How to Merge Google Accounts: Everything You Need to Know - Cloudasta

Merging Google accounts can become necessary for various reasons, such as consolidating personal and work-related data, simplifying account management, or recovering from an account compromise.

If you’re interested in doing the same, the key question to ask is: can you actually merge Google accounts? And how? In this article, that’s what we’ll find out.

Can You Merge Google Accounts?

Google currently doesn’t offer a direct way to completely “merge” two separate Google accounts into one. However, there are methods to transfer your data (emails, contacts, calendars, etc.) from one account to another, essentially consolidating your information.

Common Ways You Can Try to Merge Google Accounts

Here are common methods to manage and “merge” Google accounts, along with the kind of information they can merge, and their limitations.

1. Email Forwarding

While email forwarding isn’t a true account merge, it can be a helpful tool for:

Consolidating incoming emails. You can forward emails from a secondary account to your primary account, ensuring you receive all messages in one central location.
Maintaining access to the secondary account: Even with forwarding enabled, you can still access the secondary account directly if needed, which is useful for situations where you might require older emails or other data stored there.

Type of Google Data This Method Can Merge:

Future Emails: All future emails sent to the secondary account will be forwarded and delivered to your primary inbox.

Step-by-Step Process:

On the account where emails are being forwarded from, do the following:

Log in: Access your secondary Google account through a web browser.
Settings: Click on the gear icon in the top right corner and select “See all settings.”
Forwarding and POP/IMAP: Navigate to the “Forwarding and POP/IMAP” tab.
Add a forwarding address: Click on “Add a forwarding address.”
Enter Primary Account Email: Enter the email address of your primary account where you want the emails forwarded.
Verification: Google will send a verification email to your primary account.
Verify: Open the verification email in your primary account and click the confirmation link.
Choose Forwarding Behavior (Optional): You can choose to keep a copy of the forwarded emails in the secondary account or have them deleted after forwarding.

Benefits:

Simple Setup: Enabling email forwarding is a relatively straightforward process.
Reduced Inbox Switching: You can manage all your incoming emails from a single inbox, improving efficiency.
No Data Loss (for future emails): All future emails sent to the secondary account will be forwarded to the primary account.

Limitations:

Limited Data Merge: Email forwarding only merges future incoming emails. It doesn’t transfer past emails, contacts, calendar entries, or other data associated with the secondary account. Additionally, sent emails and drafts are not included. And emails in folders or labels are not organized in the destination account.
Two Accounts to Manage: You’ll still need to manage the secondary account for security purposes (e.g., password renewal) and access old emails if needed.
Potential Spam/Security Issues: The secondary account remains active, so it’s susceptible to spam or security breaches. Consider deactivating it if you’re no longer actively using it.

2. POP3/IMAP Import

POP3 and IMAP are protocols used to access emails stored on a server. While they can’t directly merge Google accounts, POP3/IMAP Import allows you to:

Transfer past emails. Unlike email forwarding, POP3/IMAP Import allows you to migrate a larger chunk of data, including past emails from another account.
Consolidate email archives. This method is useful for consolidating email archives from a deactivated account or one you no longer use actively.

Type of Google Data This Method Can Merge:

Emails (with limitations): You can import past and future emails using IMAP. POP3 can only import emails once and then delete them from the source server.

Step-by-Step Process:

Preparation:

Identify Source Account: Determine the email service provider and login credentials for the account where emails are stored (source account).
Choose Import Protocol: Select POP3 or IMAP based on your needs and the capabilities of the source server. IMAP offers more flexibility but might require additional configuration.
Locate Server Settings: Find the server settings (POP3/IMAP server address and port number) for the source account. These are typically available in the source email provider’s settings or help documentation.

Configuration in Google Workspace Admin Console:

Go to Data Migration: Log in to your Google Workspace Admin console and navigate to the “Data Migration” section under “Tools.”
Set Up Data Migration: Click on “Set up a data migration” and choose “Migrate from another IMAP server” or “Migrate from another POP3 server” depending on your selection.
Connection Details: Enter the server settings (POP3/IMAP server address and port number) obtained earlier for the source account.
User Migration Settings: Choose the Google Workspace user account where you want the emails to be imported.
Authentication: Enter the login credentials (username and password) for the source account. Important: Be cautious about exposing your Google Workspace credentials here (not recommended). Consider creating a separate, less privileged account for the source email service if possible. 6. Labeling (Optional): You can assign a label to the imported emails for easier organization within your Google Workspace account.
Start Migration: Once configured, initiate the migration process.

Benefits:

Migrate Past Emails: POP3/IMAP Import offers a way to transfer a history of emails, unlike email forwarding.
Selective Import (with IMAP): IMAP allows you to choose specific folders or emails to import, offering more control over the data transfer.

Limitations:

Technical Complexity: Setting up POP3/IMAP Import requires technical knowledge about server settings and authentication methods.
Limited Data Transfer: This method primarily focuses on emails. It doesn’t transfer contacts, calendars, or other data associated with the source account.
Potential Data Loss: There’s a risk of data loss during the import process, especially with POP3, which deletes emails from the source server after retrieval.
Security Concerns: Exposing your Google Workspace account credentials to the source server can be a security risk.

3. Google Contacts Export/Import

Google Contacts Export/Import is a straightforward method for:

Merging contact lists. You can export your contacts from one account and import them into another, consolidating your contact information in one central location.
Transferring contacts during account switch. This method is helpful when switching from a personal Google account to a work account or vice versa.

Type of Google Data This Method Can Merge:

Contact Information: Names, phone numbers, email addresses, and custom labels associated with your contacts.

Step-by-Step Process:

Exporting Contacts from the Source Account:

Go to Google Contacts: Access your Google Contacts through a web browser.
Select All Contacts (Optional): Click the checkbox next to the search bar to select all contacts, or choose the specific contacts you want to export.
Export Settings: Click on “More actions” (three vertical dots) and select “Export.” Choose the desired export format (CSV is recommended for wider compatibility).
Download Contact File: A CSV file containing your contact information will be downloaded to your computer.

Importing Contacts into the Destination Account:

Go to Google Contacts: Access Google Contacts in your destination account.
Import Option: Click on “Import” from the left-side menu.
Select File: Choose the downloaded CSV file containing your exported contacts.
Import Settings (Optional): You can choose how to handle duplicate entries during import (e.g., “Skip duplicates” or “Replace existing contacts”).
Start Import: Click “Import” to initiate the import process.

Benefits:

Simple Process: Exporting and importing contacts is a user-friendly and straightforward process.
Complete Contact Transfer: It transfers all your contact information, including names, phone numbers, email addresses, and custom labels.
No Risk of Data Loss: The original contacts remain untouched in the source account.

Limitations:

Limited Data Merge: This method only merges contacts; it doesn’t transfer emails, calendars, or other data associated with the account.
Potential Duplicates: If contacts exist in both accounts, duplicates might be created during the import process. You’ll need to manually merge or delete duplicates after import.
Formatting Issues (Rare): In rare cases, there might be minor formatting issues during the import process, requiring some manual adjustments.

4. Google Calendar Export/Import

Similar to contacts, Google Calendar Export/Import allows you to:

Merge event calendars. The primary use case is to consolidate calendar events from a secondary account into your primary Google Calendar.
Transfer calendar during account switch. This method can be helpful when switching from a personal Google account to a work calendar or vice versa.

Type of Google Data This Method Can Merge:

Calendar Events: This includes event titles, descriptions, dates, times, locations, and guest attendees (if applicable).

Step-by-Step Process:

Exporting Events from the Source Calendar:

Go to Google Calendar: Access your Google Calendar through a web browser.
Settings: Click on the gear icon in the top right corner and select “Settings and sharing.”
Export Calendar: Navigate to the “Export calendar” section under “General.”
Select Calendar (Optional): Choose the specific calendar you want to export if you have multiple calendars in your account.
Export Format: Select the desired export format (ICS is the standard format for calendar data).
Download Calendar File: Click “Export” to download a .ics file containing your calendar events.

Importing Events into the Destination Calendar:

Go to Google Calendar: Access your Google Calendar in the destination account.
Import Option: Click on the “+” symbol next to “Other calendars” on the left-side menu and select “Import.”
Select File: Choose the downloaded .ics file containing your exported events.
Import Settings (Optional): You can choose which calendar to import the events into within your destination account.
Start Import: Click “Import” to initiate the import process.

Benefits:

Simple Process: Exporting and importing calendar events is a user-friendly procedure.
Transfer Specific Events (Optional): You can choose to export and import specific calendar events instead of your entire calendar, offering some control over the data transfer.
No Risk of Data Loss: Events in the source calendar remain untouched.

Limitations:

Limited Data Merge: This method only merges calendar events; it doesn’t transfer emails, contacts, or other account data. Notifications and reminders might also need to be reconfigured.
Potential Duplicates: If events exist in both calendars, duplicates might be created during import. You’ll need to manually identify and remove duplicates after import.
Limited Recurring Event Support: Depending on the complexity of recurring events, there might be limitations in how they are transferred during import.

5. Google Drive File Sharing and Copying

Google Drive’s file sharing and copying functionalities offer a basic way to:

Transfer specific files. This method allows you to move specific files or folders from one Google Drive to another, useful for selective data migration.
Consolidate documents across accounts. You can use it to consolidate documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and other files scattered across different Google Drives.

Type of Google Data This Method Can Merge:

Google Drive Files: This includes documents, spreadsheets, presentations, PDFs, images, and other file types stored in Google Drive.

Step-by-Step Process:

Sharing Approach:

Source Drive: Log in to the Google Drive containing the files you want to transfer.
Select Files/Folders: Choose the specific files or folders you want to share.
Share Button: Click on the “Share” button.
Enter Destination Email: In the “People” section, enter the email address of your destination Google Drive account.
Permission Level: Set the permission level to “Editor” or “Viewer” depending on whether you want the recipient (your other Google account) to edit or just view the files.
Send: Click “Send” to share the files.

Copying Approach:

Source Drive: Log in to the Google Drive containing the files you want to transfer.
Select Files/Folders: Choose the specific files or folders you want to copy.
Right-Click Menu: Right-click on the selected files/folders and choose “Copy.”
Destination Drive: Navigate to your destination Google Drive account in another tab or window.
Right-Click Menu: Right-click within the desired destination folder and choose “Paste.”

Benefits:

Simple Concept: Sharing and copying files within Google Drive is a familiar concept for most users.
Granular Control: You can choose exactly which files or folders to transfer, offering a high degree of control over the data migration.
No Risk of Data Loss: The original files remain untouched in the source Drive.

Limitations:

Manual and Time-consuming: Transferring a large number of files can be a tedious and time-consuming process.
Limited Data Merge: This method only transfers files; it doesn’t handle emails, contacts, calendars, or account-specific settings.
Ownership Transfer (Optional): While you can share files, transferring ownership requires additional steps and may not be feasible in all situations.
Version Control Issues: Duplicating files can lead to version control issues if you’re not careful.
Permission Issues: File permissions need to be managed separately.

6. Google Takeout

While Google Takeout allows you to download your Google account data, it’s not designed for directly merging accounts. However, it is useful for:

Account backup. The primary use case is to create a backup of your Google account data, including emails, contacts, calendar entries, and Drive files. This backup can be helpful for disaster recovery or transferring data to another service (though not directly merging accounts).
Data migration preparation. You can use Takeout to download your data and then explore alternative methods (third-party tools or MSPs) for migrating it to another account.

Type of Google Data This Method Can Merge:

Gmail: Emails (including attachments)
Contacts: Contact information (names, phone numbers, email addresses)
Calendar: Calendar events and details
Drive: Files and folders stored in Google Drive
Photos: Photos and videos from Google Photos (depending on selection)
Other Google Services: Data from other Google services you use might also be downloadable depending on availability (e.g., Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc

Step-by-Step Process:

Go to Google Takeout: Access https://takeout.google.com/.
Select Services: Choose the specific Google services or data types you want to download (e.g., Mail, Contacts, Calendar). You can select all services or deselect specific ones for a customized export.
Export Frequency (Optional): For some services like Gmail, you can choose a one-time export or schedule regular exports.
File Type and Size: Select the desired archive format (e.g., ZIP) and archive size (depending on your data volume and storage limitations).
Create Export: Click on “Create Export” to initiate the download process.
Download Notification: You’ll receive an email notification when the archive is ready for download. The download link will also be available on the Takeout page.
Download Archive: Access the download link and download the archive file(s) to your device.

Benefits:

Comprehensive Data Export: Takeout allows you to download a wide range of data associated with your Google account, offering more options compared to manual methods.
Customization: You can choose specific services or data types to download, allowing for a more granular selection.
Security: Downloaded data is stored locally on your device, giving you more control over its security.

Limitations:

Not a True Merge: Takeout doesn’t directly merge data into another Google account. You’ll need to explore alternative methods for migration.
Large Datasets: Downloading a large amount of data can take time and require significant storage space on your device.
Limited Functionality with Downloaded Data: The downloaded data might not be directly usable in other platforms and might require conversion or additional steps for import into another service.

7. Using Google Workspace Transfer

Google Workspace Transfer Service (GWTS) is a free service specifically designed for migrating data between Google Workspace accounts. It offers a more streamlined and secure solution compared to manual methods or third-party tools, especially for:

Google Workspace account migrations. The primary use case is to transfer data between Google Workspace accounts, ideal for situations like account consolidation, user onboarding, or business acquisitions.
Supported data transfer. It efficiently migrates essential Google Workspace data, making it a secure alternative to manual methods or third-party tools.

Type of Google Data This Method Can Merge:

Gmail: Emails (including attachments) and labels.
Drive: Files and folders, including their structures and permissions.
Calendar: Calendar events and details.
Contacts: Contact information (names, phone numbers, email addresses).

Step-by-Step Process:

Preparation:

Admin Access: Ensure you have Google Workspace admin access for both the source and destination accounts.
Data Selection (Optional): For Google Drive, decide if you want to migrate all data or choose specific folders/labels.

Migration Set-up (Source Workspace Admin Console):

Go to Admin Console: Log in to the Google Workspace admin console for the source account.
Data Transfer Section: Navigate to the “Data Transfer” section under “Tools.”
Set Up a Transfer: Click on “Set up a data transfer” and choose “Migrate data from another Workspace.”
Destination Selection: Enter the ID or domain of the destination Workspace account.
User Mapping: Select the users whose data you want to migrate and how their email addresses should be mapped in the destination account (optional).
Data Selection (For Drive): Choose to migrate all Drive data or select specific folders/labels.
Start Date: Set the date after which emails will be migrated (emails before that date won’t be transferred).
Schedule Migration: Schedule the data transfer to occur at a specific time.

Monitoring and Completion (Both Admin Consoles):

Track Progress: You can monitor the migration progress in both the source and destination admin consoles.
Completion Notification: Once the migration is complete, you’ll receive notifications in both admin consoles.

Benefits:

Secure and Official: Being a Google-developed service, GWTS offers a secure and reliable environment for data migration within the Google Workspace ecosystem.
Ease of Use: The user interface is designed for simplicity, making it easier to set up and manage migrations compared to complex third-party tools.
Direct Transfer: Data is transferred directly between Google Workspace accounts without requiring downloads or intermediate storage, minimizing security risks.
Comprehensive Data Transfer: It can migrate a wider range of data compared to some manual methods, including:
- Gmail emails and labels
- Google Drive files and folders (including permissions)
- Google Calendar events
- Google Contacts

Limitations:

Limited Use Case: GWTS is specifically for migrating between Google Workspace accounts. It cannot be used for personal Google account migrations or transfers to non-Workspace accounts.
Admin Access Requirement: Initiating a migration requires access to Google Workspace admin consoles for both the source and destination accounts.
Limited Scheduling: Currently, GWTS only supports scheduled migrations, not real-time transfers.
Data Filtering (Limited): While you can choose to migrate all data or specific folders/labels within Drive, there are limited filtering options for other data types like emails.

8. Using Third-Party Tools

Third-party tools are also another way to potentially merge various aspects of your Google accounts. These tools can potentially migrate emails, contacts, and sometimes calendar events from one Google account to another.

Popular platforms include:

CloudFuze
Mover
MultCloud

However, due to security concerns and limitations on Google’s API access, you need to seriously think about this option. Granting third-party tools access to your Google account credentials poses a security risk. Malicious actors could potentially steal your data.

Additionally, this method comes with:

Limited Functionality: Many tools might not offer comprehensive data transfer or might have limitations on the amount of data transferable for free.
Reliance on APIs: These tools rely on Google’s APIs, which can change or become restricted, potentially causing compatibility issues in the future.
Data Loss or Corruption: There’s a risk of data loss or corruption during the migration process.

9. Using a Managed Migration Expert

Managed migration experts specializing in Google Workspace migrations offer a secure and professional solution for:

Complex account migrations. Such providers are ideal for large-scale or complex data migrations involving multiple accounts, extensive user data, or specific migration requirements.
Security and compliance. These migration experts also prioritize data security and ensure compliance with relevant regulations during the migration process.
Expertise and support. They possess the expertise to handle technical complexities and provide ongoing support throughout the migration.

Data Merged Typically:

Emails: Extensive email migration capabilities, including emails, attachments, and folder structures.
Contacts: Seamless transfer of contact information.
Calendar Events: Migration of calendar events and details.
Google Drive: Transfer of files and folders within Google Drive, often with permissions and ownership management.
Other Google Services (Limited): Some providers might offer migration capabilities for other Google services depending on their expertise and available tools.

Benefits:

Secure Data Transfer: Managed migration experts utilize secure protocols and methodologies to minimize security risks during data transfer.
Reduced IT Burden: They handle the migration process, freeing up your IT team to focus on core tasks.
Customization: Many providers offer tailored migration plans to fit your specific needs, data types, and timelines.
Data Accuracy and Completeness: They have experience ensuring data is transferred accurately and completely.
Post-Migration Support: They often provide ongoing support to address any issues that might arise after the migration.

Important Considerations When Choosing a Managed Migration Expert:

Experience: Choose a provider with proven experience in Google Workspace migrations, particularly for complex scenarios.
Security Practices: Ensure the provider prioritizes data security and utilizes robust protocols throughout the process.
Communication: Maintain clear communication with your provider throughout the project to avoid misunderstandings or delays.

For all of the above, the best provider that you can choose to merge Google accounts is Cloudasta.

How Cloudasta Can Help You Merge Google Accounts with a Managed Migration

Cloudasta stands out as a premier provider for secure and efficient Google Workspace migrations. Here’s what sets us apart:

Unmatched Security: We implement industry-leading security practices and utilize state-of-the-art encryption methods to safeguard your data during migration.
Experienced Team: Our team comprises Google Cloud-certified professionals with extensive experience in complex Google Workspace migrations.
Customizable Solutions: We don’t offer a one-size-fits-all approach. We tailor our migration plans to your specific needs and data types.
Seamless Integration: We ensure a smooth transition to your unified Google Workspace environment, minimizing disruption to your workflows.
Dedicated Support: Our dedicated support team is available throughout the migration process and beyond to address any questions or concerns.
Transparent Communication: We maintain clear and consistent communication with you every step of the way, keeping you informed of progress and potential roadblocks.

By choosing Cloudasta, you gain a reliable partner with the expertise and resources to handle your Google account merge securely and efficiently. We prioritize your data security and ensure a successful migration with minimal disruption to your operations.

Interested? Request a consultation with Cloudasta today.