Millions of Gmail users are finally receiving a long-awaited upgrade that could be very handy indeed. Google has confirmed that it’s rolling out a new feature allowing users to change their Gmail addresses — a welcome update for anyone unhappy with their original username or who has had a change in circumstances.

“Your digital identity just got an upgrade,” Google announced. “You can now change your Google Account username (the part before @‌gmail.com), which you use to sign in to services like Gmail, Photos, Drive, and more.”

One major advantage of this update is that old email addresses will continue to work alongside the new one. That means all messages sent to either address will still arrive in inboxes, ensuring nothing gets lost. Google also noted that all account data — including photos, previous messages, and stored emails — will remain untouched.

While it’s a significant improvement, the update isn’t available to everyone just yet. For now, the rollout is limited to users in the United States, meaning those in the UK and other regions will need to wait.

If you’re in the US, it’s worth checking whether the feature has reached your account. Google explains the steps:

• Open your Google Account settings and select Personal info.

• Tap Email, then Google Account email.

• If the option to change your Google Account email appears, select it and choose a new, unique username.

“Your old email address will automatically remain as an alternate, so there’s no need to worry about losing access to anything. Just keep in mind that you can only create one new address every 12 months,” Google explained.

Hopefully, those in the UK will also be able to switch their accounts. If you are reading this in the USA, be sure to check your settings to see if the new feature is available to you.