Shorten an existing email address

[Gerry626]

Is it possible to shorten an existing email address?

[gg30340 · Accepted solution]

No.

[Gerry626]

Thanks for your quick response. G

[Paul608085]

@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?

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[Gerry626]

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

I want to shorten the bit before @btinternet.com

[licquorice]

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.

[gg30340]

@Paul608085 

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. 

[Gerry626]

Thank you for the explanation.

[Paul608085]

@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.

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[Gerry626]

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