How to Import Emails to Gmail: Your Ultimate Guide

PDF download Download Article
Learn how to bring emails from your old accounts to Gmail
PDF download Download Article

If you recently switched to Gmail and want access to your emails from the other account, this wikiHow will show you how to import emails into Gmail using a computer. You can choose to import all your email or only old email. If you want to forward email from your old account, you will need to do that from your old account's settings and not through Gmail.

Quick Steps

  1. Enable POP access for your old email account.
  2. In Gmail, click the gear icon and select See all settings .
  3. Go to Accounts and import > Add a mail account .
  4. Enter your old email address and click Next .
  5. Select POP3 or Gmailify and log in.
  6. Check the second two boxes and click Add Account .
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Importing All Emails

PDF download Download Article
  1. You can normally find this option in your other account's “Settings.” In this method, you will import both old and new messages from your old account to your Gmail account on an ongoing basis. If your old email provider doesn't support POP, you can use our importing old mail instructions to import old messages only. [1]
    • If the account you want to import email from is not a Gmail account, jump down to the next step .
    • If the account you want to import mail from is also a Gmail account, you will need to enable POP access in your settings. Here's how:
      • In the account you're importing mail from , click the gear icon at the top-right corner of your inbox and select See all settings .
      • Click the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab at the top.
      • Under "POP Download," select "Enable POP for all mail."
      • If, in addition to importing these messages to your new Gmail account, you also want to keep a copy in this account, select keep Gmail's copy in the inbox from the menu. If not, you can choose to delete Gmail's copy .
      • Click Save Changes at the bottom.
  2. If your old account has POP enabled, you can now adjust the settings in your new Gmail account to import the messages. It's at the top-right corner of your inbox. This opens the Quick Settings menu.
    • Complete these steps on the Gmail account where you're importing messages to .
    Advertisement
  3. It's near the top of the Quick Settings menu.
  4. You’ll see this at the top of the settings box.
  5. You'll see this next to “Check mail from other accounts”.
  6. This should be the email address for the messages you're importing to this new account.
  7. Gmailify will also allow you to send email as your old address as well as your current Gmail address. If you choose POP3, you will only import the emails.
  8. Enter your password to continue.
  9. Don't check other boxes.
  10. Importing all your emails or linking your email account can take a while, depending on how many messages you'll be importing. When they finally import or link, you should see all the mail in your Inbox. [2]
    11. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Importing Old Mail

PDF download Download Article
  1. You'll see it at the top-right corner of your Gmail inbox.
    • Use this method if you're switching to this new Gmail account and only want to import the existing messages from your old account. This will not continuously import emails to your Gmail account on an ongoing basis.
  2. It's near the top of the Quick Settings menu.
  3. You’ll see this at the top of the settings box.
  4. You’ll see this in the “Import mail and contacts” header.
  6. You’ll need to accept/allow the export of emails from this account by pressing Continue in the pop-up.
  7. This may take a few minutes, but you’ll eventually find all your old emails in your Gmail account. [3]
    • New mail sent to that old account will also be forwarded to your Gmail for 30 days.
    8. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Tips

      • If you are getting errors, make sure your old email supports POP and make sure it is enabled. In this case, you can only import old messages. [4]
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • There is no way to import email directly from your computer to Gmail.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      • To stop importing email messages, click the gear icon and go to See all settings > Accounts and import . Click Delete next to "Check mail from other accounts."
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      4 Simple Ways to Log Into Your Gmail Account
      2 Simple Ways to Recover Your Gmail Password
      How to
      Bypass Gmail Phone Verification
      5 Simple Ways to Contact Google Support for Gmail
      How to
      Access Gmail: Getting Started & Adding Multiple Accounts
      2 Simple Ways to Create a New Gmail Account
      How to
      Recall an Email in Gmail
      How to
      Sign Out of Gmail on Any Device
      How to
      Check Your Email Using Google Mail
      3 Easy Ways to Add Other Accounts to Gmail: Mobile & Desktop
      How to
      Send an Email Using Gmail
      Restoring a Gmail Account: A Step-by-Step Guide
      Easily Switch from Yahoo Mail to Gmail: Transfer Mail & Contacts
      How to
      Hack Gmail
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://support.google.com/mail/answer/21289
      2. ↑ https://support.google.com/mail/answer/21289
      3. ↑ https://support.google.com/mail/answer/21289?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en&oco=1
      4. ↑ https://support.google.com/mail/answer/21289?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en&oco=1

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Enable POP on your old email account.
      2. Click the settings icon.
      3. Click the Accounts and import tab and Add email account .
      4. Type the old email address and choose Gmailify or POP3 .
      5. Sign in to your old email if prompted.
      6. Click “Always use a secure connection (SSL) when retrieving mail and Label incoming messages .
      7. Click Add Account .

      Did this summary help you?
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 90,437 times.

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement