Using Google's Change of Address Tool: A Plain Walkthrough

You found a domain name that's easier to say and easier to remember. Good. Now you're moving your website to it. One of the last things on your list should be telling Google what happened, so the people searching for you still land on your site.

The Google Search Console Change of Address tool does exactly that. It's a short form inside a free Google product, and it tells Google Search that your old address has moved to a new one. Used at the right time, it helps Google update its records faster and hand your search ranking to the new name.

This walkthrough covers when to use it, what to do first, and how to fill it out without guessing.

What this tool actually does

Think of it like filing a change of address with the post office. The tool doesn't move your website. It doesn't set up any redirects. All it does is send Google a clear message: this old name is now this new name, please follow it.

That message matters because Google already knows your old name. It has years of pages, links, and search history tied to it. When you switch names cold, Google has to figure out on its own that the new site is really the same business. The tool removes the guesswork and speeds things up.

Do these things first

The Change of Address form is the last step, not the first. If you fill it out before the groundwork is done, it won't work. Here's what has to be in place.

1. Both names verified in Search Console

You need both the old domain and the new domain added to your own Search Console account and verified. If only the old one is there, the tool has nowhere to point. Adding and verifying a site takes a few minutes and is free.

2. Your redirects are already running

Every page on the old domain needs to send visitors to the matching page on the new one. These are called 301 redirects, and they're the real workhorse of a name change. The Change of Address tool won't do this part for you, and it won't run at all if the redirects aren't in place. We walk through how to set these up in Set Up 301 Redirects So Old Links Still Send You Customers.

3. You've run through the rest of the checklist

A clean move has a few more moving parts, like making sure the new site loads, that nothing is blocking search engines, and that your important pages line up one to one. Our pre-move checklist covers the full list so nothing slips.

How to use the Change of Address tool, step by step

1. Sign in to Google Search Console with the account that has both domains verified.
2. In the top left, pick your old domain from the property list. This is important. You start from the site that's moving, not the one you're moving to.
3. Click the Settings gear in the left menu.
4. Find and open Change of address.
5. Google runs a few quick checks and asks you to pick the new site. Choose your new domain from the dropdown.
6. Google will test that the new site is reachable and that your redirects are working. If something fails, it tells you what to fix.
7. Click Validate and update to submit.

That's it. Google shows a confirmation, and the setting stays active for about 180 days while it moves everything over.

Google keeps its own step-by-step version too, and it's worth a read: the official Change of Address help page.

What happens after you submit

Nothing changes overnight. Google works through your pages over days and weeks, updating which name it shows in search results. During that stretch, keep both domains registered and keep the redirects running. If you turn off the old domain too soon, you cut the cord before Google finishes crossing over.

Wondering how long the whole thing takes? We put real timelines in How Long Before Google Catches Up After You Switch Domains?

A few common mistakes

• Running the tool from the new domain instead of the old one. Start from the site that's leaving.
• Skipping redirects. The tool leans on them. No redirects, no move.
• Dropping the old domain early. Keep paying for it for at least a year after the switch.
• Forgetting the parts Google doesn't handle. Your Google Business Profile, directory listings, and social links all point at the old name until you update them yourself. Here's why that matters in Don't Forget Your Local Listings When You Change Domains.

The short version

The Change of Address tool is one small, free step in a bigger move. It doesn't do the heavy lifting, but it removes doubt for Google and helps your ranking follow you to a name your customers can actually remember. Set up your redirects, verify both sites, then file the change.

Still weighing whether a better name is worth the move at all? Browse names for your city and trade in under a minute, or ask us about one specific domain you have your eye on. No pressure either way.