Google has announced a new feature for its Gmail service, enabling users to change their primary @gmail.com address without losing access to their data or services. This update addresses a longstanding user request and eliminates the need for creating new accounts to obtain a different email address.

According to information published on Google’s official account help page, users will be able to update their Gmail address while retaining all associated emails, photos, and other account data. This process removes the previous requirement to manually transfer data and reconfigure third-party app integrations, which often resulted in data loss and service disruptions.

The initial documentation for this feature appeared on the Hindi version of Google’s support page. This suggests that the rollout may be starting in India or other Hindi-speaking regions, with a phased expansion to additional markets. The English-language support page currently maintains that Gmail addresses “usually cannot be changed,” indicating that the global rollout is not yet complete.

Under the new policy, when a user changes their Gmail address, the original address is retained as an alias. Emails sent to the previous address will continue to be delivered to the user’s inbox. The original address also remains valid for signing in to Google services such as Drive, Maps, and YouTube, reducing the risk of service interruption.

Previously, users seeking a new Gmail address were required to create a new Google account and manually migrate data, which often led to lost emails, broken app connections, and inconvenience. The new feature is designed to preserve all existing data, including emails, photos, and messages, after the address change.

Additional details from the Hindi support page indicate that users can reuse their old Gmail address at any time. However, there are restrictions: after changing their Gmail address, users cannot create another new Gmail address for 12 months, and they cannot delete the newly chosen address during that period. These limitations are likely intended to prevent misuse and maintain account security.

This update represents a significant change in Google’s account management policies. It aligns Gmail with other major email providers that already offer similar flexibility and addresses a frequent user complaint regarding the inability to update email addresses.

The feature is currently in the early stages of rollout and is limited to certain regions and languages. Users interested in changing their Gmail address are advised to monitor Google’s support pages for further updates and instructions as the feature becomes available in additional countries and languages.