Oct 3, 2019
How can I add a dot to my email address?
I want to change my email to include a dot. I've updated the "Send Mail As" in my Settings so people emailing me can see the dot. However, the displayed account name (accessible via the circle in the top right corner) still shows my email without a dot. Every time I toggle to a different account I own, I want to be able to see my email with a dot.
I have tried logging in to the email with the dot, but the name displayed to me reverts to the default of not having a dot.
Thanks!
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All Replies (9)
Oct 3, 2019
Hi K.Hanra!
First, it is important to note that Google does not distinguish between gmail accounts with or without dots in the name. (Nor upper or lowercase). This means that the dots are completely ignored and that emails with or without them are treated as identical. Since the dots are ignored during creation as well as sending/receiving emails, you can't have more than one account with that gmail address ever.
So for example the following accounts are all the same, and all refer to just *1* account- the one without any dots:
My.Name.Is.Apple.Juice@gmail.com
MyName.Is.AppleJuice@gmail.com
MyNameIsAppleJuice@gmail.com
and so on.
Those all are just the email account MyNameIsAppleJuice@gmail.com (and really just mynameisapplejuice@gmail.com)
Unfortunately, there are many websites and users that do not actually verify that a user's email address is accurate. I believe eBay doesn't or certainly didn't at one point. So it's very easy for someone to put in a user name incorrectly. If they use your email address and include a dot, you will get those emails.
Since there is only 1 email address when dots are ignored, it is not possible for someone else to have access to the same email address unless they also have your password. Thus the other person can never get access to your emails, nor the ones they are expecting.
Thus other than Send Mail As, there is no reason/place to alter your email address- it's the same with or without dots. Using dots via Send Mail As is just "makeup" to make things look pretty.
Hope this clarifies things for you, but of course please feel free to inquire further!
Oct 4, 2019
Thanks for your response! I do understand that dots don't matter to Gmail. However, because there is no difference between dots and no dots, I should be able to change the way it displays on my account. To be fair, I do only want it because it looks prettier, which I consider a very valid reason to change it.
From your response, though, I understand that this is not actually possible. That's frustrating – they are literally the same email address.
Is it possible to delete my account and then create it (again) with the dots?
Thanks!
Oct 4, 2019
Thanks K.Hanra!
No, unfortunately you cannot delete and then recreate Google email addresses. Once created, they are taken for forever. Thus even deleting them does not recycle the name. This was implemented for various security purposes, including identity fraud protection. Google never recycles names.
Dec 14, 2019
The statement made by the "Gold Product Expert" is flatly incorrect. Once again, the mere quantity of internet posts does not imply quality or expertise.
Google seems to think that my email address includes a dot between my first and last name.
Yes, one can RECEIVE email without the dot, but when I SEND email, google invariably includes the dot,
so I cannot decide to use the account without the dot. For example, Costco customer service will reject emails sent without the dot from Outlook, as Gmail apparently ADDS THE DOT TO THE ADDRESS.
So Gmail DOES distinguish between "with dots" and "without", and just as the OP wanted to add a dot and cannot, I have a dot that I am unable to get rid of. The "does not distinguish" is limited solely to the case of receipt of mistyped emails (with or without dots). This is the sole scenario where "dots don't matter".
But the ACCOUNT ITSELF is forever whatever one typed in originally - I typed a dot between first and last name, and I am burdened with it forever. I cannot change it.
When I do send mail (using Outlook on a PC) without the "dot", Google "helpfully" includes "X-Google-Original-From:" with the dotless email address, but the "From:" still has the dot.
The term I am searching for here is "brain-damaged". Yes, google's approach is absolutely "brain-damaged", and needs to be fixed... but will they ever fix it? NEVER! They are too busy killing off things that people like, and work well, but don't enhance their advertising ability, like Cloud Print (see https://killedbygoogle.com for a complete list).
Disgust.ed
j.i.m.
Dec 14, 2019
go to settings > accounts & import > send mail as > Add another email address > type that account name with / without the dots ( or by interchanging gmail.com for googlemail.com or vice versa ) you will be able to add it WITHOUT any verification because its your email alias ( try do the same procedure with a friends email address - you cant do it ) . Then you click compose and you will now have a FROM pull down menu to select the newly added address to send from
Dec 22, 2019
This was the original poster's concern as well and this has not yet been addressed.
Vice versa, if the formal Google account username is firstlast@gmail.com (no dot) then this might not be possible. But to be clear, mine is first.last@gmail.com yet the dot does not appear in the upper right hand corner by my pic and when people search for me
Please respond to the original poster's concern that when people search for them, the results accurately reflect the dot in their email address
Dec 27, 2019
Do you know who could make that change?
Dec 28, 2019
nobody at google can change their policy on this for you