How to Change Your Email Address

Changing your email address is a common task that many people have to do for a variety of reasons. Whether you have a new email account and want to keep all your previous messages and contacts, or you just want to make sure your information is up to date, changing your email address can be a straightforward process. This guide will walk you through how to change your email address at different email providers and other online accounts. It will also cover how to notify your contacts about your new email address.

1. Change email address with major email providers

Let's first start by changing your email address with some of the most popular email providers: Gmail, Yahoo, and Outlook.

1.1 Gmail

Gmail does not allow you to change your existing email address. However, you can create a new Gmail account and transfer your data. Follow these steps:

• Create a new Gmail account at mail.google.com.
• Sign in to your old Gmail account.
• Go to "Settings" by clicking the gear icon, then click "See All Settings."
• Go to the "Forwarding and POP/IMAP" tab.
• Click "Add forwarding address" and enter your new Gmail address.
• You will receive a verification email to your new address. Click on the verification link.
• Go back to your old account's settings, and under "Forwarding," select "Forward a copy of incoming mail to" and choose your new email address.
• To transfer your contacts, select "Contacts" from the Google Apps menu and then export your contacts.
• Import contacts into your new account.

1.2 Yahoo

Yahoo Email doesn't allow you to change your existing address, but here's how to create a new account and forward your emails:

• Create a new Yahoo account at mail.yahoo.com.
• Sign in to your old Yahoo account.
• Go to "Settings" by clicking on the gear icon.
• Select "More Settings" and then "Mailbox."
• Enter your new Yahoo email address under "Mail Forwarding."
• Verify this action via an email sent to your new address.
• Export your contacts from the old account and import them into the new account.

1.3 Outlook

For Outlook (Hotmail), follow these steps to transfer your emails and contacts:

• Create a new Outlook account at outlook.live.com.
• Log in to your old Outlook account.
• Go to "Settings" by clicking the gear icon, then click "View all Outlook settings."
• Go to "Mail" > "Forwarding."
• Select "Enable Forwarding" and enter your new email address.
• Be sure to select "Keep a copy of forwarded messages" if you want to keep email copies in your old account.
• Export your contacts from the old account and import them into the new account.

2. Change the email address on social media accounts

It's important to change your email information on social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn so you can receive notifications and recover your account if needed.

2.1 Facebook

To update your email address on Facebook, follow these steps:

• Log in to your Facebook account.
• Click the down arrow in the upper right corner and select "Settings & Privacy" > "Settings."
• Select "Contacts" under "General Account Settings."
• Click "Add another email or mobile number to your account" and enter your new email address.
• Facebook will send a confirmation link to your new email. Click the link to confirm.
• Once confirmed, you can delete the old email address if you want.

2.2 Twitter

Here's how to change your email address on Twitter:

• Log in to your Twitter account.
• Click "More" in the sidebar, then choose "Settings and Help" > "Settings and Privacy."
• Click "Account Information" under "Your Account."
• Click "Email" and enter your new email address.
• Twitter will send a confirmation email to your new address. Confirm it by clicking the link in the email.

2.3 LinkedIn

For LinkedIn, follow these steps:

• Log in to your LinkedIn account.
• Click your profile icon in the top right and select “Settings and Privacy.”
• Click "Email Addresses" under "Login and Security."
• Click "Add email address" and type in your new email address.
• LinkedIn will send a verification email to your new address. Click the link provided to confirm.
• If you want, delete the old email address once the new email address is confirmed.

3. Changing the email address for online services

Changing your email address is necessary for various online services to ensure continued access and communication. Here are the steps for some commonly used services:

3.1 Amazon

To update your email address on Amazon, follow these steps:

• Sign in to your Amazon account and go to "Your Account."
• In the "Login and Security" section, click "Edit" next to the Email field.
• Enter your new email address and password for security purposes.
• Amazon will send a verification email to your new address. Click the link to confirm the change.

3.2 PayPal

Here's how to update your email address on PayPal:

• Log in to your PayPal account.
• Click the gear icon to access your account settings.
• In the "Email" section, click "Edit" next to your current email address.
• Add your new email address and click "Add Email."
• Confirm the email address via the verification link sent to your new address.
• Set the new email address as the primary email address if necessary, and delete the old one.

3.3 Netflix

To change your email address for Netflix, follow these instructions:

• Log in to your Netflix account.
• Click on your profile icon and go to "Account."
• In the "Subscriptions & Billing" section, click "Change Email."
• Enter your new email address and password to confirm.
• Netflix will send a confirmation email to your new address. Confirm the change by clicking the link.

4. Notify your contacts

Once you change your email address, it is a good practice to inform all your contacts about your new email address so they can update their records. Here are some steps you can consider:

• Prepare a standardized message using a polite and clear tone, such as:

        Dear [recipient's name],

        I hope this message finds you well. I just wanted to inform you that I have changed my email address.
        Please update your records with my new contact information: [new email address].

        Thank you,
        [Your name]
        

• Send this message to all your contacts from your old email address.
• Update your email signature with your new email address.

5. Update the email address on the device

Finally, make sure you update your email address on all your devices to ensure seamless access. Here's how you can update it on some common devices:

5.1 iOS devices (iPhone, iPad)

• Go to "Settings" > "Mail" > "Accounts."
• Select your email account and update the email address field.
• You may need to re-enter your password or other security details.

5.2 Android devices

• Open the "Settings" app and go to "Accounts."
• Select your email account and update the email address field.
• Re-enter the required security information.

5.3 Desktop email clients

For desktop email clients such as Microsoft Outlook or Apple Mail, you'll need to update account settings with your new email address and possibly reconfigure server settings. See your email client's help documentation for specific instructions.

Conclusion

Changing your email address may seem like a daunting task, but breaking it down into manageable steps can make the process seamless. Be sure to update your address on all necessary platforms and notify your contacts to avoid losing important communications. Take your time to carefully complete each step and verify all changes to keep your information secure and maintain smooth communication with your contacts.