The fastest way depends on which email services you're using
Moving emails from one account to another is not a single process — the method changes based on whether you're moving within Gmail, between Gmail and Outlook, or to some other service entirely. The easiest transfers happen when both accounts are with the same provider, because those services have built-in tools. Moving between different providers (Gmail to Outlook, for example) requires either forwarding, downloading and uploading, or using a third-party tool.
Before you start, decide whether you want to move only future emails, or also pull in your entire email history. That choice determines which method works best and how long the process takes.
Key Takeaways
- Gmail-to-Gmail transfers use Google's built-in account transfer tool, which moves emails, contacts, and calendar data in one step.
- Moving between different email providers usually requires setting up forwarding for new messages and downloading your old emails as a backup file.
- Third-party migration tools can move large volumes of old emails automatically, but require you to grant them temporary access to both accounts.
- Always keep your old account open for at least a month after the transfer to catch any messages that arrive late or from services you forgot about.
Moving emails within Gmail
If both accounts are Gmail accounts, use Google's built-in account transfer tool. Go to myaccount.google.com, click "Data & privacy" in the left menu, then scroll to "Your data" and select "Download your data." This opens Google Takeout, which lets you export emails, contacts, calendar, and other data as a file you can import into your new Gmail account.
The export process can take hours or even days if you have years of email history. Google will email you a download link when the file is ready. Once you download it, sign into your new Gmail account, go to mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#settings/forwarding, and look for the import option. You'll upload the file you downloaded and Gmail will move everything over.
A faster option for Gmail-to-Gmail transfers is to use Gmail's "Add account" feature. In your new Gmail account, go to Settings, click the "Accounts and Import" tab, then "Import mail and contacts." Enter your old Gmail address and password, and Gmail will pull in your emails and contacts directly without needing to download a file first. This method works best if you don't have an enormous volume of email.
Forwarding new emails to your new account
Forwarding ensures you don't miss messages sent to your old address after you've switched. In your old email account's settings, find the forwarding option (called "Forwarding and POP/IMAP" in Gmail, "Forwarding" in Outlook, or similar in other services). Enter your new email address and confirm that you want to forward all incoming mail.
Most services give you the option to keep a copy of forwarded messages in your old account or delete them after forwarding. If you keep copies, you'll have duplicates in both places, which is useful as a safety net. If you delete them, your old account becomes a pure forwarding address.
Set up forwarding before you tell people your new address. That way, any stragglers who still email the old address won't be lost. Leave forwarding active for at least three months — some services and automated messages send emails infrequently, and you want to catch them all.
Transferring emails between Gmail and Outlook (or other providers)
Gmail and Outlook don't have a direct transfer tool that works between them, so you'll need to use a workaround. The manual method is to download your Gmail data using Google Takeout (described above), then import it into Outlook. Outlook's import tool is in Settings under "Mail" > "Accounts" > "Import email." You'll upload the file you downloaded from Google.
This method works but can be slow for large mailboxes and sometimes loses folder structure or labels. A more reliable option is to use a third-party migration tool like Mailstrom, CloudHQ, or Imapsync. These tools connect to both your old and new accounts, read your emails directly from the source, and write them to the destination. They handle folder structure better and can move emails in the background without you having to download and upload files.
Third-party tools require you to give them temporary access to both accounts. Always use tools that are transparent about what they access, and revoke their access once the transfer is complete. Check the tool's privacy policy before you start — you're giving it your email credentials, so you need to trust it.
Downloading your email as a backup file
If you want to keep a copy of your emails on your computer as a safety net, download them before you close your old account. Google Takeout (for Gmail) and Outlook's export feature both create a file format called MBOX or PST, which you can open in most email clients or keep as an archive.
To download from Gmail, use Google Takeout as described above. For Outlook, go to Settings, select "Mail," then "Accounts," and look for "Export email." For other providers, check their settings menu for "Export," "Download," or "Backup."
Store this file somewhere safe — an external hard drive, a cloud storage service like Google Drive or OneDrive, or both. If something goes wrong during the transfer, you'll have your emails backed up and can try again or restore them manually.
What to do with your old account after the transfer
Don't delete your old account immediately. Keep it open and forwarding for at least one month, preferably three. During that time, you'll discover services and contacts you forgot about that still email the old address. Once you're confident you've caught everything, you can either delete the account or keep it as a forwarding address indefinitely.
If you keep the old account open just for forwarding, change the password to something random and long, then store it in a password manager. You won't need to log in, but you want the account secure in case someone tries to use it to reset passwords on other services.
Before you delete an old account, download one final backup of everything using Google Takeout or your provider's export tool. Deletion is usually permanent, and you may need those emails for tax records, legal matters, or just nostalgia years later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my emails disappear from my old account when I transfer them?
No. Transferring copies your emails to the new account but leaves them in the old one. If you want to remove them from the old account, you'll need to delete them manually or use a tool that has a "move" option instead of "copy." Forwarding only affects new incoming mail, not existing emails.
Can I transfer emails if I don't remember my old account password?
You'll need to reset it first. Use your old email provider's "Forgot password" option, which usually sends a recovery link to a backup email or phone number you set up when you created the account. If you can't access those either, contact the email provider's support team — they can verify your identity and help you regain access.
How long does it take to transfer a large mailbox?
Manual downloads and uploads can take several hours to a full day for mailboxes with tens of thousands of emails. Third-party migration tools often work faster because they transfer directly between servers without downloading to your computer first. Google Takeout typically takes longer the more data you're exporting, and you'll receive an email when your file is ready.
What happens to emails I receive while the transfer is happening?
New emails arriving during the transfer will go to your old account. Once forwarding is set up, they'll be forwarded to your new account automatically. If you're using a third-party tool, it may not catch emails that arrive during the transfer window, so set up forwarding before you start the migration.
Do I need to update my password after transferring emails?
You should change your password on your old account after the transfer, especially if you used a third-party migration tool. This prevents anyone else from accessing it. Your new account already has its own password, so you don't need to change that unless you want to.