Import Messages into Gmail via IMAP [Gmail Tip]
One of the nicest things about IMAP in Gmail—which can download and upload messages to the server, versus POP’s download-only—is that you can drag and drop folders of messages into Gmail using any IMAP client. Over at the Draconis Software blog, reader Ryan had about 10,000 messages in Apple Mail he wanted to store in Gmail. He writes:
It was simple: I merely added Gmail as an IMAP account to my Apple Mail client, then just dragged folder-by-folder all the messages important to me onto my Gmail account. It took a while to transfer all the messages (be sure to open the Activity window in Mail to see your progress), but once it was done, all my old messages were safely stored in Gmail and had their original dates! Perfect!
Unlike pre-IMAP methods of importing messages, like Ryan says, using IMAP will preserve the messages’ original dates. If you’re not using Apple Mail, check out how to turn Thunderbird into the ultimate Gmail IMAP client.
Switching to Gmail [Draconis Software Blog]
Original post by Gina Trapani
February 17th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
HI can you help me please. I would like to transfer all my mail from my mac to gmail. I followed the instructions for setting up a new account in apple for the gmail. However I am having problems. When I go to my folders and drag and drop the mail into the gmail inbox, it goes to the gmail account but then it also comes back to the gmail mbox on the mac. If I delete a message in the gmail mbox it also deletes the message in my actual gmail account . I think that two are synced. I am not very computer saavy and this has become a bit of a frustration, because I had loads of emails in my googlemail that all of a sudden started importing into mail, into the gmail inbox. So I deleted them from the gmail mail account on my mac and it also deleted them from my gmail account.
Someone please help me, all I want to do is transfer all my mail to gmail easily and in a simple way that a novice can understand with clear step by step instructions. My mac has run out of space and I need to do something. I would be happy to talk to anyone on the phone.