For most small businesses, a Google Workspace migration runs through the data import tool, which copies email from Microsoft Exchange Online, an IMAP account, another Workspace account or one person's Gmail, and can also bring OneDrive business files into My Drive. It runs in the cloud and you set it up in the Admin console, but as of October 2026 it won't create user accounts for you.
That's the catch. The tool only imports into accounts that already exist, so a migration started before anyone's account is set up imports nothing. And any message whose size plus attachment comes to more than 25 MB is skipped, so the biggest emails are the ones you'll have to chase by hand.
Where you can import from, and how many people at once
Each import has a ceiling on how many users it can carry, and it depends on where the mail is coming from.
| Source | Users per import, as of October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Another Google Workspace account | 1,000 |
| Microsoft Exchange Online | 1,000 |
| IMAP account | 100 |
| A personal Google account | 1 |
So a 40-person team moving off an IMAP host fits in a single import, while a bigger one moving off IMAP will need to run it in batches. For Google sources the tool uses the Gmail API, so IMAP doesn't need to be switched on. For IMAP sources it does, on both sides, and a super administrator has to set up and run the import.
What comes across, and what gets left behind
Here's what the data import tool brings with it:
- Email, including drafts and sent mail.
- Read and unread status.
- Most attachments.
- Labels, sublabels and stars, when the source is a Google account.
- Folders, when the source is IMAP or Exchange, plus importance levels from Exchange.
- OneDrive business files, which go into each person's My Drive.
And here's what doesn't make it. Attachments are skipped when the message plus attachment is over 25 MB, or when Gmail blocks the file type, such as executables. If your team has years of large proposals or design files sitting in email, warn them now, because those are the ones that won't be there on day one.
Pre-flight checklist before you press start
- Create every user account in Workspace first. The tool won't make them for you.
- Assign a licence to each of those users.
- Turn Gmail on for them.
- Verify your domain. On Essentials you have to do this before you start, while on other editions it can be before or after.
- If you're importing from IMAP, check IMAP is on for both the old and new side, and that a super administrator is the one running it.
- Split the move into batches if you're over the per-import ceiling for your source, such as 100 users from IMAP.
- Ask people to save any big attachments somewhere else first, since anything over 25 MB with its message stays behind.
Which Workspace editions can use the data import tool
As of October 2026 the tool is supported on Business Starter, Business Standard and Business Plus, Enterprise Standard and Enterprise Plus, Education editions, Essentials and Nonprofits. Resellers can't use it to migrate their customers, so if a reseller manages your account, the import is yours to run.
Two more things from Google's pricing page. The Business Starter, Standard and Plus plans can be bought for a maximum of 300 users. And a separate tool, Google Workspace Migrate, is listed for data migration from Business Standard upward, which is worth knowing if you're choosing between Starter and Standard ahead of a move.
Still on an older Exchange server?
If your email sits on an on-premises Exchange server, from Exchange 2003 through to 2016, the old route through the data migration service is no longer available. New migrations from those servers go through Google Workspace Migration for Microsoft Exchange, known as GWMME, instead.
Should you move, and how I'd run it
I'd use the data import tool if you're a small team coming off Exchange Online or a basic IMAP host, because it runs from the Admin console and doesn't need anything installed. I'd do the account set-up a day before, run one test user first, and only then queue the rest. Skip the tool and look at GWMME if you're on an old Exchange server in a cupboard. If you're still deciding whether to switch at all, read my comparison of Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 first, and my guide to the best email hosting for small businesses if Workspace isn't a given.
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Frequently asked questions
Does the Google Workspace data import tool create user accounts?
No. It only imports into existing user accounts, so you need to create them, assign licences and turn Gmail on first.
How many users can I migrate at once to Google Workspace?
As of October 2026, up to 1,000 per import from another Workspace account or Exchange Online, 100 from an IMAP account and 1 from a personal Google account.
What doesn't migrate with the data import tool?
Attachments are skipped when the message plus attachment is over 25 MB, or when Gmail blocks the file type, such as executables.
Can I migrate from an on-premises Exchange server?
The old data migration service for Exchange 2003 to 2016 is no longer available. New migrations from those servers use GWMME.
Can my reseller migrate my email to Workspace?
Resellers can't use the data import tool for their customers, so the import has to be run from your own Admin console.
Which Workspace editions can use the data import tool?
As of October 2026, Business Starter, Standard and Plus, Enterprise Standard and Plus, Education editions, Essentials and Nonprofits.
Do I need IMAP switched on to import from another Google account?
No. For Google sources the tool uses the Gmail API, so IMAP doesn't need to be on. For IMAP sources it has to be on for both sides.
