How to Edit a Recipient's Email Address or Name in Gmail

Most people have a handful of email addresses nowadays, and they've probably made their way into your Gmail's memory or address book. Who has only one email address? Not the people you know.

Are you worried that Gmail might select the wrong address, at least sometimes, when you type a recipient's name or address in an outgoing email? You can find out which address Gmail is using in Gmail with a glance, and if you want, you can edit the addresses in the To, Cc, and Bcc fields directly. If you like, you can also edit the recipient's name—for just this email perhaps.

After you click Compose to open a new outgoing email screen in Gmail, you probably begin by clicking in the To field and entering a name. Gmail often auto-populates the rest of the name and pulls an address from its address book or memory. However, it may not be the email address you want to use. For example, you may have both work and home addresses for a friend, but don't want to send your girls' night out snapshots to the work address.

To change or edit the email address for a recipient in the To, Cc, and Bcc fields when you write a new email or reply in Gmail instead of removing the recipient altogether and adding them again with the correct address:

1. Double-click the recipient whose address or name you want to edit.
2. Make any changes to the recipient's name or address.
3. Click Enter.

If you suspect you clicked Enter with a wrong address, you may be able to unsend in Gmail—if you are quick.