When you have multiple Gmail accounts and a Google Apps account, you might have to sign in to one for Google Voice, into another for docs and Gmail, and use the third for Google+. You might really like everything in one place so you don't have to keep switching again and again. Luckily, there are ways to do just that. Show
Google did their best to make this a simple procedure, and for the most part it is, but because you're moving around so much information and there are security concerns when it comes to transferring your identity from one account to another, the process can seem much more complex than it is. Some services have their own tools for migrating data from one account to another and others just use a simple export and import process. Let's take a look at the specific first, and then go over how you can migrate everything else with a tool called Google Takeout. Migrate Your Google+ Profile, Circles, and Other InformationMigrating your Google+ profile and data from one account to another is actually very easy, but it's a very particular process. In order to get started, you need to do the following:
G/O Media may get a commission Up to 80% off Wayfair Early Black Friday Shop for yourself. Once you've taken care of those things, here's how to initiate the transfer:
Technically you're done with your part, but now you have to wait seven days. Although Google doesn't explain why this holding period exists, it's likely due to security reasons. For seven days, both accounts will show that a transfer is pending and either account can cancel that transfer at any time. This is likely so an unauthorized data migration can be stopped by either user if they weren't expecting it. When the seven days pass, the transfer will have occurred but the source account will still maintain the original data. You'll need to remove the profile manually if you don't want a duplicate. Transfer Your Google Voice Number and DataGoogle Voice existed for many years with no way to transfer your data and phone number to another Google account, which was pretty frustrating. Now a process is available, it's pretty simple, and only takes about five minutes. In order to get started, however, you'll need to do the following:
With all of that taken care of, here's how you initiate the transfer:
When you're done, everything will have transferred to the destination account immediately. That means your source account will not work with your Google Voice number anymore. You'll need to change your account information on all your computers and devices in order for Google Voice to continue working everywhere. Migrating Your Various Other Google ServicesIf you want to move any other data from one Google account to another, you can use a tool similar to the Google Voice transfer tool to do it. (In fact, this tool can even transfer your Google Voice account as well, but because those instructions require some preparation it has its own section above.) Here's what you need to do:
The transfer will initiate, and when it's done the data will no longer be in the source account and only exist in the destination account. This process will not will not transfer your Gmail or Calendars, however, so please consult this guide for information on transferring those services. Export Your Other Google Data with TakeoutMigrating your other data is generally pretty easy because you can just download whatever you want with Google Takeout and import it into your other account. Let's just take a quick look at how this works. When you visit Google Takeout, all you have to do is click the "Create Archive" button at the bottom of the page and it'll download every bit of data in the list above it. That includes your Picasa web albums, contacts, docs, and various other information. It does not include your Gmail or Calendars, however, which is why we have separate sections for those types of data above. If you don't want to download all of your data, you can also choose specific types by clicking the "Choose Services" tab at the top of the page. From there, just select any services you want to download. When you've finished making your selections, click the "Create Archive" button. This will initiate the archive creation and a download will begin when Google has everything ready for you. If you open the archive, you'll find data that's mostly readable. A lot of the files come as HTML files, and any contact information (whether through Circles or just your regular contacts) are saved as VCF contact cards (which is a standard for most address book software). While some of the data you'll download via Google Takeout can only really exist in your personal archives, as it has no other use at the moment, you'll be able to import contact cards and documents into their respective Google apps just like any regular data. Your +1s can also be imported into most web browsers as bookmarks. If you're using Chrome, Google will be able to sync them. Although Google Takeout could be a bit more comprehensive, and it would be helpful if it also served as a hub for the various migration tools available, it's a good start when you need to download or move data around in your Google accounts. Migrating data from one Google account to another can be a bit of work, but once you know what you're doing it's not very hard and doesn't take much time. If you follow these instructions, you should have one Google account to rule them all in no time. Have a question or suggestion for Lifehacker? Send it to . How do I transfer data from one Google account to another?How to Transfer Google Drive Contents to Another Account. By downloading files from the old Google Drive and uploading them to the new one;. By creating an archive with Google Takeout and uploading it to the new Google Drive;. By using the Sharing feature.. By using automatic third-party tools.. Can you transfer data from one Google account to a new one?As an administrator, you can transfer your users' data—email, calendars, documents, sites, and more—from an existing account to a new one. You can also choose to merge data from several accounts into one account. In some cases, you transfer the users' data. In other cases, users move their own data.
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