Switch email provider without losing emails

In short: When you switch email provider, back up all old messages locally first and cancel the old account only afterwards. Set up the new address, forward new mail, tell your contacts, archive the old mailbox completely and spot-check it. Only then give up the old account.

How do I switch email provider without losing anything?

A switch goes wrong when the old account is cancelled before the old mail is safe somewhere else. So the order matters:

1. Set up the new account and test the new address.
2. Archive the old mailbox locally (see below) while it still works.
3. Forward new mail so nothing is lost during the transition.
4. Update contacts and services: online shops, banks, insurers, newsletters and government portals often still use the old address.
5. Check the archive and only then cancel or delete the old account.

How do I back up the old mailbox locally?

1. Connect the account in Mail Archive. The app detects server settings for Gmail, Outlook.com, Microsoft 365, GMX, Web.de and other IMAP or POP3 providers automatically.
2. Choose folders and a start date. For a switch you usually want everything: inbox, sent and your own folders. The app saves attachments as separate files.
3. Let it archive. By default the app only reads; nothing changes at your provider.
4. Spot-check. Open older messages with attachments and run a full-text search for a known term. Search works across all accounts, offline too.
5. Back up the archive as well, for example to a second drive. A local copy is not a backup.

Can I move old emails into the new mailbox?

That depends on the new provider. Mail Archive builds a local archive but does not write messages into the new mailbox. Two usual ways outside the app:

• The new provider's import function, if it has one. Check its help for supported sources and formats.
• A mail program with both accounts via IMAP: connect old and new account and drag folders across. Large mailboxes take time, and the connection must not drop.

Whether you need the old mail in the new mailbox at all is a fair question: many people only look up old messages now and then. Then the searchable local archive is enough and the new mailbox stays lean (see also Mailbox full).

How do I forward new emails from the old account?

Most providers offer forwarding or an auto-reply pointing to the new address. For Gmail, Google describes automatic forwarding under Settings, "Forwarding and POP/IMAP": you add the target address, confirm it with the link in the confirmation email and choose what happens to the copy. According to Google this forwards new messages, not those already in the mailbox (as of October 2026). So back up old mail as described above.

What about contacts and calendar?

Mail Archive backs up emails and their attachments. Contacts and calendars are not part of the archive; export them with your old provider's own function before you cancel.

When can I cancel the old account?

• The archive is complete and spot-checked.
• A second backup of the archive exists.
• Important senders and services know the new address. Two to three months of overlap is a sensible rule of thumb, not a requirement.
• You have read the old provider's cancellation and deletion terms.

Business mail is subject to retention periods. Read How long do you have to keep emails? and ask your tax advisor before deleting anything. If an account is already locked, see Gmail account locked; for Gmail archives see Save Gmail emails locally.

Which version fits?

To try it, the free version is enough (1 account, 20 emails, no time limit). For a whole mailbox you need Pro (€14.99, one-time): unlimited emails from up to 6 accounts. Pro Plus (€39.99, one-time) allows 8 accounts and adds the e-invoice overview and AI access; it is available for Mac, Windows follows. Business (€129.99, one-time) is meant for companies and clubs with many accounts, for example when a whole team switches provider, and adds batch export and automatic clean-up after retention periods. All differences are on the pricing page; the app is available for Mac and Windows.

Mail Archive is not a certified archive system and does not replace tax or legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take my emails to the new provider?

Yes, but not with Mail Archive alone: the app keeps a local copy but does not transfer it into the new provider's mailbox. Use the new provider's import function or a mail program that connects both accounts via IMAP. The local archive stays as your backup.

How long should I keep the old account?

At least until the archive is checked and all important senders know the new address. How long the old provider keeps an account after cancellation is stated in its terms.

Does forwarding also send old emails?

For Gmail, Google's help only describes new messages. Back up old emails separately.

Is the free version enough for backing up?

To try it, yes (1 account, 20 emails). For a whole mailbox you need Pro (€14.99, one-time) with unlimited emails.

Google information as of October 2026, based on Google's official help page on automatic forwarding in Gmail (support.google.com/mail/answer/10957). Providers may change processes.