Easy methods to get 15GB of Gmail storage utterly without spending a dime

It is secure to say that Gmail is among the world’s hottest e-mail companies, and no marvel — it is comparatively straightforward to make use of, and Google provides 15GB of storage with each new Google account, no strings hooked up. Nicely, form of. That storage is shared with Google Drive and Google Photos, so it may possibly simply dwindle to nothing in case you’re syncing information out of your telephone or laptop. And on an extended sufficient timeline, emails alone can replenish that house.

If you happen to’re approaching the 15GB restrict however do not need to spend cash on a Google One subscription, or an eternity discovering and pruning ineffective messages, there is a switch trick you should use to reclaim all of the house Gmail is presently hogging. There’s various steps to undergo, and loads of ready, however it might in the end be well worth the effort.

Earlier than you start

Precautions and conditions

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Earlier than doing anything, I strongly suggest saving a neighborhood backup of your inbox to your Mac or Home windows PC. Whereas issues are prone to go simply advantageous, nobody needs to take an opportunity with reminiscences, work emails, or important paperwork. You possibly can delete this backup afterward in case you really feel assured issues are functioning completely. There are causes to maintain it indefinitely, although, as I am going to clarify on the finish of this information.

To obtain your present Gmail messages, log into Google Takeout in an online browser, and uncheck every little thing besides Mail and Contacts earlier than clicking Subsequent step. You may think about leaving Drive and Google Pictures checked as nicely, since some Gmail attachments might be saved there, however that will additionally dramatically enhance the scale of the backup. In any occasion, count on to attend just a few hours earlier than your backup is able to obtain.

It doesn’t matter what, you will must create a secondary Gmail account. That is comparatively easy, however make sure you use an tackle that is straightforward to enter whereas nonetheless being distinctive. You will additionally need to save your login information someplace, as a result of you could must get again in finally — you are creating an archival account that may release the unique.

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Easy methods to get 15GB of Gmail storage without spending a dime

Pay shut consideration to every step

Now that you’ve got created a secondary Gmail account and (optionally) backed up your main account’s inbox, it is time to get on with the present. A few of these steps might sound cryptic in case you’re not conversant in e-mail methods, however do not panic.

Comply with this course of to get going:

1. On a pc, log into your main Gmail account and click on on the gear icon within the top-right nook.
2. Within the menu that pops up, click on See all settings.
3. Choose the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.
4. Toggle Allow POP for all mail.
5. Within the When messages are accessed with POP drop-down menu, select delete Gmail’s copy.
6. Click on the Save Modifications button.
7. Log into your secondary Gmail account and click on the gear icon within the top-right.
8. Click on See all settings, then the Accounts and Import tab.
9. Subsequent to Test mail from different accounts, click on Add a mail account.
10. Enter the data to your main Gmail account and click on Subsequent.
11. Select Import emails from my different account (POP3) and hit Subsequent.
12. Enter your main Gmail account’s password. You might must create and use a Google app password as an alternative — in case you do, give it an apparent label reminiscent of “E mail Switch,” then return to this step.
13. Within the Port drop-down menu, decide 995.
14. Be sure that At all times use a safe connection (SSL) when retrieving mail, Label incoming messages, and Archive incoming messages (Skip the Inbox) are checked.
15. Click on Add Account.

At this level, you will have to attend some time. Fairly some time, in truth — relying on the variety of messages you are transfering, you possibly can be ready wherever from a number of hours to some days.

As soon as the switch is finished, use these steps to close off the automated switch course of:

1. Log into your secondary Gmail account.
2. Click on the gear icon, then See all settings.
3. Click on on the Accounts and Import tab.
4. Below Test mail from different accounts, click on the delete choice to your main Gmail account. Don’t fret, you are not erasing something.
5. Click on OK to substantiate.
6. If you happen to generated an app password, go to myaccount.google.com/apppasswords and delete it. Leaving it energetic longer than crucial may pose a safety threat.

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A couple of ultimate notes

Some suggestions earlier than you progress on

Google’s sync course of will not copy over any emails in your Draft or Spam folders. That is in all probability a superb factor, however you could need to verify these folders for something important. If there is not, be at liberty to empty the folders manually. The Spam folder shall be cleaned robotically regardless.

To forestall your secondary Gmail account from being deleted, you will need to log into it at the least as soon as each two years. That is a superb cause to create a Google Takeout backup — it is a tall order to ask somebody to recollect this form of information 10 years down the street, by no means thoughts 20 or 30.

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