How to Change the Default Sending Account in Gmail

What to Know

Select Settings (gear icon) > See All Settings > Accounts and Import > Send mail as. Choose an email and select Make Default.
To make sure the default address is used when replying: Under When replying to a message, select Always reply from the default address.
To change the From address on a case-by-case basis, click the arrow next to the From address and choose another email.

This article explains how to change the default sending and replying email address in Gmail, plus how to change the From address for specific emails on a case-by-case basis. Instructions here apply to Gmail on the desktop.

Change the Default Sending Account in Gmail

To choose a default sending account and email address in Gmail:

In your Gmail inbox screen, select Settings (gear icon).
Select See All Settings.
Select Accounts and Import.
In the Send mail as section, choose the email you want to use as your default address and select Make Default.
You've set your new default sending address.

You can't 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 or forward a message in Gmail, your default email address is used in the From line.

Replies work differently. 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.

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:

Select Settings (gear icon).
Select See All Settings.
Go to the Accounts and Import category.
In the Send mail as section, under When replying to a message, select Always reply from the default address.
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 From address on a case-by-case basis:

Click the current name and email address in the From field.
Select the desired address.

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