Google is now letting users in the U.S. change their Gmail address without losing any data

Google has introduced a long-awaited feature allowing Gmail users in the United States to change the username part of their email address, everything before the @gmail.com. With this update, users frustrated by outdated or unprofessional addresses can now move to a new username that better suits their current needs.

Once the change is made, the original Gmail address becomes an alternate address, ensuring emails sent to either the old or new address will be delivered. Users can access both their new and prior Gmail accounts for messages, photos, and other stored data, as all account contents remain unaffected by the switch.

This new workflow allows users to sign in with either email address across Google services, including Gmail, Google Play, Maps, and YouTube. However, Google has put some limitations in place. After updating their Gmail username, users cannot create a new Gmail account for 12 months and will not be able to delete the new email address. They can, however, revert to a previous Gmail address at any time if needed. The feature is live for all U.S.-based Google account holders.