Email forwarding and backup are two different paths

Moving emails from one account to another depends on what you want to happen next. If you want all future mail to go to your new address automatically, you set up forwarding on the old account — the email provider sends each new message to your new inbox. If you want to keep a copy of old emails you already received, you need to export or back up those messages, then import them into the new account. Most people need both: forwarding for what's coming, and a backup for what's already there.

The method you use also depends on which email providers you're switching between. Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and smaller providers each have their own tools. Some make the process straightforward; others require you to enable less-secure access or use a third-party tool. The time it takes ranges from a few minutes for forwarding to several hours if you have years of emails to move.

Key Takeaways

  • Set up forwarding on your old account to send new emails to your new address automatically, which takes about five minutes and works across any provider.
  • Export old emails from your current account and import them into the new one to keep a copy of past messages — the method varies by provider.
  • Gmail's built-in migration tool can pull emails from other accounts during setup, but only works if you're moving to Gmail.
  • Outlook and Yahoo require you to enable app passwords or less-secure access before third-party tools can connect and download your mail.
  • Keep your old account open for at least a month after forwarding is active, in case senders' systems bounce messages back to the original address.

Setting up forwarding on your old account

Forwarding is the fastest way to ensure you don't miss new mail. Open your old email account, go to Settings (or Preferences), and look for a section called "Forwarding" or "Forward and POP/IMAP". Enter your new email address, confirm the forwarding address by clicking a link in a test email, and turn forwarding on. From that moment forward, every new message arrives in both your old inbox and your new one.

Gmail's forwarding is under Settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP. Outlook calls it Settings > Mail > Forwarding. Yahoo uses Settings > Forwarding. The exact names shift slightly, but the concept is identical across all providers. Once forwarding is active, you can choose whether to keep a copy in your old inbox or delete it after forwarding — keeping a copy for a few weeks is safer in case something goes wrong.

One important detail: forwarding does not move old emails. It only sends new messages forward. If you received 500 emails before you set up forwarding, those 500 stay in your old account unless you export them separately. Also, some email systems (particularly corporate or government accounts) block forwarding entirely for security reasons — if you don't see a forwarding option, your administrator may have disabled it.

Exporting emails from Gmail

Gmail does not have a simple "export all" button in the regular settings. Instead, use Google Takeout, which is Google's tool for downloading your data. Go to takeout.google.com, sign in, and select only "Mail" from the list of services. Choose the format (MBOX is standard for importing into other accounts), select "All Mail" to grab everything, and start the export. Google compresses your emails into a file and emails you a download link within a few hours or days, depending on how much mail you have.

Once you have the MBOX file, you can import it into another Gmail account, Outlook, or most other providers. In Gmail, go to Settings > Labels, scroll to the bottom, and look for "Import mail" — paste the MBOX file there. In Outlook, use Settings > Mail > Accounts > Import email, then upload the file. The import process can take hours if you have thousands of emails, and your new account may be slow while it's processing.

Exporting emails from Outlook

Outlook's export process depends on whether you use Outlook.com (the web version) or Outlook desktop software. For Outlook.com, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Import email, select your old email provider, and enter your credentials. Outlook will attempt to download your emails directly — this works if your old provider allows it, but many require you to enable an app password first.

If direct import fails, download your emails manually using a third-party tool like Thunderbird (free, open-source email client) or IMAP access. Enable IMAP in your old account's settings, add that account to Thunderbird, let it download all your mail, then export it as an MBOX file. Upload that file to Outlook.com using the import tool. This takes longer but works when direct import is blocked.

Exporting emails from Yahoo and other providers

Yahoo Mail does not offer a direct export tool. Your best option is to enable IMAP access in Yahoo Settings > Account Security > Apps and connected services, then use Thunderbird or another email client to download your messages. Once Thunderbird has synced all your mail, export it as an MBOX file and import that file into your new account using your new provider's import tool.

Smaller email providers often have similar limitations. Check your provider's help documentation for "export" or "backup" — if nothing exists, IMAP access is usually available. Enable IMAP, use Thunderbird or another client to download everything, and export from there. This method works for nearly any email provider, though it requires more steps than a built-in export tool.

Using Gmail's migration tool during account setup

If you're moving to Gmail specifically, you can use Gmail's built-in migration during the account creation process. When you first set up a new Gmail account, Gmail offers to import emails from another account. Enter your old email address and password, and Gmail pulls your messages directly. This only works if your old provider allows Gmail to access your account — some corporate or government systems block it.

This method is faster than exporting and importing manually, but it only works one way: into Gmail. If you're moving to Outlook or another provider, you'll need to export from Gmail using Google Takeout instead. Also, Gmail's import can take several hours or even days if you have a large mailbox, and you won't see a progress bar — your emails will simply appear in your new Gmail inbox once the import is complete.

Handling contacts and calendar data

Email accounts often hold more than just messages. If you have contacts or calendar events in your old account, you'll need to move those separately. Most providers let you export contacts as a CSV file (Settings > Contacts or Address Book > Export). Import that CSV into your new account using the same provider's import tool. Calendar events usually export as an ICS file and import the same way.

Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo all support CSV and ICS imports. The process is similar to email import: download the file from your old account, go to your new account's settings, find the import option, and upload the file. Do this after you've moved your emails, so you don't lose track of what you've already transferred. Some third-party tools like Thunderbird can move contacts and calendar data at the same time as email, which saves time if you're moving everything.

What to do after the transfer is complete

Once forwarding is active and your old emails are in your new account, update your contacts and any services that send you mail. Change your email address on banking websites, subscription services, social media accounts, and anywhere else that has it on file. This prevents future mail from going to your old account. You can do this gradually over a few weeks — forwarding will catch anything you miss.

Keep your old account open and monitored for at least a month. Some automated systems (banks, government agencies, subscription services) may still send mail to your old address, and forwarding will catch it. After a month, if you're confident everything has been updated, you can delete the old account or leave it dormant as a backup. Do not delete it immediately — if something goes wrong with forwarding or import, you'll need access to the original account to troubleshoot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will forwarding work if I'm switching between Gmail and Outlook?

Yes. Forwarding works between any email providers. Set it up on your Gmail account (or Outlook, or Yahoo) and it will send new messages to your Outlook address (or Gmail, or any other). The only exception is if your email administrator has blocked forwarding for security reasons.

How long does it take to import thousands of old emails?

Import time depends on how many emails you have and how fast your internet connection is. A few hundred emails usually import in minutes. Thousands of emails can take hours or even a full day. Start the import in the evening or before bed so it can run without interruption. Your new account may be slow while the import is happening.

What if my old email provider won't let me export or enable IMAP?

Some corporate and government email systems restrict exports for security. Contact your email administrator and ask whether IMAP access or data export is available. If neither is available, you may not be able to move old emails — in that case, focus on forwarding new mail and manually copying important messages if needed.

Do I need to keep my old email account after everything is moved?

Yes, keep it open for at least a month. Some services will still send mail to your old address, and forwarding will catch it. After a month, you can close it or leave it dormant. Closing it immediately risks losing mail that arrives after the transfer but before all your contacts have been updated.

Can I move emails from one Gmail account to another Gmail account?

Yes. Use Google Takeout to export from the old Gmail account, then import the MBOX file into the new Gmail account using Settings > Labels > Import mail. Alternatively, set up forwarding on the old account so new mail goes to the new one. Both methods work, and you can use them together.