# Article Name 3 Ways to Change a User’s Email in Google Workspace # Article Summary Explore three straightforward methods to change a user email in Google Workspace without disrupting account settings or data # Original HTML URL on Toriihq.com https://www.toriihq.com/articles/how-to-change-user-email-google-workspace # Details Changing a user’s email address in Google Workspace feels risky: one wrong click and calendars vanish, Drive links break, or mobile logins fail. Admins often stall because they don’t want to clean up surprises later. Good news, Workspace gives you safe tools to swap addresses without touching data, sharing permissions, or security settings. We’ll walk through three simple paths so you can pick the one that fits your day. ## Use Google Workspace's UI Follow these instructions in the Google Workspace Admin console to change a user’s primary email. All of their mail, Drive files, and calendar events stay put. ### Step 1 – Open the Admin console - Go to admin.google.com and sign in with your super-admin account. - If prompted, complete 2-Step Verification. ### Step 2 – Find the user - In the left panel, click Directory. - Choose Users. - Use the search bar or scroll to the person who needs the new address. - Click the name to open their user details page. ### Step 3 – Start the rename process - At the top right of the user details card, click the three-dot menu. - Select Rename user. - Older layouts may show Edit instead. Both open the same panel. ### Step 4 – Enter the new address - Keep First name and Last name unchanged unless those also require an update. - In Primary email, replace only the text before the @ symbol if the domain stays the same. - Moving the user to another domain in your organization? Click the down arrow next to the domain and pick the new one. - Review the prompt that explains how the switch affects shared documents, calendar invites, and groups. ### Step 5 – Confirm and save - Click Rename. - Google updates the change across all services; a green check appears when it finishes. ### Step 6 – Tell the user what changed - They sign in with the new address but keep the same password. - The old address turns into an alias automatically, so messages sent there still arrive. - Ask them to update any saved bookmarks or local account settings in mail clients. ## Use Torii Moving a user’s email inside Google Workspace doesn’t have to stay a hands-on chore. Torii [https://www.toriihq.com/], a SaaS management platform, can handle the update for you. An SMP shows every SaaS tool and integration in one place, which makes tasks like onboarding, off-boarding, and subscription reviews far simpler. Torii turns the single, manual change in Google Workspace into an automated step that runs when a trigger fires. Typical triggers include welcoming a new hire, off-boarding someone who is leaving, or renewing a contract. If email tweaks fill your calendar, this automation gives the hours back. To update a user’s Google Workspace address through Torii, follow these steps: ### 1. Sign up for Torii Contact Torii [https://www.toriihq.com/] to request a free, two-week proof of concept. ### 2. Connect your Google Workspace account to Torii After Torii is live, link it to your Google Workspace tenant. Use the full connection guide: Google Workspace integration instructions [https://support.toriihq.com/hc/en-us/articles/5165001141019]. ### 3. Create a Torii workflow for Google Workspace Open the Workflows tab, set a trigger, then add the action that updates the address in Google Workspace. Whenever the trigger criteria are met, Torii makes the change automatically. ## Use Google Workspace's API You can swap a user’s main address without touching the admin console. One PATCH request to the Directory API gets it done. ### 1. Check your scopes - Make sure the token you’ll use has https://www.googleapis.com/auth/admin.directory.user or .user.readonly won’t work. - If you’re using a service account, turn on domain-wide delegation and impersonate a super admin. ### 2. Grab an access token Example with a service account using Google’s OAuth2 JSON key: Save the token value; you’ll pass it as a Bearer token. ### 3. Build the update body Create a small JSON file, email.json, with the new address: ### 4. Send the PATCH request Replace {userKey} with the current address or the user’s ID. When the request succeeds, the API responds with the complete user object. Look for "primaryEmail": "jane.doe@your-domain.com" in the response. ### 5. Handle common errors - 400 invalid: The new address already exists as an alias or user. - 403 insufficientPermissions: Check scopes or make sure the admin account you impersonate has the right role. - 404 notFound: The userKey is wrong or out of your domain. ### 6. Confirm the switch Run a quick GET request to double-check the email change: The API response should display your updated primary address right away. That's it. Email changed through the API, no clicks needed. ## Torii for SaaS Management To see how SaaS Management works in practice, get in touch with us. Torii’s SaaS Management Platform lets you: - Uncover shadow IT: AI continuously scans your environment and flags unapproved apps the moment they surface. - Reduce spending: Cut unused licenses and fold overlapping tools to lower SaaS costs. - Automate onboarding/offboarding: Eliminate manual tickets and errors by automating the full employee lifecycle. - Stay ahead of renewals: Get timely alerts so no contract deadline slips by. Torii brings Finance, IT, and Security teams together around one reliable source of truth. Get a closer look at these capabilities and more by visiting Torii [https://www.toriihq.com].