It can be difficult to change email addresses.Since most email services don't allow you to change your email address, you'll need to create a new account and migrate your information.Setting up proper forwarding and notifying people of the change will make the process much easier.After making the switch, keep your old account active for a while so you don't get locked out of any online accounts.
Step 1: To change an address, create a new one.
Most email services don't allow you to change your email address.You will need to create a new account in order to change your email address.You can use the same email service you've been using, or you can switch to a service that better meets your needs.
Step 2: Decide on an email service.
There are a lot of free email services.Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo!, and Zoho are some of the most popular services.There are different benefits and drawbacks to each service.If you have a Gmail account, you can get access to the Drive and get 15 gigabytes of free storage.You can use your Gmail account for a variety of other services.Outlook gives you access to OneDrive, which has 5 gigabytes of free storage.Yahoo!There is free mail storage in Mail.Zoho is an ad-free service that provides 5 gigabytes of storage as well as cloud document services.
Step 3: You need to sign up for a free account.
The process for each service is different, but you just need to go to the service's home page and click the "sign up" or "create account" button.You will be prompted to create an account name and enter some basic information.There are guides on creating accounts for the more popular services.Outlook.com allows you to create a Mail Account.
Step 4: You will want to keep the account you created.
Try to create a new account that you will always be able to use, if you're creating one because your old one feels outdated.Try not to use a name that is based on a fad or your current interest as those are likely to change over time.
Step 5: A strong password is required.
One of the most important passwords is your email password.If someone has access to your email account, they'll be able to access any accounts you've created with it.You want a password that no one will be able to guess and that you don't use anywhere else.The letters, numbers, and symbols should be included.For a detailed guide on making a strong password, see create a secure password.
Step 6: If it's available on your new service, set up two-factor authentication.
Unauthorized users can be prevented from gaining access to your account by using two-factor authentication.A code will be sent to your mobile device when you try to log in from a new computer or device.If someone doesn't have physical access to your phone, they will not be able to log in.From the Security section of your account settings, you can enable two-factor authentication for major email providers.Instructions on how to set up 2 step verification in Gmail can be found here.
Step 7: Understand the new interface.
You'll be taken to your new inbox after you create your account.Get used to how the interface is laid out for a few minutes.Most email services have the same folder or label on the left side of the window.
Step 8: In your email client, log into your new account.
You need to log in with your email account to use Outlook.Instructions on adding your email address to Outlook can be found in Set Up Microsoft Outlook.
Step 9: Inform your friends that your email address is changing.
You should send an email from your new email address to your contacts."Hello everyone, this is my new email address," you can say in the message.It should be added to your contacts.It is easy for recipients to update their address books by sending it from your new address.You might want to send different messages to different people.Group contacts are possible with many email services.Send the messages to the groups instead of individual contacts if you create a few different groups.
Step 10: You can update your accounts online with your new email address.
Over the years, you may have used your email address to set up a variety of online accounts.Updating your account information is necessary in order to ensure that you will still have access to these accounts once you transition email addresses.If you use a password manager like LastPass, you can use the list of stored passwords to determine which accounts you need to update.Your online banking, utilities, social media, and online store accounts are the most important.All of your other accounts should be changed as well.Change your email address on Facebook.There are instructions on changing your email address on Linkedin.There are instructions on changing your email address on Yelp.Instructions for changing your email address can be found here.
Step 11: If your mail service has an "Import" or "Merge" option, you should check it out.
You can import your old email accounts with many email services.This will save you a lot of time, and you won't have to worry about forgetting contacts.Click the gear button if you want to change the settings in Gmail.Click the "Accounts and Import" tab if you want to import mail.To load your old account, follow the instructions.You can use Gmail to send mail from the old address once you've added your old account.Click the gear button if you want to change the settings in Yahoo Mail.The "Accounts" tab can be found on the left side of the window.Click "add another mailbox" and then follow the instructions to add your old account.Yahoo Mail supports a number of Yahoo accounts.You can use your old or new address to send mail once you have an account.Click the gear button and select "Connected accounts."The "Other email" button can be used to add any other account.You can send mail from either Outlook.com or your old address if you add an email account.
Step 12: You can export your contacts from your email address.
You may need to export your contacts from your old account first in order to access your new email account.All of your contacts' information is contained in a file when you export them.You will be able to import this file into your account.Instructions on exporting your Gmail contacts can be found in Export Gmail Contacts.Instructions on exporting your Outlook mail client contacts can be found in Export Contacts from Outlook.
Step 13: Your new email account will allow you to import your contacts.
You can import your contacts from your old service once you've exported them.Depending on the email service you are using, the process for this will vary.Gmail and Yahoo allow you to import contacts directly from another web-mail service without having to export them first.
Step 14: Mail can be forwarded from your old account to your new one.
Setting up mail forwarding on your old email service will ensure that you receive all of your messages.If you forgot to update an address for an account or a contact didn't get your message about your new address, this will make sure that any messages sent to your old address are still delivered to you.Depending on your service, the process for forwarding email will be different.The settings for your email forwarding service can be found in the settings menu.You can either keep copies of forwarded messages on the original account or remove them from your new account.You can forward mail from Gmail.Instructions on forwarding mail in Yahoo can be found here.
Step 15: You can add your new address to your mobile devices.
You can add your new address to your mobile device once you have configured forwarding for your old address.You will be able to send and receive mail on the go.For a guide on how to add a new Gmail account to your device, see Set Up a New Gmail Account on Android.You can set up an email account on your device.If you want to get your Gmail account added to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, you should see Set Up Gmail.Email Send can be used to add any email account to your device.
Step 16: Do you want to remove your old address?
You don't have to remove your old email address.Leaving it online with proper forwarding will help ensure that you don't miss any important emails in the months following your switch.It is possible to keep an old address if it is free.Your old address can be used to sign up for mailing lists and other less important accounts, which can help reduce the amount of junk mail on your new account.If you need to log into an online account that you forgot to transition to your new email, you can keep your old email account.You may be locked out without the ability to manage it if you remove your old account before making the change.
Step 17: If you plan to remove your address, leave it for at least six months.
You should leave your old account online for at least six months to make sure you don't miss any important messages.You won't have to log into the old address if you use a web-based email account.
Step 18: You can set up an auto-response on your old account.
You can set up an "out of office" or "vacation" message with many email services.You can use this to inform senders that you have a new email address.If you get a lot of mail on your old account, you may not want to do this.Email autoresponders can be used to set up an auto-reply.
Step 19: It's a good idea to get rid of your old address if you're not getting important messages anymore.
Once you're sure everything is going to your new address, you can permanently remove your old email account.If you need to access another account set up with the old account, leave it active.Deleting email accounts is permanent, so you won't be able to reactivate it once it's gone.You can see information on deletion of your Gmail account.See what you can do to remove Yahoo!There are accounts for instructions on how to uninstall Yahoo Mail.You can close a microsoft account if you want to remove a Hotmail, Live or Outlook.com mail account.