How to Move Emails from One Gmail Account to Another

Moving emails between Gmail accounts is one of those tasks that Google technically supports — but the built-in tool is so limited that most people end up looking for something better. Here are the options, from simplest to most complete.

Method 1: Gmail's built-in import (free, limited)

Go to Gmail Settings → Accounts and Import → Import mail and contacts. Enter your old Gmail address. Gmail connects via POP3 and begins pulling in emails.

What it does: Moves emails from the inbox. Free, no extra tools needed.

What it doesn't do:

• Doesn't transfer labels — everything arrives in a single "Imported from X" label
• Often misses or truncates large attachments
• Can take days or weeks for inboxes over a few GB
• Can't be used if your old account has 2FA on POP3 access (which most do now)

If you have a small inbox and don't care about labels, this might be enough. For anything else, Method 2 is faster and more complete.

Method 2: GTransfer (faster, labels preserved)

GTransfer uses the Gmail API rather than POP3, which is the same interface Google's own apps use. This means it can move emails properly:

• Labels are recreated in the destination account
• Read/unread status is preserved
• Attachments transfer intact
• Original timestamps are preserved
• You can select specific labels to move, not just everything

How to use it:

1. Go to gtransfer.app and connect your source Gmail (the account you're moving from)
2. Connect your destination Gmail
3. Choose which labels to move — all of them, or just selected ones
4. Start the transfer. Track progress live; large accounts run in the background
5. Once done, search the destination for a few specific emails to verify they arrived correctly

The Essential plan is £9 one-time — it covers unlimited Gmail migration between accounts, plus Drive file transfer. No subscription.

Method 3: Google Takeout + import (manual, works in a pinch)

Download your Gmail as an MBOX file from takeout.google.com. Then import it into the destination account using a tool like Thunderbird.

This is free and complete, but it's slow, technically fiddly, and doesn't preserve Gmail labels (everything arrives flat). It's mostly useful if you need a local backup rather than a live inbox transfer.

Which method should you use?

For most people — moving accounts, consolidating old Gmail addresses, or switching to a business Workspace — GTransfer is the best balance of speed, completeness, and ease. The built-in import is only worth it for very small inboxes where labels don't matter. Google Takeout is the right choice when you want a local archive rather than a live migration.

See also: full guide to transferring Gmail to a new account and how to migrate Gmail to Google Workspace.