Since the launch of Gmail, Google has linked each account to a permanent email address. Although the display name can be changed, the @gmail.com address itself remains fixed and unchangeable, and it is the address that is also used to log in to YouTube, Drive, and other services.

This restriction prompted users either to live with old or inappropriate addresses, or to create secondary accounts as an alternative solution, without Google offering a direct solution for personal users. The new document indicates a clear break with this strict model.

How will the new feature work?

Google will allow users to replace their Gmail address while keeping the same account and all its data intact. Your files, photos, subscriptions, and settings will all remain the same.

Most importantly, Google has confirmed that the old Gmail address will continue to work. Messages sent to both addresses will arrive in the same inbox, which practically means that one account will receive two email identities.

The feature will come with restrictions to maintain security and stability: it will allow the Gmail address to be changed once every 12 months, a maximum of 3 times per account in total. Users will not be able to register another new Gmail address for the same account during the waiting period.

The timing of the new feature’s launch creates potential security risks, as cybercriminals may attempt to exploit the confusion around the new feature to phish users. Because changing your Gmail address affects your login credentials through Google services, it is an attractive target for fraud attempts.

Users are advised to treat with caution any message urging them to “confirm” or “update” their Gmail address, as Google does not announce major changes to accounts via random email messages. Legitimate options will only appear within the official account settings.

Google has not officially announced the feature yet, and details may change before the global launch. Users can manually check availability of the option by visiting ‘my.account.google.com/google-account-email’, and if they have not yet received the feature, the option will not appear.

This step, if launched on a large scale, represents a rare shift in Google policy, as it shows for the first time the company’s willingness to allow users to abandon old Gmail identities without starting from scratch.

Source: RT