How to Change the Default Sending Account in Gmail

Using Gmail with other mail accounts? Change your default sending address

by
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Writer
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
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Heinz Tschabitscher
Updated on June 17, 2020
reviewed by
Jon Fisher headshot
Jon Fisher
Lifewire Tech Review Board Member
Jonathan Fisher is a CompTIA certified technologist with more than 6 years' experience writing for publications like TechNorms and Help Desk Geek.
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Article reviewed on Jun 09, 2020
Jon Fisher

If you're using multiple Gmail addresses, then you know you can choose which one to send from each time you compose an email. To save some time, you can set Gmail to use a specific account automatically for every email you send, with the option to change that on a per-case basis.

These instructions apply to the desktop version of Gmail.

How to Change the Default Sending Account in Gmail

To choose the account and email address that is set as the default when you compose a new email message in Gmail:

  1. Click the Settings gear icon in your Gmail's toolbar.

  2. Select Settings from the menu that pops out.

    Screenshot of web page showing the Settings option in Gmail

  3. Select Accounts and Import.

  4. Select make default next to the desired name and email address under Send mail as.

    Screenshot of the make default option in Gmail settings web page

  5. Your default sending account has now been set.

You cannot change the default sending address from the iOS and Android Gmail apps, but they do respect the default you set in your browser.

New Messages and Forwards vs. Replies

When you compose a new message in Gmail (using the Compose button, for instance, or by clicking an email address) or forward an email, whichever email address you set as the Gmail default will be the automatic choice for the From line of the email. This is different for replies, however; Gmail, by default, uses the address from which you originally sent the message for any replies to it. This makes sense because the sender of the original message automatically receives a reply from the address to which they sent their email, instead of an email address that's new to them.

Gmail lets you change that behavior, though, so the default Gmail address is used in all emails you compose as the automatic choice for the From field.

How to Change the Default Address for Replies in Gmail

To make Gmail ignore the address to which an email was sent and always use the default address in the From line when you start a reply:

  1. Click the Settings gear icon (⚙) in Gmail.

  2. Select Settings from the menu.

  3. Go to the Accounts and Import category.

  4. Navigate to Send mail as > When replying to a message.

  5. Select Always reply from the default address (currently: [address]).

    Screenshot showing option to Always reply from default address in Gmail settings web page

  6. All emails you send, forward, and reply to will be sent using the default address you've set.

Changing the From Address for a Specific Email

Even when you've chosen a different default sending address, you can change the address in the From line on an individual basis.

To pick a different address for sending in Gmail as the one used in the From line of an email you are composing:

  1. Click the current name and email address in the From field.

    New message window screenshot showing two email addresses to choose from in the From field

  2. Pick the desired address.

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