The fastest way to transfer Gmail emails is to use Gmail's built-in forwarding feature, which automatically sends new incoming mail to your new address, or to download your emails using Google Takeout and import them into the new account.
Gmail does not have a single "transfer all emails" button. Instead, you choose between two paths: forwarding, which handles mail going forward but leaves your archive behind, or downloading and importing, which moves your entire email history but requires more steps. Which one you pick depends on whether you need the old emails accessible in the new account or just want new mail to land there automatically.
The forwarding route takes about five minutes and works if you mainly want to stop missing messages sent to the old address. The download-and-import route takes longer but gives you a complete copy of everything — every email, label, and attachment — in your new Gmail account.
Key Takeaways
- Gmail forwarding automatically sends new incoming emails to another address but does not move your existing emails or let you access them from the new account.
- Google Takeout downloads all your emails, labels, and attachments as a file that you can then import into a new Gmail account.
- Forwarding takes about five minutes; downloading and importing can take several hours depending on how many emails you have.
- You can use both methods together — forward new mail while also downloading your archive for safekeeping or import into the new account.
- After forwarding is set up, Gmail will not automatically delete emails from the old account, so you will need to delete them manually if you want to close it.
Setting up forwarding for new emails only
Forwarding is the simpler option if you only need new messages to reach your new address. Open Gmail on the old account, click the gear icon in the top right, and select See all settings. Go to the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.
Click Add a forwarding address and enter your new Gmail address. Gmail will send a confirmation email to that new address — open it and click the confirmation link. Go back to the settings page, select the new address from the dropdown, and choose whether to keep a copy of forwarded emails in the old account or delete them after forwarding. Click Save Changes.
From that moment on, every new email arriving at the old address will also appear in the new one. This does not affect emails already in the old account — they stay there unless you manually delete them. If you later want to turn off forwarding, return to the same settings page and click Disable forwarding.
Downloading your entire email history with Google Takeout
Google Takeout is Google's tool for downloading your data. Go to takeout.google.com while signed into the Gmail account you want to copy from. You will see a list of Google services — by default, most are selected. Uncheck everything except Mail.
Scroll down and click Next step. Choose your file format (Gmail's native format is recommended), file size (smaller files are easier to download), and delivery method. Google can email you a download link or send the file to cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox. Click Create export.
Google will prepare your download in the background. Depending on how many emails you have, this can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. You will receive an email when the file is ready. Download it to your computer — it will be a .mbox file or a .zip file containing .mbox files.
Importing downloaded emails into your new Gmail account
Sign into your new Gmail account. Click the gear icon, go to Settings, and select the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab. Scroll to the Import mail and contacts section and click Import mail and contacts.
Gmail will open a window asking you to select the .mbox file you downloaded from Google Takeout. Choose the file and click Upload. Gmail will begin importing your emails. This process runs in the background and can take hours if you have thousands of emails. You do not need to keep the browser window open.
Your imported emails will appear in the new account's inbox and in their original labels (if you exported labels along with the emails). Attachments come through as well. Once the import is complete, you will have a full copy of your email history in the new account.
Deciding what to do with the old account
After forwarding is running and your emails are imported, you have three choices: leave the old account open and inactive, delete it, or keep it as a backup. If you leave it open, Gmail will not automatically delete anything — forwarded emails stay in the old inbox unless you manually delete them.
If you want to close the old account entirely, go to myaccount.google.com, click Account preferences on the left, scroll down, and select Delete your account or services. Follow the prompts. Google will give you a window to download your data one final time before deletion. Once deleted, the account cannot be recovered.
Many people keep the old account open but inactive for a few months, just in case a service or contact still sends mail there. After you are confident everything has switched over, you can delete it or leave it dormant indefinitely.
Handling services and accounts tied to the old email address
Before you close the old Gmail account, search for any services that use it as a login or recovery email. Banks, social media, work accounts, and subscription services often have your email address on file. If you delete the account without updating these first, you may lose access to password recovery or two-factor authentication codes.
Go through your most important accounts — email, banking, social media, work — and update the email address to your new Gmail account. For accounts you use less often, you can update them gradually. If you set up forwarding first, you will still receive password reset emails at the old address and can forward them to the new one while you transition.
Some services will not let you change the email address directly; instead, you may need to create a new account with the new email and transfer your data manually. This is common with financial institutions and work accounts, so check each one's settings before assuming you can simply update the email field.
Combining forwarding and import for a complete transition
The most reliable approach is to use both methods together. First, download your entire email history using Google Takeout and import it into the new account. This gives you a complete archive in the new place. Then, set up forwarding on the old account so you do not miss any new messages while you are updating services and contacts.
This two-step process means you have redundancy — if something goes wrong with the import, you still have the old account. It also gives you time to update all your linked services without rushing. Once you are confident everything is working and all your services have been updated, you can delete the old account or leave it as a backup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will forwarding move my old emails to the new account?
No. Forwarding only sends new incoming emails to your new address. Emails already in the old account stay there. To move old emails, you must download them using Google Takeout and import them into the new account.
How long does it take to download and import emails?
Downloading depends on how many emails you have — anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. Importing into the new account can take equally long. Gmail runs both processes in the background, so you can close your browser and check back later.
Can I import emails into a non-Gmail account?
Gmail's import tool only works with Gmail accounts. If you are switching to Outlook, Yahoo, or another email provider, you will need to use that provider's import tool or a third-party email migration service. Most major providers have instructions for importing from Gmail.
What happens to my labels and folders when I import?
Labels come through as folders in the imported emails, so your organization structure is preserved. If you had custom labels in the old account, they will appear in the new account after import.
Do I have to delete the old account after forwarding is set up?
No. You can leave it open indefinitely, delete it immediately, or wait a few months to make sure everything has transitioned. If you delete it, download your data one final time first — deletion is permanent and cannot be undone.