There is no way to actually change the Gmail address associated with your Google account, but you can achieve the same result by creating a new Gmail address and linking it to your original account. After creating a new profile, change your settings so that messages sent to the new address are automatically forwarded to your original account. You will also need to change the settings so that you can send emails with the new address, but from the old account.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Create a Gmail Profile
Step 1. Log out of your current profile
If you are logged in to your Gmail account, you will need to log out before proceeding.
- Click on the user icon in the upper right corner of the inbox page.
- Click on "Log out" in the pop up window that opens to log out of the profile.
- Once logged out, you will be automatically redirected to the Gmail homepage.
Step 2. Click on "Add Account"
Look for the "Add Account" (or "Create Account") button on the Gmail site. Click on it to start the process of creating a new address.
- If you are not automatically redirected to the homepage, you will have to enter the address manually:
- By clicking on this link, you will be directed to the "Create your Google account" page.
Step 3. Fill out the form with the requested information
On the "Create your Google Account" page you will be asked to choose a username and provide other basic information.
- The username will be your new Gmail address.
- You will also need to type in your name, surname, password, date of birth, country where you reside and whether you are a man or a woman.
- While not mandatory, you should also provide your mobile number and an alternate address. This way, your account will be more secure. If you want, you can use your old Gmail address as an alternative email.
- Type the text corresponding to the CAPTCHA code and check the box indicating that you accept the privacy policy and terms of use of Google.
Step 4. Submit your information
Click on the blue "Next step" button located at the bottom of the form. This way you will have created your account and you will be redirected to the Google+ profile page.
Since you're still using your old account for most Google services, you don't need to waste time adjusting the settings for the new one
Step 5. Complete the profile
Your new Gmail account has been created. Click on "Continue" to visit the inbox.
The first part of the procedure is complete. Now you will need to set the settings to redirect the emails from the new address to the old one
Part 2 of 3: Forwarding Messages from the New Address
Step 1. Click on the gear icon
You will find the symbol in the upper right corner of the inbox page. Click on this icon and choose "Settings" from the drop-down menu that will appear.
Note that you will need to be logged into Gmail with the new account you just created. You will change the settings from this profile so that all messages sent to the new address will automatically be forwarded to the old one
Step 2. Open the tab for forwarding
From the "Settings" window click on the "Forwarding and POP / IMAP" tab.
You will only have to worry about the first section of this tab, identified as "Forwarding". You can ignore the other section
Step 3. Enter your old email as the forwarding address
Click on the "Add forwarding address" button and type your old email in the text box that appears.
Once confirmed, Gmail will send a verification message to your old address
Step 4. Log in using your old account
Log out of your new profile and log back in using the new one. Look for the verification message sent from Gmail.
The verification email should arrive within a few minutes. If you can't find it in your inbox, check your spam (spam) messages
Step 5. Click on the verification link
When you open the Gmail message, you will find a special verification link. Click on this link to confirm the submission request.
Step 6. Go back to the new Gmail account
Log out of the old profile and log in to the new one.
When you are on the new profile, go back to the settings page seen previously. Click on the gear icon and then click on "Settings". Again, select the "Forwarding and POP / IMAP" tab
Step 7. Set up forwarding
Check the "Forward a copy of inbox to" option. Choose your old Gmail address from the drop-down menu next to the option.
You'll also need to indicate what you want Gmail to do with your messages once they're forwarded. You can decide to "keep the Gmail copy in the Inbox" or "store the copy in Gmail"
Step 8. Save your settings
Scroll to the bottom of the page and click on "Save changes".
After completing this step you will be able to check the messages sent to the new address from your old profile, effectively changing your Gmail address
Part 3 of 3: Sending Messages from the New Address
Step 1. Connect to the old profile
Log out of the new Gmail address and log in to the old one.
You will need to change the settings of your old account so that the new address will appear as the sender in the messages you send
Step 2. Enter the settings
Click the gear icon in the upper right corner of the inbox page. Select "Settings" from the context menu that will open.
This will take you to the "Settings" page. At this point click on the "Account and Import" tab
Step 3. Change "Send message as"
Find the "Send message as" section. Click on the blue link "Add another email address you own".
- The "Add another email address you own" window will appear. Type the new Gmail address in the "Email address" space and make sure the "Treat as an alias" box is checked.
- Click on the "Next step" button and then type in the username and password of the second Gmail account.
- Click on "Add Account" when done. Once confirmed, Gmail will send a confirmation message to your second profile.
Step 4. Log in to the new account
Exit the old profile and enter the new one. Look for the confirmation message in your inbox.
If you can't find it, try checking your spam folder
Step 5. Click on the confirmation link
Open the message and click on the confirmation link that you find in the body of the email.
At this point, the two profiles are interconnected
Step 6. Go back to the old account
Log out of the new profile and log in to the old one.
Step 7. Create a new message and change the sender
From the inbox of your original profile, click on "Write".
- Click on the "From" link in the new message window. This will open a drop-down menu. Select the new address to send the email using the profile you just created.
- Keep in mind that every time you reply or forward a message you will have to change the address by clicking in the space where the recipients are listed and then on "From" in the menu that appears. Select the new address and then proceed as usual.
