Google Takeout

Google Takeout allows staff and students transfer email and files from their school Google account to another Google account, or download an archive of this content.

This process allows you to keep important files and emails when you graduate, switch schools, or leave our district.

NOTE: This process works best using a computer/laptop. We do not recommend using a smartphone or tablet.

What you can transfer/download:

  • Email in Gmail (not data from Contacts, Chats, or Tasks). Google provides additional information on how to export, backup, and restore contacts.

  • Documents in My Drive.

What you cannot transfer/download:

  • Files shared with you in My Drive where you only have "viewer" access.

  • Files for which the owner has turned off the download, print, and copy options.

  • Files in Shared drives (these are owned/managed by our schools).

Transfer Email and My Drive Files to another Google Account

  1. If you don’t already have another Google account, make sure you have a personal Google account to transfer the files to.

  2. To copy content that other people have shared with you, make sure those files have been added to your My Drive and are not only available in “Shared with me”.

  3. Sign into your school Gmail account and go to takeout.google.com/transfer.

  4. Enter the email address of the destination Google account.

  5. Select Send code.

  6. Using a different web browser or device, check your personal Gmail account for the confirmation email, and in the email select Get confirmation code. A new tab will open with a code.

  7. While logged into your school email, return to takeout.google.com/transfer and enter the code, and choose Verify.

  8. Choose the content you’d like to copy and select Start transfer.

Details about the process:

  • The copy process usually takes a few hours, but can take up to a week depending on the amount of content.

  • Copied files may appear in batches in the destination Google account during the copy process.

  • When the process is complete, you will receive a confirmation email to your personal Gmail account.

Viewing copied files:

  • Gmail: Copied Gmail content will appear with a label containing your school account name and the date you started the copy process.

  • Drive: Copied content will be in a folder labeled with your school account name and the date you started the copy process.

How copied files are different from the original files:

  • You automatically become the owner of all copied files on My Drive. The owners of the original files will remain as-is.

  • Copied files are not shared with others even if the original files are.

  • Comments are copied, but revision history is not.

Download all of your Google Account data

Google Takeout allows you to download any of your data associated with its services.

  1. While signed into your school Google Account, browse to takeout.google.com.

  2. Select the data you wish to download, one of the available formats, and click Next Step.

  3. Choose your preferred delivery method, Frequency, file type, and size, then Create export.

  4. Once the export is completed, it will be delivered to the specified location.

For more information, see Google’s instructions for Downloading data.