Google: Manually Move Princeton Gmail and Google Files


Recommended:  Use VaultMe

VaultMe is a recommended, optional third-party tool that can be used to copy your Princeton student Google account content (email and files) to an account of your choice (alumni account, personal account etc.). For more details read, Moving On: Graduating Undergraduate & Graduate Students

Alternative:  Google Takeout

Google Takeout is a free alternative, but it is a manual and slower process. https://takeout.google.com/

Google Takeout creates an archive of all files in each Google App you select - for example, your emails, Google Drive files, contacts, and other data. Google will email you a link to the archived .zip file once it has been prepared. You can then download the file(s) to your computer. If you choose to archive your Princeton Gmail via Google Takeout, the .zip file will contain a .mbox archive of your email. This file can be imported into an Apple Mail or Thunderbird email client (Outlook cannot import .mbox files).  OIT suggests you save the .zip file to a second location, such as a cloud service or external hard drive, for backup purposes.

Before you start, confirm and reduce your Google storage use. For graduating students Princeton University will subsidize one VaultMe migration for up to $25.00. Your alumni Google Drive has 22GB of storage, where your student account has 1TB. Please take this difference into account BEFORE initiating a migration, as you will need to store things beyond the 22GB limit elsewhere. 

You can check how much storage you are using by visiting Google Drive Storage.

Reduce archive size by excluding backup files.

If you currently use Google Backup and Sync - a utility that backs up files from your computer to Google Drive - you can reduce the size of your Google Takeout archive by excluding your computer's backup files.

  1. Log into your Princeton Google Drive.
  2. Create a new folder named Princeton Files.
  3. Move all Google Drive files that you want archived by Google Takeout into that folder.
  4. When using Google Takeout, under Drive click All Drive data included.
  5. Uncheck the Include all files and folders in Drive box.
  6. Uncheck the backup of your computer (example: "My MacBook," "My Laptop").
  7. Ensure the Princeton Files folder is selected and click OK.

Alternative: How to copy your data from your Princeton Gmail account to another email application

To manually copy or move your Princeton Gmail to another non-Princeton email application, you must store your Princeton Gmail on your own computer.

Steps

  1. Install an email client (such as Thunderbird or Outlook)
  2. Download all of your email from Princeton Gmail using IMAP or POP protocol. Refer to the How to download your Google data help topic in Google's online support.
  3. Follow the steps for each target application below.

From Princeton Gmail to Microsoft Outlook

  1. Open Microsoft Outlook.
  2. Create a new folder in your Gmail account to store your Princeton email messages by selecting the Folder panel in the ribbon and clicking New Folder. 
  3. In the Name field enter My Princeton Mail.
  4. From the Folder Contains drop-down list, select Mail and Post Items.
  5. In the Select where to place this folder section, choose your Gmail account and click OK.
  6. Click your Princeton Inbox in the navigation pane on the left-hand side of the Outlook screen.
  7. Select the Folder panel in the ribbon and click Copy Folder.
  8. Under the Copy the selected items to the folder section, select the My Princeton Email folder and click OK. The selected email messages will copy to your Gmail account.
  9. Repeat steps 5 - 8 to copy every folder in your Princeton Gmail account to the My Princeton Mail folder. 

From Princeton Gmail to Apple Mail

  1. Open Apple Mail.
  2. From the Mailbox menu, select New Mailbox...
  3. Select your Gmail account from the Location drop-down menu, and in the Name field, enter My Princeton Mail and click OK.
  4. Click your Princeton Inbox in the navigation pane on the left-hand side of the Apple Mail window. Select all of your email messages by clicking Select All from the Edit menu.
  5. From the Messages menu at the top of the screen, select Copy To then choose the My Princeton Mail folder. The selected email messages will copy to your Gmail account.
  6. Repeat steps 4 - 5 to copy every folder on your Princeton Gmail account to the My Princeton Mail folder. 

From Princeton Gmail to Thunderbird

  1. Open Thunderbird.
  2. Press the Alt key to display the menu bar at the top of the window. From the View menu, select Toolbars > Menu Bar. The menu bar will now remain visible.
  3. From the File Menu, select New > Folder...
  4. Enter My Princeton Mail in the Name field.
  5. From the Create as a subset of drop-down menu, select your Gmail account and click Create Folder.
  6. Select your Princeton Inbox from the navigation pane on the left-hand side of the Thunderbird window.
  7. Click on the Edit menu at the top of the screen, choose Select > All.
  8. From the Messages menu at the top of the screen, select Copy To, then select your Gmail account and click on the My Princeton Mail folder. The selected email messages will copy to your Gmail account.
  9. Repeat steps 6 - 8 to copy every folder on your Princeton Gmail account to the My Princeton Mail folder.