How to Migrate Gmail to G Suite
In short: To migrate Gmail to G Suite, now called Google Workspace, first create the destination user and give it a license. For one person, the free route is Import mail and contacts in the new mailbox’s settings. For several users, an admin uses the Data import tool in the Admin console. A migration tool over IMAP is the choice when you need labels kept or more control.
First, G Suite is now Google Workspace
One naming point clears up a lot of the confusion. Google renamed G Suite to Google Workspace in 2020, so the two mean the same thing, which is why current guides mix the terms. Before any migration, do the setup: in the Admin console open Directory then Users, create the destination account, then assign it a license with Gmail switched on. Confirm your custom domain is verified and has enough storage. With the user in place, the method you pick comes down to one thing, how many mailboxes you are moving.
Senior Analyst, Corbett Software
“Half the confusion is the old name and the old screens. It is Google Workspace now. The admin migration has also moved into the Data import tool. For a single mailbox you rarely need any of that, since Import mail and contacts pulls the old Gmail in on its own.”
Migrate one Gmail with Import mail and contacts
If you are moving a single account, this built-in route is the easiest and needs no admin work.
- Sign in to the new Workspace mailbox and open Settings then See all settings.
- Go to the Accounts and Import tab and click Import mail and contacts.
- Enter the old Gmail address, then authorize the connection when prompted.
- Choose to import contacts and mail, then start. Google runs the copy in the background, which can take up to a couple of days for a large mailbox.
It also forwards new mail from the old account for 30 days, which gives you a window to update people on the new address.
Migrate a team with the Data Migration Service
For several users at once, an admin uses Google’s built-in service. Note the path changed, so ignore older guides that point to a Data Migration tile on the home page.
- Sign in to the Admin console as a super administrator.
- Open Menu, then Data, then Data import and export, then Data import.
- For Gmail, click Import, enter the source Gmail address, then click Request authorization.
- The owner of the old Gmail gets an email and authorizes the connection. Once it shows Connected, set the date range and start the import.
- Repeat for each user, then let the service run. You can also map several accounts at once.
Two limits to plan for: the admin tool moves email, contacts and calendar but not Drive files, while custom labels sometimes do not survive. For those cases, the tool below helps.
Migrate over IMAP with a tool
When the native routes lose labels, stall on volume or leave you wanting tighter control, a migration tool copies Gmail to Workspace directly over IMAP, keeping folders and attachments.
The Corbett Gmail Migration Tool connects to the source Gmail and the Workspace account over IMAP and moves the mailbox across, with labels, folders and attachments kept. It filters by date or label so you move only what you need, handles the sign-in with an app password, then offers a free demo edition on every edition of Windows.
- Install and open the tool, then click Email Accounts and Add Account, then sign in to the source Gmail with an app password.
- Click Export and choose the IMAP option for the destination.
- Enter the Workspace address and its app password, apply any date or label filter, then Save to start the move.
After you migrate
Finishing the move cleanly matters as much as the copy itself:
- Check the mail. Confirm folders, labels and attachments came across for a test user before doing the rest.
- Point your domain to Workspace. Update the MX records so new mail flows to the Workspace mailboxes.
- Tell people the new address and update it on your site and profiles.
- Keep the old accounts for 30 to 60 days as a safety net, then close them once everything checks out.
Frequently asked questions
Is G Suite the same as Google Workspace?
Yes. Google renamed G Suite to Google Workspace in 2020. The steps and the Admin console are the same, only the name changed, so treat any G Suite guide as a Workspace one.
How do I migrate a single Gmail to Google Workspace for free?
In the new Workspace mailbox, open Settings, Accounts and Import, then Import mail and contacts. Enter the old Gmail and authorize it, then Google copies the mail and contacts over.
Where is the Data Migration Service now?
In the Admin console, open Menu, Data, Data import and export, then Data import. The old Data Migration tile on the home page has been replaced by this Data import tool.
Does the migration move my Google Drive files?
No. The admin Data import tool moves email, contacts and calendar, not Drive. Move Drive separately, by sharing folders to the new account or re-uploading from a Takeout export.
Why do my labels not carry over?
The native admin tool can drop custom labels. If keeping labels matters, use a migration tool over IMAP, which preserves the label and folder structure.
Do I need admin access to migrate?
For a single mailbox, no, Import mail and contacts works as a normal user. For several users at once, you need super administrator access for the Data import tool.