You may want to move your Gmail to another account for several reasons, including consolidating multiple accounts, switching from a Google Workspace account to a free personal account, or upgrading to a Google Workspace account with a custom email address.

Unfortunately, Google does not offer native tools for transitioning to a new account. This means that the only way to move Gmail to another account is to create a new Gmail account and copy your data.

This article explains how you can copy your emails and other types of Google data from one Gmail account to another. While some types of content can be copied manually or automatically (such as emails, files, contacts, and calendars), others must be transferred only manually (such as Google Photos or Google Keep notes).

How to transfer your Gmail emails

There are two main ways to move your Gmail to another account: using the “Accounts and Import” function that will link your two accounts and setting up an automated migration using a third-party tool to avoid the limitations of the free method.

Method 1: Using Gmail’s free Import tool

Gmail has a built-in import feature that allows you to copy emails from one account to another. To import your mail from the old account, follow these steps:

1. Sign in to your new Gmail account.
2. Go to “Settings” and select “See all settings.”
3. Click the “Accounts and Import” tab.
4. Click “Import Mail and Contacts.”
5. Follow the prompts to link your old account to the new one.
6. Start the import process.
7. Wait for the process to complete. Remember that this method will not transfer any of your custom labels (only system labels will be copied), so if you need to transfer everything, consider other migration methods.

Method 2: Using a paid migration application

Paid migration apps cannot change your Gmail address for you but can transfer your emails to a different account.

Here’s why this option may work for you:

• Faster transfer times
• Metadata (such as dates, attachments, and read/unread status) is copied
• Secure process
• No manual work required
• Various types of Google data can be copied at the same time

Automated tools can transfer emails from one Gmail account to another while retaining label structure and saving time. However, they often come with a fee, so consider their pros and cons before deciding.

How to move other types of Google data

Beyond emails, you may also want to transfer other types of data, such as:

1. Google Drive files

Download files from Google Drive in your old account and upload them to your new Drive manually. Alternatively, they can be transferred automatically using third-party software.

2. Google Calendars

Export your calendar from your old account by going to Google Calendar > Settings > Import & Export, then import the downloaded file into your new Google Calendar under the same settings. Automated migration apps can copy the calendars for you.

3. Google Contacts

Export contacts from your old account by going to Google Contacts > Export > Select Google CSV, then import the file into your new account’s Google Contacts by using the Import function. Contacts can be copied together with emails if you prefer to use a paid migration tool.

4. Google Photos

Use Google Takeout to download all your photos and then re-upload them to your new Google Photos account.

5. Google Keep notes

Manually share each note with your new account and make a copy. You can also download your Google Keep notes using Google Takeout and then import the notes into the new account.

Final Thoughts

Transferring your Gmail to another account doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you use Gmail’s built-in tools or a third-party migration service, following the steps explained in this article will ensure that you don’t lose any important emails or contacts in the process.