Switching email accounts? How to transfer emails & contacts easily

  By Manar – Reading time: 6 min.
 

In this blog post...

✓ What is email migration?
✓ How to transfer emails from one service provider to another (Outlook, Gmail, mail.com)
✓ How to migrate emails between Gmail accounts
✓ How to transfer your address book from one account to another (Outlook, Gmail, mail.com)

What does it mean to “migrate email”?

Email migration is simpler than it sounds. It just means moving from one email account or service provider to another, kind of like a virtual migration. Although it mostly designates transferring emails, it could also include transferring schedules and contacts. So, you can have everything in one place.

There are plenty of reasons you might want to migrate your emails. Maybe you’re switching jobs, changing providers, or just ready to retire that old address: “ArrrPirate@gmail.com” might have been fun, but it’s probably not the best choice for your university or work inbox. Whatever the reason, email migration helps you bring all your important messages with you, so you can start fresh without losing anything.

How to transfer emails from one account to another

Changing email service providers can seem daunting at first, and you might find yourself wondering where to even start. But it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Whether you’re switching for security reasons, moving to a new provider with better features, or simply trying to tidy up your digital life, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide covering transfers from and to Gmail, Outlook, and mail.com to help you get going.

Migrate email from Gmail to mail.com

If you want to move from Gmail to mail.com:

1. In your mail.com inbox, click Add e-mail account on the left of your screen.
2. This will take you to your Mail Collector, select Add an email account.
3. Under Where shall we pick up your emails, pick Gmail.
4. Sign in with your Gmail account and grant mail.com access to your emails.
5. Select Copy existing email and fetch new emails continuously. Then, choose whether your email should be saved directly in your inbox or in a separate folder.
6. Click Activate Mail Collector.

Migrate email from Outlook to mail.com

If you want to move from Outlook to mail.com:

1. In your mail.com inbox, click Add e-mail account on the left of your screen.
2. This will take you to your Mail Collector, select Add an email account.
3. Under Where shall we pick up your emails, pick Other provider.
4. Enter the login credentials for your Outlook account.
5. Select Copy existing email and fetch new emails continuously. Then, choose whether your email should be saved directly in your inbox or in a separate folder.
6. Click Activate Mail Collector.

Migrate email from Gmail to Outlook

If you’re moving from Gmail to Outlook, you can import all your emails using IMAP:

1. In Outlook, go to File → Add Account.
2. Enter your Gmail address and choose IMAP as the connection type.
3. Sign in to your Gmail account and allow access when prompted.
4. Outlook will automatically sync your Gmail folders and emails. You’ll see them appear in your Outlook inbox.

Migrate email from Outlook to Gmail

If you want to transfer emails from Outlook to Gmail:

1. In your Gmail inbox, click the gear icon → See all settings → Accounts and Import.
2. Select Import mail and contacts.
3. Sign in to your Outlook account and follow the prompts.
4. Gmail will start importing your emails, but this can take a while if you have a lot of messages.

How to migrate emails from one Gmail account to another

Sometimes you don’t want to change providers altogether but just move from one Gmail address to another. Maybe you’ve set up a more professional account, or you want to keep personal and work emails separate. Whatever the reason, transferring your old messages to your new inbox is not complicated.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Sign in to your new Gmail account.
2. Click the gear icon → See all settings → Accounts and Import.
3. Under Import mail and contacts, select Import from another address.
4. Enter your old Gmail address and follow the prompts.
5. Allow Gmail access to your old account. You’ll be asked to sign in and confirm.
6. Choose whether to import all existing emails, new mail for the next 30 days, or both.
7. Click Start import.

How to transfer your address book from one account to another

When you migrate your emails, don’t forget your contacts! Your address book is just as important because it saves you from having to hunt down email addresses later. The good news? Transferring your contacts between accounts is just as straightforward as moving your messages.

From mail.com to another account

1. Open mail.com and go to Contacts.
2. Click on the wrench icon and select Export contacts.
3. Choose the .csv format and save the file to your computer.
4. Sign in to your new account and import the CSV file through the Contacts or Import section.

From Gmail to another account

1. Sign in to your Gmail account.
2. Open Google Contacts (you can find it via the app grid in the top right corner).
3. On the left-hand side, click Export.
4. Choose the format you need:
   • Google CSV for another Gmail account
   • Outlook CSV if you’re moving to Outlook
   • vCard (VCF) if you’re importing to Apple Mail or other services
5. Click Export to download your contacts file.

To import into your new account:

• Gmail: Go to Contacts → Import and upload your CSV or VCF file.
• Outlook (desktop): Open File → Open & Export → Import/Export → Import from another program or file (CSV) and follow the prompts.
• outlook.com (web): Go to People → Manage → Import contacts and upload your CSV file.
• mail.com: Go to Contacts → Import and follow the prompts.

From Outlook to another account

1. Open Outlook and go to File → Open & Export → Import/Export.
2. Select Export to a file → Comma Separated Values (CSV).
3. Choose Contacts as the folder to export.
4. Save the file to your computer.
5. Sign in to your new Gmail or mail.com account and import the CSV file through the Contacts or Import section.

Switching email accounts doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch. Whether you’re moving from Outlook to Gmail, setting up a new mail.com address, or just giving your inbox a fresh start, a few quick steps are all it takes to bring your messages, contacts, and folders with you. Once everything’s migrated, you can sit back, relax, and enjoy your newly organized inbox, knowing there were no emails left behind!

If you found this article helpful, please leave us some feedback below. And if you still don’t have a mail.com email account, why not sign up for free today?

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