How to Transfer Google Drive to Another Account

How to Transfer Google Drive Data to Another Account (2023 Guide)

Introduction

Google Drive has become an essential tool for over 1 billion users worldwide to create, store, edit and share files. With a generous 15GB of free storage per account (shared across Drive, Gmail and Photos), it‘s no wonder Drive is the go-to for many.

However, there are various scenarios where you may need to transfer some or all of your Google Drive data to another account. Maybe you‘re approaching your storage limit on your primary account. Perhaps you want to move work-related documents to a dedicated professional Drive. Or you simply want to reorganize files across multiple accounts.

Whatever your reason, transferring Google Drive data to a different account is a relatively straightforward process. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll walk you through four methods to migrate your Drive files, discuss how long transfers take, and answer frequently asked questions. Let‘s get started!

Method 1: Directly Share Files/Folders and Transfer Ownership

If you only need to transfer a few specific files or folders to another account, the simplest method is to directly share them with the other Drive account. Here are the steps:

1. Log into drive.google.com with the account that currently has the files (we‘ll call this the "original account")

2. Locate the files/folders you want to transfer. Select multiple items by holding Ctrl/Cmd and clicking. Tip: switch to list view from the top menu for easier selection of many files.

3. Right-click the selected files and choose "Share".

4. In the Share window, enter the email address of the Drive account you want to transfer to (the "destination account"). Change their access permission to "Editor".

5. Click Send. The shared files will now appear in the destination account‘s "Shared with me" Drive folder.

6. To fully transfer ownership, re-select those same files in the original account. Right-click and go to Share again. Next to the destination account, click the dropdown and select "Make owner".

7. Click Send to transfer ownership. The destination account will receive an email notification to accept ownership of the files.

8. Log into the destination Drive account, open the ownership invitation email, and click the "Accept ownership" button. The files will now appear in the destination Drive rather than Shared with me.

9. Optional: Once ownership is fully transferred, you can remove the original account‘s access to the files by right-clicking the files in the destination Drive, clicking Share, and removing the original account from the access list.

This method works well for selectively transferring individual files/folders and granting full ownership to the new account. However, for larger transfers, see the methods below.

Method 2: Download and Re-Upload

If you have a moderate amount of data to migrate to a new Drive account, downloading the files from the original account to your computer and then re-uploading them to the destination is a solid option.

1. Log into the original Drive account and multi-select the files/folders you want to transfer.

2. Right-click the items and select Download. Drive will compress the files into a ZIP folder and download it to your computer. Note this may take some time for many files.

3. Log into the destination Drive account where you want to move the data.

4. Click the gear icon and go to Settings. Under General, check the box for "Convert uploads" if you want Drive to automatically convert uploaded files to Google formats for editing.

5. From the main Drive interface, click New > File Upload. Navigate to the ZIP file you downloaded, select it and click Upload. Drive will upload the ZIP and extract the files.

6. Reorganize the uploaded files into folders as needed in the destination Drive.

7. Optional: Delete the original files from the original Drive account once you‘ve confirmed a successful transfer.

The main drawback of this download/upload method is it requires enough free hard drive space on your computer to temporarily store the ZIP file. For very large Drives, this may not be feasible. That‘s where Google Takeout comes in handy.

Method 3: Use Google Takeout for Bulk Transfers

Google Takeout is a useful tool for exporting and downloading a copy of your data from Google products including Drive. It‘s handy for migrating a large Drive to a new account. Here‘s how:

1. Go to takeout.google.com and sign into the original Drive account you want to export data from.

2. On the Google Takeout page, click "Deselect all" as you likely don‘t need to export everything. Scroll down to Drive and select the checkbox.

3. Click the button next to "All Drive data included" to choose specific Drive folders to export rather than the entire Drive. Select the folders and click OK.

4. Click Next Step. Choose your export file settings – .ZIP is recommended for most users. You can also select email delivery, export frequency and file size. For a one-time transfer, choose export once and click Create Export.

5. Takeout will take a while (from hours to days) to compile and export your Drive. Once complete, you‘ll receive an email with a download link.

6. Click the download link and save the ZIP file to your computer. Unzip it to access your Drive folders/files.

7. Log into the destination Drive account. Click New > Folder Upload and select the unzipped Takeout folder on your computer. Drive will re-upload all the files and folders.

8. Once the upload is complete, confirm everything transferred successfully. Delete the exported ZIP and unzipped files from your computer and empty your Recycle Bin or Trash to securely remove the duplicated data.

The big advantage of Takeout is being able to export even very large Drive accounts without needing tons of computer storage space. However, the process can take a very long time from start to finish for big Drives.

Method 4: Use Third-Party Migration Tools

There are several third-party web apps, such as MultCloud, that specialize in migrating data between cloud storage services like Drive. These tools can simplify and speed up the Drive to Drive migration process, though some require a paid subscription for larger transfers. Here‘s how to use MultCloud as an example:

1. Go to multcloud.com and create a free account.

2. Click "Add Cloud Drive". Select Google Drive and grant MultCloud permission to access your original Drive account.

3. Repeat step 2 for the destination Google Drive account so MultCloud can access both.

4. In the original Drive account, select the files/folders you want to transfer. Click "Cloud Transfer" at the top of the MultCloud web interface.

5. Select your destination Drive account as the target location. Click "Transfer Now" to begin migrating the files between accounts.

6. MultCloud will handle the transfer flow in the background. You‘ll receive a notification when it‘s complete. Transfers are usually quicker than manually downloading/uploading.

Third-party tools provide a more seamless migration experience but do require trusting an external service with your Drive data. Stick to well-known, reputable providers and thoroughly review their privacy policies and security measures before using.

How Long Do Google Drive Transfers Take?

The time required to migrate data between Google Drive accounts depends on a few key factors:

• Amount of data being transferred: Larger file quantities and sizes will take longer across all methods.

• Transfer method: Sharing a few files directly is quickest (near instant). Downloading and re-uploading will be quicker than Takeout for moderately sized Drives. Third-party tools can improve transfer speeds.

• Internet upload/download speeds: Faster connections enable speedier transfers, especially when uploading back to the destination Drive.

At a high level, expect small transfers of a few files to take minutes, moderately sized Drives of a couple gigabytes to take a few hours, and very large Drives of hundreds of gigabytes to take a few days. Google Takeout, in particular, can be slow to export data – from a few hours up to multiple days.

The best way to gauge timing is to start your transfer and monitor progress. For Takeout and third-party tools, you‘ll usually receive email updates as the migration progresses and completes.

Tips for Successful Google Drive Transfers

• Ensure you have a stable internet connection and sufficient computer storage before beginning large migrations.

• If using Takeout or third-party tools, keep your computer powered on and avoid using bandwidth-heavy apps during the transfer.

• Carefully select the specific files you want to migrate to avoid transferring unnecessary data that eats up space and slows down the process.

• After confirming a successful transfer, delete the files from the original account to free up Drive space and reduce clutter.

• For ongoing access across accounts, consider keeping files shared with viewing permissions rather than fully transferring them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose any data when transferring between Google Drive accounts?
When carefully following the steps for each transfer method, you shouldn‘t lose any data. However, it‘s always a good idea to keep the original files until you‘ve confirmed they‘ve migrated successfully to the destination just in case.

What happens to my storage quota when moving files between Google Drives?
Transferring files to a new account doesn‘t free up space in your original Drive. You‘ll need to delete the files post-transfer to reclaim that space. Also, keep in mind the destination Drive needs enough available storage to accept the transferred files.

Can I still access my files if I disconnect my computer during a transfer?
Yes. When using methods like share permissions or Takeout, you can still access your original Drive files from other devices or on the web if the migration is interrupted. Third-party tools may preserve partial transfers too. However, the migration progress will stall until you reconnect and resume.

Is my Drive data secure during a transfer?
Google Drive data is always encrypted in transit between their servers and your computer. When using third-party migration services, your files are only as secure as the external provider‘s practices. Always research their security standards. Google Takeout exports are also encrypted until you download the files.

Conclusion

Transferring Google Drive data to another account doesn‘t have to be a daunting chore. With the right method for your needs and total Drive size, you can complete the process in just a few clicks and some waiting.

Whether you opt for the direct share and ownership transfer for a few key files, downloading and re-uploading for medium-sized migrations, Google Takeout for bulk transfers, or a bespoke third-party tool, you can move your Drive data to its new home.

Aside from very large Drives that can take days to migrate, most transfers can be done in minutes to a few hours. Just remember to keep a backup of your data until the transfer is confirmed successful and to delete redundant file copies in your original Drive to maximize storage space. Happy transferring!

For more tips on getting the most out of Google Drive, check out our other articles:

• X Tips to Organize and Optimize a Cluttered Google Drive
• The Top Google Drive Add-Ons and Apps for Power Users
• Google Drive vs. Dropbox vs. OneDrive: Which Cloud Storage Is Best?