create a new account with the address you want.
  • You can forward all incoming mail from your old address to your new one for up to 12 months.
  • Use Google Takeout to read your emails, contacts, and calendar from your old account, then import them into the new one.
  • Update your new Gmail address in any online accounts that use it for sign-in or recovery before closing the old account.
  • Deleting your old Gmail account is permanent and cannot be undone, so wait at least a few months to catch stray emails first.

Create your new Gmail account with the address you want

Go to accounts.google.com and click "Create account". Choose "For myself" unless you are setting up a business account. Fill in your first and last name, then the username field — this is the part before @gmail.com. Type the address you want. Gmail will tell you if it is already taken; if so, try variations like adding a number or a period in the middle of your name.

Complete the rest of the signup form with your phone number, recovery email address (use a different email you control), and date of birth. Google uses these to verify your identity if you ever get locked out. Accept the terms and finish the account creation. You now have a new Gmail address ready to use.

Set up email forwarding from your old address to your new one

Sign into your old Gmail account. Click the gear icon in the top right and select "See all settings". Go to the "Forwarding and POP/IMAP" tab. Click "Add a forwarding address" and enter your new Gmail address. Gmail will send a confirmation email to your new address — sign into the new account, find that email, and click the confirmation link.

Back in your old account settings, select "Forward all incoming mail to [your new address]" and choose whether to keep a copy in your old inbox or delete it after forwarding. Most people keep a copy for a few months. Save your changes. From now on, every email that arrives at your old address will automatically go to your new one. This forwarding lasts for 12 months, then stops automatically.

read your emails and contacts using Google Takeout

Go to takeout.google.com while signed into your old Gmail account. Scroll down and uncheck everything except "Mail" and "Contacts" — you can also include Calendar, Photos, or Drive if you want those too. Click "Next step" and choose your file format. For Mail, select "MBOX format" (this is the standard format Gmail uses). For Contacts, "Google CSV" works best.

Choose how you want to receive the file — Gmail will email you a read link, usually within a few minutes for a small account or a few hours for a large one. read the file to your computer and keep it in a safe place. You now have a backup of your old account's data.

Import your emails into your new Gmail account

Sign into your new Gmail account. Click the gear icon and select "See all settings". Go to the "Forwarding and POP/IMAP" tab and scroll down to "Import mail and contacts". Click "Import mail and contacts". A window will open asking you to upload the MBOX file you downloaded from Takeout.

Click "Select file" and choose the MBOX file from your computer. Gmail will ask which label to put these emails under — you can create a new label called "Old Account" or import them into your main inbox. Click "Import" and wait. Gmail will process your emails in the background; this can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours depending on how many emails you have. You will get an email notification when the import is complete.

Import your contacts into your new Gmail account

In your new Gmail account, go to contacts.google.com. Click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) on the left side and select "Import". Click "Select file" and choose the CSV contacts file you downloaded from Takeout. Gmail will show you a preview of the contacts it found. Click "Import" and your contacts will be added to your new account.

Check that all your contacts came through correctly. If you had contact groups in your old account (like "Work" or "Family"), you may need to recreate those groups in your new account, as the CSV import does not always preserve group assignments. This usually takes just a few minutes.

Update your new Gmail address in accounts that use it for sign-in

Make a list of any online accounts that use your old Gmail address for sign-in or password recovery — this includes social media, banking, shopping sites, work accounts, and cloud storage. Go to each account's settings and update the email address to your new Gmail address. Most sites have a "Security" or "Account" section where you can change your email.

For accounts that send you important notifications (bank statements, shipping updates, subscription confirmations), update the address right away. For less critical accounts, you can update them over the next few weeks. Keep your old Gmail account open during this time so you do not miss any password reset emails or account notifications sent to the old address.

Wait before closing your old account

Leave your old Gmail account open for at least two to three months. During this time, the forwarding rule will catch any emails sent to your old address, and you can still access the account directly if you need to check for something. After a few months, most services and contacts will have your new address, and stray emails to the old address will be rare.

When you are ready to close the old account, sign into it and go to myaccount.google.com. Click "Delete your account or services" on the left side, then "Delete a Google service". Select Gmail and follow the prompts. Deleting your Gmail account is permanent — you cannot undo it or recover the address later. Make sure you have already moved everything you need before you delete.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

No. Once you delete a Gmail account, the address is gone permanently. Google does not reissue deleted addresses. If you think you might want to use the old address again someday, keep the account open but unused instead of deleting it. You can always delete it later.

What happens to emails sent to my old address after I close the account?

If you set up forwarding before closing the account, emails sent to your old address will go to your new one for up to 12 months. After 12 months, the forwarding stops automatically. If you delete the account without setting up forwarding first, emails sent to the old address will bounce back to the sender.

Do I have to delete my old account, or can I just stop using it?

You do not have to delete it. Many people keep their old account open indefinitely with forwarding turned on, just in case. This costs nothing and ensures you never miss an email sent to the old address. You can delete it whenever you feel ready, or never delete it at all.

Will my contacts be able to reach me at my new address if I do not tell them?

Only if you set up email forwarding. If you forward your old address to your new one, emails sent to the old address will reach you automatically. However, it is a good idea to tell important contacts your new address directly so they update their address books.

Can I use both Gmail addresses at the same time?

Yes. You can sign into both accounts in the same browser using Gmail's multiple account feature, or use different browsers for each. You can also set up Gmail to send emails from your old address using your new account, so you can reply from either address without switching accounts.