Here are the primary ways to transfer email data:
Posted: Thu May 29, 2025 4:00 am
Transferring your email data from one Gmail account to another can be done using a few different methods, ranging from Google's built-in tools to third-party services. The best method depends on how much data you have, whether you want to continuously forward new emails, and if you're comfortable with a bit of technical setup.
Method 1: Use Gmail's Built-in "Import Mail and Contacts" Feature (Recommended for Most Users)
This is often the most straightforward way to transfer all your existing dataset emails from one Gmail account to another. It uses POP3 to fetch emails from your old account.
Steps in the OLD Gmail Account:
Enable POP access:
Sign in to your old Gmail account.
Click on the gear icon (Settings) in the top right corner.
Click "See all settings".
Go to the "Forwarding and POP/IMAP" tab.
In the "POP download" section, select "Enable POP for all mail" (or "Enable POP for mail that arrives from now on" if you only want new emails).
For the "When messages are accessed with POP" option, you can choose what happens to the original emails in your old account (e.g., "keep Gmail's copy in the Inbox," "archive Gmail's copy," or "delete Gmail's copy"). "Keep Gmail's copy in the Inbox" is usually a safe choice initially.
Scroll down and click "Save Changes."
Generate an App Password (if you use 2-Step Verification):
If your old Gmail account has 2-Step Verification enabled (which is highly recommended for security), you'll need to generate an "App password" to use instead of your regular password for the import process.
Method 1: Use Gmail's Built-in "Import Mail and Contacts" Feature (Recommended for Most Users)
This is often the most straightforward way to transfer all your existing dataset emails from one Gmail account to another. It uses POP3 to fetch emails from your old account.
Steps in the OLD Gmail Account:
Enable POP access:
Sign in to your old Gmail account.
Click on the gear icon (Settings) in the top right corner.
Click "See all settings".
Go to the "Forwarding and POP/IMAP" tab.
In the "POP download" section, select "Enable POP for all mail" (or "Enable POP for mail that arrives from now on" if you only want new emails).
For the "When messages are accessed with POP" option, you can choose what happens to the original emails in your old account (e.g., "keep Gmail's copy in the Inbox," "archive Gmail's copy," or "delete Gmail's copy"). "Keep Gmail's copy in the Inbox" is usually a safe choice initially.
Scroll down and click "Save Changes."
Generate an App Password (if you use 2-Step Verification):
If your old Gmail account has 2-Step Verification enabled (which is highly recommended for security), you'll need to generate an "App password" to use instead of your regular password for the import process.