Google ends 20-year restriction, finally allows users to change embarrassing Gmail usernames

Google is finally giving users the ability to get rid of their embarrassing Gmail usernames with its latest update. In a blog post on Tuesday, the tech giant said that it has been working on the update since last year to ‘help your account grow with you’, and the feature is now available to all users in the US.

Google parent Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai talked about the feature in a post on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “2004 was a good year, but your Gmail address doesn’t need to be stuck in it.”

“To say goodbye to v0t3f0rp3dr02004@gmail.com or mrbrightside416@gmail.com (or whatever you were into at the time), go to your Google Account settings and choose any name available. You’ll keep your old username and you can sign in with both,” Pichai added.

How does Google’s latest update work?

After the latest update, Google now allows users to change their Gmail username, which is the part before @gmail.com in your username. Google says you can swap out your old username for any available @gmail.com address while keeping your entire account history intact.

The company also adds that despite changing your username, your account won’t be affected, and photos, messages, and emails will still be linked to your account. Google says that the previous email will automatically become an alternative email address, meaning you will continue to receive messages directed to both your old and new addresses in the same inbox.

Google says users can sign in to Google services like Gmail, Maps, YouTube, Google Play, or Drive using either their old or new email address.

However, the caveat here is that Google only allows changing your email address once every 12 months and up to a maximum of three times in total. Google says users also have the option of switching back to their old email address at any time.

How can you change your Gmail username?

Open the Google Account settings and select the “Personal info” tab.

Click on “Email” and then select “Google Account email”.

If your account is eligible for the update, you will see the “Change Google Account email” option. Click on it.

Enter your preferred new username. You need to choose a username that isn’t being used by any other Google account and wasn’t used by someone in the past either.

Google recommends backing up your data in order to ensure that you are protected in case of any issue while updating the email address