If you're migrating data from personal Gmail accounts (@gmail.com) or you're unable to authorize GWMME on the source domain (for example, you are not an administrator on the source account), follow the steps in Migrate mail from a Gmail account.
As an administrator, you can use Google Workspace Migration for Microsoft Exchange (GWMME) to migrate email data either from your old Google account or from an IMAP-based email account. You can migrate data from most RFC 3501-compliant IMAP servers.
Before you begin
- Migrating from Exchange Online (Microsoft 365)? Go to and follow the steps in Migrate data from Exchange instead.
- Check the system requirements—Make sure you meet the GWMME system requirements.
- Turn off folder-size limits and make labels available—Each user must turn off folder-size limits and make the All Mail, Spam, and Trash labels available to IMAP. Tell your users to follow the steps in Get email from another email app.
Step 1: Authorize GWMME
Before you can install GWMME, you must authorize GWMME on your source and target domains. For details, go to Authorize GWMME for your account.
Step 2: Create a CSV file of users
Create a control CSV file of the user accounts that you're migrating to make sure your source data correctly maps to your new user accounts. You don't need to add passwords to the file.
For details, go to Create CSV files for your migration.
Step 3: Download & install GWMME
- Go to the GWMME download page.
- Click Download GWMME.
- Open the installer and follow the instructions to install GWMME.
Step 4: Configure GWMME
You can migrate data by running GWMME:
- On a Microsoft Windows computer, using the GWMME interface—Follow the instructions below, in this section.
- From the command line (better suited to experienced administrators)—Go to Migrate data using the command line.
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1. Enter IMAP server details- Click Start
Google Workspace Migration
- For Server Type, select an option:
- IMAP–Proceed to step 3.
- Gmail–Proceed to step 8.
- For IMAP Server type, select your source server type.
- For Hostname/IP Address, enter either your source domain name or the IP address of your source email server.
Example: imap.example.com or 192.0.2.1. - For IMAP Security, select an option:
- None–No encryption
- SSL–SSL/TLS encryption
- STARTTLS–TLS encryption using the STARTTLS command
- For IMAP Port, enter the connection port on the IMAP service.
-
If you're using SSL, enter 993.
- For IMAP Path Prefix, if you're migrating from a Cyrus or Courier IMAP server, enter INBOX. Otherwise, leave it blank.
- Click Next.
- For Google Workspace domain name, enter the new primary Google Workspace target domain where the data will be migrated.
If you're migrating mail to a Google Workspace account with secondary domains, the target domain you enter might differ from the domain in the email addresses you’re migrating.
- For Service account credentials file, enter the path to the JSON file created as part of the authorization process.
- For Google Workspace admin user, enter the full email address of your Google Workspace super administrator account.
- Click Next.
- Check the Email messages box and set the date range for the migration.
- For File of folders to migrate, click More
, navigate to the mapping file created above, and then click Open.
- Click Next.
- Review the migration settings and check each optional setting that you want to use:
- Migrate all data—Overwrites existing data during migration (duplicate messages skipped when unchecked)
- Save settings—Retains the current configuration for future use
- Run Diagnostics—Verifies the configuration before running the migration
- Estimate—Estimates the message count for the source users
- Migrate—Performs the migration
- Click Next
Related topic
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