How to change my email address?

How to change my email address?

Changing your email address is a common task that most of us have to do at some point. Your email address is an important part of your online identity and communication, so it’s essential to update it when needed. This article will walk you through the step-by-step process to change your email address smoothly.

When should you change your email address?

There are a few common reasons why you may need to change your email address:

• You want to create a more professional email for work or business purposes
• Your current email address is outdated, unprofessional, or embarrassing
• You’ve forgotten the password and can’t recover access to the account
• You want to disassociate yourself from an old email address
• You’re concerned about spam, hacking, or security issues
• You’ve changed your name, gotten married, or undergone another life change
• You’re switching email providers or domains

As you can see, there are plenty of good reasons to change your email address. It’s a good idea to periodically evaluate your email to make sure it still suits your needs and represents you properly.

Choose your new email address

When selecting a new email address, keep these tips in mind:

• Pick something professional if it’s for work/business use
• Make it simple and easy to remember
• Avoid numbers, odd spellings, or overly personal names
• Keep it the same or similar to your old one if you have an established identity
• Check availability to make sure it’s not taken
• Consider using your name or initials for a personalized address

You’ll also need to decide on an email provider. Popular options include Gmail, Outlook/Hotmail, Yahoo Mail, iCloud Mail, or your own custom domain name. Each has its own pros and cons to evaluate.

Set up the new email account

Once you’ve chosen the new address, it’s time to sign up for the account. The exact steps will vary depending on the provider:

Gmail:

1. Go to gmail.com and click Create Account
2. Follow the prompts to enter your name, new Gmail address, and password
3. You may need to verify your account via phone or email confirmation
4. Log in and personalize your account settings

Outlook/Hotmail:

1. Go to outlook.com and click Sign Up
2. Enter your name, new email, password, and birthdate
3. Agree to Microsoft’s terms and privacy policy
4. You may need to verify via phone or alternate email
5. Log in and customize account settings

Yahoo Mail:

1. Go to yahoo.com and click Sign Up
2. Follow the steps to enter your name, new Yahoo email, password, gender, and birthdate
3. Select recovery options in case you’re locked out
4. You may need to verify your account via phone or email
5. Sign in and personalize your Yahoo account

iCloud:

1. Go to appleid.apple.com and click Create Your Apple ID
2. Enter your desired new iCloud email address and confirm availability
3. Follow prompts to create password and security questions
4. You’ll need to verify via a code sent to your phone or alternate email
5. Sign in and customize your iCloud account settings

Be sure to write down your new login credentials somewhere safe so you don’t forget them.

Update your account profile and settings

Once you’ve created the new email account, take some time to update your profile, security settings, inbox rules, and more. Here are some tips:

• Add your name, photo, location, etc. to personalize your profile
• Set up multi-factor authentication for extra security
• Designate recovery email addresses or phone numbers in case you get locked out
• Configure spam filters to block unwanted mail
• Set up custom inbox tabs, categories, and filters
• Connect other accounts like social media or travel rewards
• Download mobile apps to access your new email on the go

Taking these steps early on will help you avoid issues down the road and streamline your email workflow.

Notify contacts and update accounts

Now it’s time to spread the word about your new email address. There are a few ways to notify people:

• Set up an auto-reply on your old email: This will let senders know your address changed.
• Manually email close contacts: Let friends, family, and coworkers know directly.
• Update online profiles and accounts: Change your email on social media, shopping sites, forums, etc.
• Update business contacts: Notify colleagues, clients, vendors, and partners.
• Change mailing list subscriptions: Unsubscribe and resubscribe with new address.

Here’s a helpful checklist of places to update your email:

Changing your contact info with businesses you frequent ensures you don’t miss important emails. Prioritize accounts where financial transactions, subscriptions, or sensitive information could be affected.

Forward old email to new account

To avoid missing messages during the transition, set up email forwarding from your old account to your new one. Here’s how:

Gmail:

1. Sign into your old Gmail account
2. Go to Settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP
3. Click Add a Forwarding Address and enter your new email
4. Select Forward a Copy of Incoming Mail and click Next
5. Confirm the forwarding address and select Proceed

Outlook/Hotmail:

1. Login to your old Outlook or Hotmail account
2. Go to Settings > View All Outlook Settings > Mail > Forwarding
3. Click Start Forwarding and enter your new email address
4. Choose to forward all accounts and confirm

Yahoo Mail:

1. Sign into your old Yahoo account
2. Go to Settings > Account Settings > Mail Forwarding
3. Enter your new email address under Forward my Yahoo Mail to…
4. Select Forward a copy of incoming mail and Save

Allow forwarding for at least one month to smoothly transition between accounts. You can then disable it once your new email is fully set up.

Import old emails and contacts

Rather than starting fresh, you may want to transfer emails and contacts from your old account. Here are some tips:

• Import tools: Many providers have tools to import data from other services. Use their step-by-step wizards for best results.
• Export from old account: Manually export contacts and download/save emails from old account.
• Upload files: Upload the contacts CSV file and email files to your new account.
• External apps: Third party apps like Mailstore can help migrate thousands of emails.

When importing emails, focus on those you really need or that have sentimental value. Don’t worry about transferring thousands of routine emails.

Phase out your old email address

Once you’ve fully switched over, it’s time to retire your old email address. Here are some final steps:

• Turn off forwarding to stop emails from going to your new account
• Unsubscribe from accounts and mailing lists associated with the old address
• Delete the email address from online profiles and accounts
• Let additional contacts know it will no longer be active
• Export final contacts/emails you may need
• Change security questions/backups using your old email
• Finally, delete or deactivate the old email account

Giving it a couple months transition allows you to ensure nothing slips through the cracks. But once your new email is working smoothly, feel free to delete the old one.

Conclusion

Changing your email address is easy when you follow the right steps. Simply set up your desired new email, notify your contacts, forward messages, and import data from the old account. Within a few weeks of transition time, you’ll be running on your new email address seamlessly.

Having an email that represents you well and suits your needs provides peace of mind. Don’t hesitate to change it if your old address is outdated or causing you problems. Follow this guide to make the switch smoothly and successfully.