Which kind of GoDaddy email do you have?
The first step is finding out which GoDaddy email product you have, because GoDaddy has sold more than one. Depending on when you signed up, your mailboxes may run on GoDaddy's own email service or on Microsoft 365 sold through GoDaddy. Your GoDaddy account and invoices show the product name.
The copy method depends on the answer:
- GoDaddy's own email service. Mailboxes are usually copied over IMAP, one at a time, the same way as most hosted email.
- Microsoft 365 from GoDaddy. This is a Microsoft 365 account managed through GoDaddy. It can move like other Microsoft 365 accounts, but admin access can be more limited than when you buy directly from Microsoft, so confirm what your admin sign-in can do before you plan the copy.
If you are on Microsoft 365 through GoDaddy, our Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace guide also applies. For how GoDaddy compares with Exchange, Zoho, and other sources, see our email migration guide.
How do you copy GoDaddy mailboxes into Gmail?
You copy GoDaddy mailboxes into Gmail with a migration tool that signs in to each old mailbox and copies its folders and messages into the matching Google Workspace user. Google's data migration service in the Admin console handles basic IMAP moves and is often enough for a small office.
A typical sequence looks like this:
- Verify your domain in Google Workspace and create a user for each GoDaddy mailbox.
- Collect or reset the passwords for the GoDaddy mailboxes, so the tool can sign in.
- Test with one mailbox and compare folders and message counts.
- Copy the remaining mailboxes while people keep working.
IMAP moves mail and folders only. Calendars and contacts kept in GoDaddy's webmail need to be exported and imported separately. Folders become Gmail labels, and our guide to Gmail labels vs Outlook folders helps people adjust to the difference.
Shared addresses like info@ or sales@ deserve a decision before you copy. In Google Workspace, these often work better as Google Groups than as separate paid mailboxes.
How do you change MX records in GoDaddy DNS?
You change MX records in the DNS zone for your domain, which for many GoDaddy customers is also at GoDaddy. Remove the old email MX records, add the Google Workspace MX values shown during setup in the Admin console, and save. Then wait for the change to spread before running the final sync.
Be careful in the DNS zone. The same zone holds the records that keep your website online, and sometimes records for other services. Change only the MX records and, when you are ready, the SPF record. Take a screenshot or export of the zone first so you can restore anything changed by mistake. Our MX record cutover guide walks through the timing.
If your DNS is hosted somewhere other than GoDaddy, such as a separate DNS service, make the change there instead. The MX records only work where your domain's nameservers point.
When should you cancel GoDaddy email?
Cancel GoDaddy email only after mail has flowed to Gmail for several days, the final sync is complete, and every user has confirmed their messages arrived. Canceling too early can delete mailboxes before the last messages are copied. If you bought your domain from GoDaddy, keep the domain registration. You are moving email, not the domain.
Before you cancel:
- Confirm no mail is still arriving at the old mailboxes.
- Recreate forwarders and autoresponders in Google Workspace.
- Update the SPF record to include Google and remove the old provider. See SPF, DKIM, and DMARC for Google Workspace.
- As a precaution, check the DNS zone again after canceling to confirm the Google MX records are still in place.
Next step
Our IMAP migration service handles GoDaddy moves from the first mailbox copy through the DNS change. If you are not sure which GoDaddy product you have, contact us and we will help you find out.
Frequently asked questions
Do we have to move our domain away from GoDaddy?
No. You can keep your domain registered at GoDaddy and keep your DNS there. Google Workspace only needs you to verify the domain and point MX records at Google. Moving the domain registration is a separate decision you can make later, or never.
Will our website go down when we switch email?
It should not, if you change only the email records. Your website depends on other DNS records, such as A or CNAME records, which you leave alone. Exporting the zone before you start gives you a record to restore from if something changes by mistake.
