Menu
Your cart

Your cart is currently empty.

Continue browsing

Enable cookies to use the shopping cart

      Complete Guide to Transferring Data Between Google Accounts: Drive, Gmail, Photos, and More

      Introduction

      Many people find themselves needing to change Google accounts for work or privacy reasons. Fortunately, Google offers official tools for risk-free data transfer. The goal of this article is to explain step-by-step how to move files, emails, contacts, photos, and more without losing anything along the way.

      The official Google tools that will be used include:

      • Google Takeout
      • Google Drive
      • Google Photos
      • Gmail
      • Google Calendar
      • Google Chrome

      Official Google Tools Used

      Google Takeout

      Google Takeout allows you to export a copy of the data associated with your Google account in an easily transferable format. It is an essential component for saving and migrating data.

      Google Drive

      Google Drive is Google's cloud storage tool that allows you to share and transfer files and folders between different Google accounts simply and securely. The sharing and ownership transfer function is particularly useful.

      Google Photos

      Google Photos offers the ability to save and share images and videos. By using its sharing functions or Google Takeout, you can transfer visual collections to a new account without losing precious memories.

      Gmail

      Gmail, Google's email service, includes tools for importing messages and contacts between accounts, allowing you to maintain continuity in communications.

      Google Calendar

      Google Calendar allows the export and import of events via .ics files, as well as the sharing of calendars for seamless appointment management.

      Google Chrome

      Google Chrome offers options to export and import bookmarks and passwords through the Password Manager and the favorites manager, ensuring that nothing is lost when changing accounts.

      1. Transfer Files and Folders from Google Drive

      Steps:

      1. Log in to Google Drive with the old account.
      2. Select the folders or files to transfer.
      3. Click "Share," enter the new Google account, and set it as Editor.
      4. After sharing, in the permissions menu, select "Transfer ownership."
      5. Accept the invitation on the new Gmail account.

      Note: Google Drive also allows manual downloading of files, which can then be re-uploaded to the new account.

      2. Transfer Photos and Videos from Google Photos

      Method via Google Takeout:

      1. Log in to Google Takeout with the old account.
      2. Deselect everything and select only Google Photos.
      3. Set the export format to .zip.
      4. Press "Create export" and wait for the email with the link to download the files.
      5. Extract the folders, log in to Google Photos with the new account, and upload the files manually.

      Alternatives: Google allows you to share albums with the new account without needing to download and re-upload files.

      3. Transfer Contacts and Emails from Gmail

      Method with Gmail Import Function:

      1. Log in to Gmail with the new account.
      2. Go to Settings (gear icon) > See all settings.
      3. Select "Accounts and Import."
      4. Click "Import mail and contacts" and enter the old Gmail account address.
      5. Authenticate and confirm the import.

      Method with Automatic Forwarding:

      • Log in to Gmail with the old account.
      • Go to Settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP.
      • Add the new address under "Forwarding" and confirm.

      4. Transfer Appointments from Google Calendar

      Steps:

      1. Log in to Google Calendar with the old account.
      2. Click Settings (gear icon).
      3. Select "Import & export" and click "Export."
      4. Download the .ics file generated by Google.
      5. Log in to Google Calendar with the new account and import the file.

      Alternative: You can also share the calendar with the new account and set it as primary.

      5. Transfer Google Chrome Bookmarks and Passwords

      Transfer Bookmarks:

      1. Open Google Chrome with the old account.
      2. Click the three dots in the top right > Bookmarks and lists > Bookmark Manager.
      3. Select "Export bookmarks" and save the file.
      4. Log in to Chrome with the new account and import the file.

      Transfer Saved Passwords:

      1. Open Chrome with the old account.
      2. Go to Settings > Autofill and passwords > Password Manager.
      3. Select "Download password file."
      4. Log in with the new account and import the file.

      Note: Passwords can also be managed via Google Password Manager at passwords.google.com.

      Conclusion

      With Google's official methods, you can transfer all your data without losing anything. The use of Google Takeout and the sharing function simplifies the process. It is advisable to keep the old account active for a transition period, especially to receive important emails. If the transfer includes business data, it is useful to check privacy regulations and data security.

      Further insights:

      Back to Free Guides