This topic

Shorten an existing email address

Gerry626 — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 09:49:10 GMT

Is it possible to shorten an existing email address?

Re: Shorten an existing email address

gg30340 — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 09:52:16 GMT

No.

Re: Shorten an existing email address

Gerry626 — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 10:01:29 GMT

Thanks for your quick response. G

Re: Shorten an existing email address

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 12:34:14 GMT

@Gerry626

Actually, it is possible in one scenario that I can think of:

I opened a Google Mail account a very long time ago. At the time, the address was me@googlemail.com

Some years later, gmail addresses became available, that are interchangeable with the googlemail address with the same prefix.

So, an email sent to either me@googlemail.com or me@gmail.com will both reach me, in the same mailbox.

***EDIT***

What exactly are you trying to achieve?

Re: Shorten an existing email address

Gerry626 — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 13:40:21 GMT

My existing email features my forename.surname@btinternet.com.

I want to shorten the bit before @btinternet.com

Re: Shorten an existing email address

licquorice — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 14:18:04 GMT

It would just become a different email address. It would be like saying you wanted to change your postal address from 123 high street to 12 high street.

Re: Shorten an existing email address

gg30340 — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 14:54:48 GMT

@Anonymous

In your scenario with gmail addresses. That was done by the email service who changed the domain name of the email service and routes all the "old" domain addresses to the new one.

BT did the same with its @btopenworld domain and @btinternet.com domain.

Email users can not change the email address in any way.

Any emails sent to the "old" address would all go to the old address and unless the user set up a new email account with the shorter/changed email address any emails sent to it would just bounce as there would no such email account/address and consequently no "Inbox" to receive them.

Re: Shorten an existing email address

Gerry626 — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 15:08:03 GMT

Thank you for the explanation.

Re: Shorten an existing email address

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 18:01:42 GMT

@Gerry626

I don't know if it is possible with btinternet email, but could you set up a new email address with your desired shorter prefix and then start using that as your main account. Then, set up a "rule" to redirect all incoming mail to your old address to the new one?

Using @licquorice 's analogy, this would be like moving house and using Royal Mail's re-direct service for your post.

Re: Shorten an existing email address

Gerry626 — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 20:13:36 GMT

Thanks that’s great advice. I will give it a go👍🏻

Re: Shorten an existing email address

gg30340 — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 20:16:50 GMT

@Anonymous

That would be possible but in my opinion if you were going to set up a new email address you would be better to set up "forwarding" from the old account to the new account rather than a "rule" and of course not forgetting to tell all your contacts etc that you are now using a new email address so that eventually the old address will no longer be used by anyone.

@Gerry626

You may find that your desired "new" email address may not be available because it is already in use.

If it is something that you feel you must have you could consider paying for your own domain which comes with email and you can then set up your own email address with the part before and after @ chosen by you and unique to you.

To check out what is possible do an Internet search on " own domain with email".

Re: Shorten an existing email address

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 20:29:23 GMT

@gg30340

"That would be possible but in my opinion if you were going to set up a new email address you would be better to set up "forwarding" from the old account to the new account rather than a "rule""

That is actually what I meant, but forgot the correct terminology!

"and of course not forgetting to tell all your contacts etc that you are now using a new email address so that eventually the old address will no longer be used by anyone."

I had assumed that the OP would do that if they chose this route. Though, whereas with the moving house analogy, Royal Mail will only redirect mail for a maximum of two years, (at least that was the case when we moved 13 years ago), I assume that email forwarding really can be permanent?

Re: Shorten an existing email address

gg30340 — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 20:42:59 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

Yes forwarding would stay for as long as the email account was active and accessed at least once every 150 days, however should the account holder leave BT Broadband the email account will be downgraded to a BTMail Basic email account which can only be used on a web browser and not with an email client/app amongst other limitations.

At the moment BTMail Basic allows forwarding but this facility can and no doubt will be removed at some point in the future so I would not rely on it to always be there if you leave BT Broadband.