How To Import and Export Emails

In the event you have changed your email client or service provider, you might wish to migrate your emails to a new email client. Service providers have automated features to do this, and this FAQ will show you how to get started with the three most used email services.

Restore Emails on Gmail

The Gmail options are located at the top right of your web browser interface. First click on the gear icon, then Email Settings and then select the Accounts and Import tab. You will then have access to the Retrieve messages with POP3 protocol option. Click the Add a POP3 email account option to set up an email account that does not come from a regular webmail:

Alternatively if you want to import your mails from a webmail provider, such as Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL, click on the Import of mail and contacts option under Accounts and Import. Enter your username and password, and then Gmail will do the rest. Once completed, it will add a label to quickly detect emails that come from your imported address.

It's easy to transfer content from your Gmail inbox to another address. In the Mail Settings menu, click the Transfer and POP-IMAP tab. You will then be asked for the address to which you wish to make this transfer. Once validated, you get an email in your destination address asking you to click on a link and then enter a confirmation code contained in the email in question. Now, new messages received in your Gmail account will automatically be transferred to your other address.

Finally, if you use an email client, you'll find links in the Transfer and POP-IMAP tab to help you set up your client more easily.

Restore Emails on Yahoo

Yahoo has the same functions as its competitors. Simply go to the options menu at the top left of the interface and select Settings, then More Settings, and then Mailboxes. In the left column that opens up you will find everything to import your emails or transfer them:

To import your emails from other email addresses, click the Mail accounts option. You will then you see a new submenu right next to your options bar on the left that shows all your known mail accounts, synchronized with Yahoo Mail. Just above (and below the main menu bar), you can choose Add account . Yahoo Mail will ask you for your settings (username and password), as well as the corresponding POP server, because IMAP is not supported.

To transfer your emails from your Yahoo account to another email address, select the Pop and Transfer Access option in the menu in the left column. Then click on the Forward (forward) your Yahoo! Mail. Enter the destination address and click the Validate option at the top of the window. Same as for Gmail, you will receive an email that contains a confirmation link to complete the activation of this option.

In the same menu, Pop and Transfer Access, you can check the option Allow POP access to your Yahoo! Mail to allow access to your emails from an email client such as Outlook or Thunderbird.

Restore Emails on Hotmail (Outlook)

Email import and export options can be found in Hotmail's Options menu at the top right of the browser window. Click the gear in the top right, and then select View all Outlook settings. All the options you may need can be found in the Mail > Sync email section:

You will also find the option Transfer of the mail which works exactly like those in Yahoo! Mail and Gmail. You can import your email from other email addresses by clicking the Send and receive messages from other email accounts option. In the menu that opens, choose the Add Email Account link to receive mail from your other email accounts. By default, all you need to do is fill in these identifiers, and only the unrecognized emails will ask you to fill in the parameters such as the name of the mail server and the port used.

Finally, to allow an email client to retrieve emails received to your Hotmail address, click the POP option and delete downloaded messages. There's nothing to set, this option is just used to allow or prevent Hotmail from deleting the messages you have already chosen to delete on your email client. By default, Hotmail does not delete emails that you have deleted in another client.

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