How to Convert Outlook Express Email Messages to Gmail

Gmail has made it possible for many people to leave behind desktop email programs like Outlook Express by offering ample space, an easy to use interface and highly reliable performance from a Web-based email program that is available from any computer connected to the Internet. If you have made the switch and now need to transfer your email archive from Outlook Express to Gmail, you will be happy to know the process is quite simple to setup. Utilizing the IMAP services offered by Gmail, you can quickly move your entire email database off the desktop and into the cloud.

Instructions

Prepare Gmail

1. Log-in to Gmail.

2. Select "Settings" at the top right.

3. Select the "Forwarding and POP/IMAP" tab.

4. Select "Enable IMAP."

5. Click "Save Changes."

Setup Outlook Express

1. Launch Outlook Express.

2. Select "Tools," "Accounts..." from the menu bar.

3. Select "Add" and then click "Mail."

4. Type your full name in the "Display name" text box and select "Next."

5. Type your email address into the "Email address" text box and then select "Next."

6. Select "IMAP" from the incoming mail server type drop-down menu and then select "Next."

7. Type the following information into the server information text boxes and then select next:
   Incoming mail (POP3, IMAP or HTTP) server: imap.gmail.com
   Outgoing mail (SMTP) server: smtp.gmail.com

8. Type your email address into the "Account name" text box and your Gmail password into the "Password" field and then select "Next."

9. Select "Finish."

10. Select "imap.gmail.com" and then click "Properties."

11. Select the "Advanced" tab.

12. Check "This server requires a secure connection (SSL)." for both incoming and outgoing settings.

13. Change the "Serial Port Numbers" to the following:
    Outgoing Mail (SMTP): 465
    Incoming mail (IMAP): 993

14. Select the "Servers" tab.

15. Check "My server requires authentication."

16. Select "OK."

17. Click "Send/Receive" to load the email structure from Gmail into Outlook Express.

Transfer Outlook Express Email to Gmail

1. Expand the Gmail IMAP folder tree to display "All Mail" and "Sent Mail."

2. Select the Outlook Express received emails you wish to convert to Gmail.

3. Drag and drop those emails into the "All Mail" folder found under Gmail IMAP. Alternatively, if there are specific Gmail labels you wish to attach to Outlook Express emails, you can drag and drop those emails onto the label folder under Gmail IMAP.

4. Select the Outlook Express sent emails you wish to convert to Gmail.

5. Drag and drop those emails into the "Sent Mail" folder found under Gmail IMAP.

6. Keep Outlook Express open while Gmail uploads your Outlook Express email archive. Gmail will upload roughly 200 emails per 90 minutes so depending on the number of emails you are converting, this process could take some time.

Tips & Warnings

• To complete the full transition from Outlook Express to Gmail, you will want to forward all email received at the account setup on Outlook Express to your Gmail account. You can accomplish this by building rules into Outlook Express to automatically forward all incoming mail to Gmail. Your best option however would be to use the Gmail POP3 fetch feature to route the entire account into Gmail.

• Since Gmail uploads only 200 emails per 90 minutes, the process can take a considerably long time if you have a large email archive. Be sure that Outlook Express remains open for as long as it is necessary for Gmail to fetch all emails that you are converting.

References

• Google.com: IMAP in Outlook Express