You Can Change Your Email Address Without Screwing Everything Up

Sometime in your life, you may have to change your email address. Maybe you’re moving jobs, or maybe you’re just getting tired of the one you have now. Whatever the reason, it seems like every time you do this kind of thing, it’s a huge hassle. Either you forget to update one thing, or some spammer gets hold of your old address and suddenly all your new contacts think you’re spouting Viagra offers at them on behalf of porn websites.

The two factors that determine how much you need to change

It is surprisingly easy to change your email address. Simply look up the organization’s support website, go through the process of resetting your password, and change the email associated with it. The only issue that might arise is if you don’t have access to this account anymore; this will likely be made clear on their website or in an error message. If you’re unsure about how to get around a roadblock like this, contact the business or institution directly for assistance. If you are satisfied with your new email address but still want reminders of emails from before, use a service like Google Forwarding to retain these updates and replies.

Changing your email address with popular services

Thankfully, there are lots of websites where you can change your email address without having to worry about notifying your contacts. Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook all have settings that allow you to link an email account to a different address than the one that’s displayed publicly.

 Changing your email address with more obscure services can be trickier. If you’re changing your email address with any service that relies on an API, such as a news-reading app or an instant messaging service, it’s best to notify them directly via their developer channels. Linkedin won’t allow you to change your account information without approval, but for now you can use a Google Account Manager to link multiple emails to one account and then request approval from Linkedin support. Apple won’t allow users to change their names or add new addresses through its iTunes store, so if you want a fresh start, deleting and reinstalling everything is always an option.

Changing your Gmail address with other popular services

The good news is that it’s easy to change your email address with Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, and more.

 Because your Gmail address is tied to so many services—most notably Google’s apps and Chrome browser—changing it can sometimes cause a cascade of problems. That’s why we’ve put together a comprehensive guide with easy-to-follow steps for changing your email address on nearly every popular service out there. Before you start, it might help to download our step-by-step guide as a PDF that you can reference while setting up everything.

Check if Your Favorite Services Support Changing Your Email: Fortunately, not all email providers lock users into their accounts when they change their emails or reset passwords.

What if my email address is associated with important documents?

It’s actually not that difficult to change your email address. If you are associated with documents and other accounts that require an email, there are few steps to take. You’ll need to cancel your previous account, create a new one, and then get in touch with the companies that required your old address. Let them know the new account and they’ll update the information accordingly.

 Thankfully, if you have a Google account, changing your address is simple. First off, log into your Google account and click on My Account at the top of any page. From there you can access all sorts of settings for managing accounts and contacts with Gmail. Click on Accounts and then select Change next to your email address. There will be a new window that allows you to enter in a new email for that account.

Other tips for changing your email address

Most email services (i.e., Gmail, Yahoo!, etc.) provide you with an option to change your email address as long as you know your current password. When you login and go to settings, there should be a drop-down menu on the top left corner of the screen that says Change Password. Simply follow the instructions on how to reset your password and once it’s changed, you’ll be able to access your new account by using this new password. If all else fails, contact the customer service team for help.