Until now, users who wanted a different Gmail address had to create an entirely new account.
Sundar Pichai announces major update
Announcing the change, Google CEO Sundar Pichai wrote on X: “2004 was a good year, but your Gmail address doesn’t need to be stuck in it.”
2004 was a good year, but your Gmail address doesn't need to be stuck in it.
— Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) March 31, 2026
To say goodbye to [email protected] or [email protected] (or whatever you were into at the time), go to your Google Account settings and choose any name available. You'll keep your old…
He added:“To say goodbye to old usernames like [email protected] or [email protected], go to your Google Account settings and choose any available name. You’ll keep your old username and can sign in with both.”
What’s changing?
According to Google, users — starting in the US — can now change their account username across services like Gmail, Photos, and Drive.
You asked, we delivered. If you’re a U.S. Google user, you can now change your account username for tools like Gmail, Photos, Drive and more — while keeping your emails, data and account history. Here’s what to know:
— Google (@Google) March 31, 2026
1️⃣ You can choose any available @gmail.com username.
2️⃣… pic.twitter.com/eF2lgbJaFg
How it works
Users can choose any available @gmail.com username
The old email address will remain as an alias
You can send, receive, and sign in using both addresses
You can revert to your old username if needed
Username changes are allowed once a year, up to three times in total