Gmail aliases — How to change your address without data loss

If your old Gmail email address is no longer relevant or you just want to change it to something more professional, you have two options: create a new account or use Gmail's alias system. The second option can greatly simplify the process by eliminating the need to manually transfer all of your subscriptions, accounts, and other digital assets.

Android Authority explains how to do it.

Why it's so hard to change your Gmail address

Google does not provide an easy way to change your email address without creating a new account. If you do decide to create a new account, transferring the data manually is a complicated and tedious process. While Microsoft allows you to use multiple email addresses within a single account through its alias system, Google does not offer a similar solution.

However, Gmail does have the ability to set up aliases, although it is not as flexible as Microsoft's. This can be a useful tool for those who want to change their email address without losing access to email and other important services.

What a Gmail alias is and how it works

An alias in Gmail allows you to send email from a different email address that is associated with your primary account. This is useful if you have multiple accounts — for example, one for personal use and one for work. Instead of constantly switching between accounts or installing additional apps, you can use Gmail.

You can associate up to 99 aliases with an account. However, it is important to note that the system does not support automatically receiving mail from aliases in the main Gmail inbox. To receive mail from another address, you must set up a forwarding service or use the Gmailify feature, which allows you to import mail from another account (up to 5 accounts).

How to set up aliases in Gmail

To create and customize aliases in Gmail, you need to: 

• Log in to your Gmail;
• Open Settings — Accounts and Import;
• In the "Send email as" section, add a new email address;
• Confirm by clicking on the link sent to your second account. 

Now, when you write an email in Gmail, you can choose which address to send it from.

You can also set up email forwarding in the Forwarding and POP/IMAP section so that all incoming email from another account automatically appears in your primary mailbox.

How an alias can help you change your Gmail address without losing access

If your old email address is no longer needed and you don't want to lose important mail or access to services, a pseudonym can help you make a gradual transition:

• Create a new Gmail account with the address you want;
• Add it as an alias to your old account;
• Set up automatic forwarding so that all mail goes to the new mailbox;
• Gradually update accounts in other services by changing the associated email.

This system is especially useful if you change your name, leave a job, or just want to get rid of an old, inconvenient address.

However, a Gmail alias does not change your Google Account. It's important to understand that a Gmail alias only affects your email, not your Google Account. For example, if you purchased an app from Google Play, it will still be associated with your old account. The same goes for YouTube, Google Drive, Google Photos, etc.

Google does not yet allow you to merge accounts or transfer purchases between accounts. So if you want to completely change your account, you will have to manually transfer your data or use two accounts at once.

As a reminder, Chrome Canary is testing an automatic password change feature. Google has integrated artificial intelligence into a tool that detects compromised passwords during data breaches and suggests updates.

Earlier we wrote that Android smartphone users don’t use most of the useful features in their devices. Sometimes this can be considered a mistake, as it worsens the user experience.