Changing a user’s primary email address in Google Workspace may be necessary due to name changes, departmental shifts, or rebranding efforts. This guide will walk you through the process of updating a user’s primary email address in the Google Admin Console, ensuring minimal disruption to the user’s access and services.
Requirements:
- You must have admin access to the Google Admin Console.
Step-by-Step Guide:
Step 1: Log into the Google Admin Console
- Navigate to https://admin.google.com.
- Sign in with your administrator credentials.
Step 2: Access the Users Section
- From the Admin Console home page, select Users to open the list of user accounts.
Step 3: Find the User Account
- Locate the user whose primary email address you want to change. You can use the search function at the top of the Users page to find the user quickly.
Step 4: Edit the User’s Account
- Click on the user’s name to open their account details.
- Near the user’s current primary email address, click on the pen icon or Edit to modify the email settings.
Step 5: Change the Primary Email Address
- In the edit email settings area, enter the new primary email address in the provided field. Ensure that the new email address conforms to your organization’s email naming policies and is not already in use.
- You may need to add the new address as an alias first if it hasn’t been created yet. After adding and verifying the alias, you can set it as the primary address.
Step 6: Confirm the Changes
- After entering the new email address, save the changes by clicking Save or Update at the bottom of the page.
- A confirmation dialog might appear, asking you to verify the changes. Confirm to proceed.
Step 7: Notify the User
- Inform the user about the change to their primary email address. Provide them with any new login credentials if necessary.
- Advise them to update their email address in any connected services or devices to ensure continuous access and functionality.
Step 8: Test the New Email Address
- Send a test email to the new primary email address to ensure it is functioning correctly.
- Check that the user can access Google Workspace services with the new email address.
Best Practices:
- Communicate Ahead of Time: Before changing a user’s primary email, notify the user and relevant team members about the upcoming change.
- Update Mailing Lists and Groups: Ensure that all references to the old email address in mailing lists, groups, and document permissions are updated to the new address.
- Monitor for Issues: Keep an eye on the user’s account for any access or service issues in the days following the email change.