According to TechRepublic, Google has begun a gradual global rollout of a feature that lets users change their @gmail.com address while keeping their existing account, data, and connected services. The old address becomes an alias, so emails still arrive and it can still be used for sign-in. However, users can only make this change once every 12 months, with a lifetime cap of just three changes per account. The feature is currently visible on some regional support pages, like the Hindi-language version, but Google hasn’t made a formal announcement. Experts are already warning that scammers will likely use this major policy shift as bait for phishing attacks.
The Escape Hatch We’ve Waited For
Look, this is a huge deal. For nearly two decades, your Gmail address has been a digital tattoo. That cringey nickname or inside joke from 2004? You were stuck with it, or faced the nuclear option of creating a whole new account and manually moving everything. This change is Google finally admitting that people evolve. And the implementation is smart: making the old address a permanent alias means you don’t have to panic about missing emails from people who only know the old you. It’s a clean break without the messy fallout.
Here’s The Catch
But of course, there are limits. Big ones. You get to do this exactly three times in your entire life. That’s it. Four total Gmail addresses per account, ever. And you have to wait a year between switches. This isn’t a feature for the indecisive. It’s a carefully controlled pressure valve. Google is basically saying, “Fine, you can change it. But choose wisely, because you don’t get many do-overs.” This probably balances user demand with the immense backend complexity of re-keying one of the world’s largest identity systems. Still, it feels a bit stingy, doesn’t it?
A New Phishing Playground
Here’s the thing that worries me. As noted, any major Google feature rollout is like ringing the dinner bell for phishers. You’re going to get emails pretending to be from Google with “Click here to update your Gmail address!” links. Remember, Google isn’t broadly advertising this yet. If you get an unsolicited email about it, it’s almost certainly a scam. The official way to do it will be through your Google Account settings, not a link in a message. Stay vigilant.
The Bigger Picture Cleanup
This address change isn’t happening in a vacuum. Google is tidying up Gmail’s older, less secure corners. They’re finally sunsetting the ancient POP protocol for checking mail in third-party apps by the end of this year, pushing everyone to the more modern IMAP. It’s part of a broader shift. The permanent Gmail address was a cornerstone of the old, simple web. Letting it change acknowledges that our digital identities are more fluid and complex now. It’s a necessary update, even with the tight limits. So, what would your new address be? You’ve only got three shots.
