Transfer/Backup Wharton Email to a Personal Account (Students)
Last Modified on 06/12/2023 11:31 am EDT
Find out how to move emails from your Google@Wharton account to a personal account using various services. Most students prefer to start this process shortly before or shortly following graduation. Regardless of how you view your mail, every student should have a Google Takeout archive, instructions for which are here.
Please keep the following in mind:
- This article only provides instructions for E-mail backup, import, or transfer. For any other data, please see the Google Takeout article.
- Contacts & Calendars are not moved, for instructions on how to backup that data, see the Google Takeout article.
Before You Start
You may need one or more of the following before you can complete this task:
- An active Wharton account
- An active personal Gmail account
- A Google Takeout Backup (instructions here)
- The MS Office Suite (including Outlook)
- Access to MacMail
Wharton Gmail to Personal Gmail (POP3)
This method is best for students who want their Wharton email in their personal Gmail account. Please keep in mind the following things before starting this process:
- This method can take a long time, especially if you have a lot of email in your account. Don't wait until a few days before your account closes to start.
- Label structure is not kept, any mail in the inbox or various labels will be moved into one label in your personal account
- From your Wharton Gmail inbox, click the gear icon at the top right corner and choose Settings.
- Click the POP/IMAP Download tab to confirm that POP is enabled.
- Choose Enable POP for all mail
- Click Save changes. You’ll be returned to the main Gmail screen
- Login to your personal Gmail account, click the gear icon at the top right corner and choose Settings.
- On the Accounts and Imports tab, look next to Check mail from other accounts, click Add a mail account
- Enter your Wharton email address and click Next
- Make sure the bottom bubble is selected (POP3) and click Next
- Do the following on the Add a Mail Account screen:
- Enter your Wharton email address for the Username.
- Then enter your Wharton password
- If you have 2-step verification enabled, you will need to generate an App Password to use for your password.
- Go to your Google Account
- Select Security (left side of page)
- Under How you sign into Google, Click on 2-Step Verification. Sign in with your Wharton email and password if prompted. Scroll down, and select App passwords.
- At the bottom, choose Select app and choose the app you using, Select device and choose the device you’re using and then Generate
- Copy the password and paste it into password field
- For Pop Server, select the down arrow and select Other. Type in pop.gmail.com and leave the Port at 995
- Check Always use a secure connection (SSL) when retrieving mail
- Check Label incoming messages to distinguish between your Wharton email and your other email
- Click Add Account. It may take a few minutes for the mail to download. This mail will be integrated into the rest of your Gmail.
Note: If you do not have 2-step enabled on your Wharton Google account then you will need to turn on the Less Secure Apps option to use this method.
Back Up via Outlook
PST File Backup
This method is best for students who do not or will not have access to a personal Gmail account. Please keep in mind that you need access to Outlook to be able to view any mail backed up with this method.
Data File Export/Backup
These instructions are for Outlook 2016 or Office365. For additional instructions for exporting Outlook data, please see Microsoft's instructions here.
- If you have not already setup Outlook with your Wharton Gmail account, you can follow the instructions for doing so here.
- Open Outlook
- Click File > Open & Export > Import/Export
- Select Export to a file & click Next
- Select Outlook Data File (.pst) & click Next
- Select your account (i.e. Username@wharton.upenn.edu) & click Next
- Take note of the directory listed in Save exported file as: & click Finish
- Allow the export to run
Data File Import/View
- Open Outlook
- Click File > Open & Export > Open Outlook Data File
- Select your Outlook Data File & click OK
- Default location is: C:\Users\[User]\Documents\Outlook Files
- Your data file will now be shown as Outlook Data File on the left-hand pane
Google Takeout Import
The following methods will guide you through how to view a Google Takeout archive for mail. They can also be used if you do not or will not have access to a personal Gmail account or Outlook. These methods are not guaranteed to retain label structure as Gmail's labels are not actual folders, and are not carried over when converted into the mbox file (via Google Takeout).
Thunderbird Import (Windows)
Download and Install Mozilla Thunderbird:
- First, make sure you've opened your Zip file by double clicking it.
- You can download Thunderbird for free from here.
- After the file has downloaded, open it and follow the on screen instructions for installation.
Add a Personal Email Account
- Open Thunderbird Application.
- On the Welcome screen, select Email button to add your personal email account.
Install ImportExportTools Add-In:
- Navigate to the three lines in the top-right> Addons > Extensions.
- In the search box, type in ImportExportTools
- Click Add to Thunderbird button
- Exit Thunderbird.
Import the Backup File:
- Start Thunderbird again, and select Local Folders on the left-hand pane
- Right-click Local Folders and select ImportExportTools menu> import mbox file.
- Select Import directly one or more mbox files and click Ok.
- Select the Mail Folder
- Then select the .mbox file that is contained in it and click Open.
Please note that Thunderbird is a View Only Archive, and cannot be replied to or forwarded.
MacMail Import (MacOS)
- Open your Google Takeout Zip file by double clicking it.
- Open MacMail
- NOTE: You will need to configure MacMail with a personal email account initially
- Choose File > Import Mailboxes
- Select Files in mbox format and click Continue
- Browse to the location that contains your archive data
- Open the Mail Folder
- Then select the .mbox file that is contained in it and click Choose
- When the import is complete click Done
Your emails will be listed under the On My Mac section in Mail with the folder name of Import.
Migrating Email Manually
This method is best for students who want their Wharton email in a personal Gmail account and want label structure to be kept. Please keep in mind that this process is much more involved. You will need access to Outlook or MacMail for the duration of the transfer.
Outlook
Prep Your Gmail Accounts:
NOTE: You will need to do this for both your Wharton & Personal Gmail accounts.
- Login to gmail.com
- Navigate to your Gmail inbox & click the Gear in the top-right corner
- Select Settings & click on the POP/IMAP Download tab
- Select the Enable IMAP bubble & click Save Changes
Recreate Folders:
- Before you begin add your two mail accounts, you'll want to recreate your Wharton Account's folders in your personal Gmail (or at least some sort of folder structure to store your Wharton emails in).
Add Your Wharton & Personal Gmail Accounts:
Note: If you already have your Wharton Gmail account configured in Outlook via G Suite Sync, you only need to do this once for your Personal Gmail account.
For Outlook 2016:
- Navigate to Gmail.com and login to your Wharton Gmail account
- Click your profile icon in the top-right and select Google Account
- Navigate to Security > Signing in to Google > App Passwords
- Click Select App and select Other (Custom Name)
- Enter whatever name you like and click Generate
- Copy the generated password and store it in a secure location
- Open Outlook
- Type in your Wharton address & Check Let me set up my account manually.
- NOTE: If you already have an address in Outlook, go to File > Accounts > Add Account.
- Click Google or IMAP.
- Enter the following information:
- Incoming Mail
- Server: imap.gmail.com
- Port: 993
- Encryption Method: SSL
- Outgoing Mail
- Server: smtp.gmail.com
- Requires SSL: Yes
- Requires TLS: Yes
- Requires Authentication: Yes
- Port (if just SSL): 465
- Port (if TLS or TTLS): 587
- Click Next
- Enter the app password you generated and subsequently copied in Step 6
- Click Connect
Move Emails:
- In Outlook, choose a folder from your Wharton Account and Select All the emails in that folder by clicking on one and pressing Control+A.
- Right-click, the select Move > Copy to Folder, and select the corresponding folder in your personal Gmail account.
- Repeat this process for every other folder.
MacMail
- Open Mac Mail
- If you've never added an account, you may be prompted to do so when opening the application.
- Ensure you've added both your Wharton Gmail account, and your Personal Gmail account to Mac Mail.
- Choose Mail > Add Account...
- Select Google and click Continue
- Type in the credentials for the account you're adding
- When both accounts are added, click the Envelope Icon in the upper left corner of the window.
- Wait for all of your emails to download before proceeding. This may take some time.
- When the download is complete, select all of the folders from your Wharton Account.
- Copy and paste the selected folders to a chosen location in your Personal Gmail.
- Don't forget to move over your Inbox and All Mail folders to their corresponding locations in your Personal Gmail.
- Finally, wait for all the emails to be moved from one account to the other. This may take some time.
Questions?
Contact: Wharton Computing Student Support
Email: support@wharton.upenn.edu
