How to Forward or Migrate ProtonMail to Gmail (Step-by-Step)
Looking to add ProtonMail emails to Gmail? This blog will walk you through three ways: forwarding new emails, moving old emails for free, and migrating a full mailbox in bulk.
Which Method Should You Use?
| Feature | Auto-forwarding | Bridge + Thunderbird | Dedicated Tool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moves Old Emails | No | Yes | Yes |
| Moves New Emails | Yes | No | No |
| Cost | Paid Proton plan | Paid Proton plan | Software license |
| Difficulty | Easy | Medium | Easy |
| Best For | Ongoing use | Free one time move | Large mailboxes |
Before You Start
- You need to have a paid Proton plan for forwarding and Bridge both. Free accounts cannot use them.
- Forwarded emails reach Gmail as regular messages. Therefore, Proton’s end-to-end encryption no longer protects them there.
- Check that your Gmail account has sufficient free storage for the mail you are moving.
Method 1: Auto Forward New ProtonMail Emails to Gmail
- Login to ProtonMail account and click the gear (setting) icon.
- Now, select “Filters and Addresses” from the setting menu.
- Go to “Filters” section and click the “+ New Filter” button
- Now, configure the filters: “Apply Filter to Messages,” and choose “All Messages” to forward all incoming emails.
- Under “Perform the following actions,” select “Forward.”
- In the “Forward to” field, enter your Gmail email address.
- Select your preference under “Keep a copy in inbox.” or not.
- Once you have configured the filters click save to forward ProtonMail to Gmail.
Now, open Gmail and approve the confirmation email from Proton. Then you can send a test message to your Proton address and check that it arrives in Gmail.
Method 2: Move Old Emails without Paid Software (Bridge + Thunderbird)
Gmail cannot connect to Proton directly. So, this method uses Thunderbird as an intermediary.
- Install Proton Mail Bridge and sign in with a Proton account.
- Add your Proton account to Thunderbird using the IMAP and SMTP details that Bridge shows you.
- Add your Gmail account to Thunderbird over IMAP.
- Drag your Proton folders into Gmail, or right click a folder and choose “Copy to”.
- Finally, wait for the sync to finish. Then spot check a few folders in Gmail.
It is free, but slow for large mailboxes, and also Bridge must stay running the whole time.
Method 3: Bulk Migrate ProtonMail Emails to Gmail
A ProtonMail account allows users to forward emails but does not provide a direct way to migrate data. Hence, the professional software is the preferred and widely used solution to permanently migrate ProtonMail to Gmail account. 4n6 MBOX Converter allows you to export ProtonMail to Gmail easily and quickly.
In the permanent migration process, you first need to download the emails from ProtonMail to your local drive and then use the suggested Pro to export them to Gmail. We have detailed the complete guide below; please check it to understand the process easily.
Step 1: Export Your Proton Mailboxes as MBOX
- First, log in to your ProtonMail account and go to the import/export option.
- Now, select the folders you want to export and select MBOX as the export format.
- Finally, select the location to save the ProtonMail files and click the Export.
- Your ProtonMail emails/folders will be saved to your specified location.
Step 2: Import the MBOX Files into Gmail
- Now, download, install and launch the suggested software to migrate ProtonMail to Gmail.
- Click Open >> Email Data File >> MBOX File >> Choose Files/Choose Folders.
- Now browse, select and import the previously exported ProtonMail files into the software.
- Click the “Export” tab and select Gmail from the drop-down menu.
- Enter your Gmail credentials and finally click the Save button to start the transfer process.
So, this is how to send Proton Mail with all email data to Gmail using the pro utility. It is relatively easier to migrate than to forward ProtonMail to Gmail. Thanks to professional software.
Forwarding vs Migration: What’s the Difference?
In simple words, forwarding sends new emails to another address. Migration copies the emails that already existed in your mailbox. So, if you desire to leave Proton for good, you will usually need both: migrate first, and then forward.
Why Move from Proton to Gmail?
There is no doubt that ProtonMail is one of the secure email services. However, we cannot ignore the fact that even the paid version of Proton Mail has less competitive features and storage capacity than free Gmail. Hence, sticking with Proton just because it is secured may not be the best option.
- Storage capacity: ProtonMail has a very limited storage capacity even in the paid version. Gmail offers 15GB of storage for free which can be expanded up to 2 TB, while Proton Mail only offers 500MB with only 100 GB of expansion. The plans at Proton Mail to expand storage space are expensive, starting at $119.88 per year.
- Access to the Google Environment: Gmail is essentially part of the larger Google ecosystem. If you use other Google services like Google Calendar, Google Drive, Contacts, and more, migrating ProtonMail emails in Gmail can contribute to a more premium experience.
- Backup Purpose: Forwarding emails to Gmail can be a backup plan. In case you have problems accessing your ProtonMail account, you have copies of important emails in Gmail and can access them at any time.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Forwarding is not working
You need to confirm that you approved the Gmail verification email, and also check Gmail’s spam folder.
No confirmation email
You need to wait a few minutes, and then re-add the address.
Missing emails or attachments:
You should re-check the export and compare folder counts on both sides.
Duplicates in Gmail
This may usually happen if a folder was copied twice. You can delete the extra copy and run the transfer once.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Proton Mail have a mail forwarding?
Yes. Proton Mail has an email forwarding feature but it is only available on paid plans. Proton Mail’s free plans do not allow you to forward mail to Gmail or any other account
Can I forward Proton mail to Gmail without ProtonMail Bridge?
Yes, you can forward Proton mailbox data to Gmail without Bridge. However, you must have a ProtonMail premium+ plan to do this.
What is the difference between Proton Mail forwarding and Proton Mail migration?
During forwarding, you can automatically forward newly received emails in ProtonMail to another account. During redirection, you must ensure that the both accounts are active. In ProtonMail migration, you can instantly migrate all your existing data to a new account and can permanently switch from ProtonMail account.
Can I automatically migrate emails from ProtonMail to Gmail?
No. ProtonMail does not provide the direct way to migrate emails. You can just save them to your local drive in MBOX or EML format. Then you can use 4n6 software to migrate them to Gmail.
Can I migrate ProtonMail emails from a specific time period?
Yes, ProtonMail offers you the ability to migrate from ProtonMail emails to Gmail based on month, day and year criteria.
Is Google Mail better than Proton ?
Yes. Gmail is a free service that offers better email storage and user interface. ProtonMail is an expensive service and provides only a small storage space per user but provides security and privacy.
Conclusion
Whether you want to migrate or forward ProtonMail to Gmail, we have offered you solutions for you both. You may forward ProtonMail to Gmail using some IMAP settings in both the account. Forwarding procedure is a bit technical and lengthy. On the other hand, in order to migrate Proton Mail to Gmail you require professional software. You can download the professional software from the button given above, it’s available in free version.
