I'm all Googled up.

January 7, 2010 1:32 PM

I have managed to give myself two Google accounts over the years, and with my recent acquisition of a Droid this has become annoying. Can you help me sort things out?

By an accident of fate I have two Google accounts. One of these is relatively recent and has my Google Voice number. The other has been around for many years and has my preferred user id. Will the twain ever meet?

I would like to either (a) move my Google Voice number from account A to account B, or (b) delete account B and associate the user ID with account A, which currently has an annoying user id because it was only recently selected and all gagillion variations of my name were already taken.

posted by larsks to Computers & Internet (7 answers total)

If keeping the same Google Voice number does not matter, see if you have Google Voice invites; if you do, invite yourself at account B to Google Voice.

If keeping the same Google Voice number does matter, fill out this form.

You cannot change a Google username, so (a) is your only option; Google will not do (b).

If you want to migrate your Gmail, I used gmail-backup to download all my mail from my original account and upload it all to my newer account.
posted by MikeHarris at 1:46 PM on January 7, 2010 [1 favorite]

As for that form, note Google's notes regarding that form.
posted by MikeHarris at 1:48 PM on January 7, 2010

Set up gmail to forward all mail from the account with the name you like to the account with Google Voice. Set up the gmail associated with the Google Voice account to use the gmail address you like as the "reply to" address. Then just use the account associated with google voice.

Note I don't have an Android phone but it seems like this should work.
posted by cosmac at 2:02 PM on January 7, 2010

Android 2.1 will sync multiple google accounts to the same phone. I'm not sure if it's out yet for the droid, but it's on the nexus one, IIRC.
posted by chrisamiller at 4:59 PM on January 7, 2010

Chrisamiller, do you know if it will let you switch between two of them in order to keep them separate? Ie. letting you view the emails and such that each receives and sending emails under each of the different account names?
posted by Elminster24 at 8:54 PM on January 7, 2010

You can always straight-up add one gmail account to the other; just go into 'settings'/'check mail using pop3', and add your other address. ( You can select 'When receiving a message: Reply from the same address the message was sent to' and no one need know you've consolidated. Google voice notifications will also be picked up by the parent address, so there's that?
posted by zusty at 9:51 PM on January 7, 2010

Chrisamiller, do you know if it will let you switch between two of them in order to keep them separate?

Couldn't tell you - I'm sure one of the gadget blogs have more info. I just recall skimming that headline earlier this week.
posted by chrisamiller at 10:08 PM on January 7, 2010