Do Outlook folders come across to Gmail?
Yes. Outlook folders migrate as Gmail labels, and the mail inside them keeps its dates, senders, and attachments. Labels sit in the left sidebar and look a lot like folders, so most people find their mail right away.
The difference is that one message can carry more than one label. An email can live under "Clients" and "Invoices" at the same time without a copy. Nested folders show up as nested labels. Archiving removes a message from the inbox but keeps it in All Mail and under its labels, which replaces the habit of dragging mail into a folder. Our guide to Gmail labels vs Outlook folders goes deeper on training this.
What is conversation view, and can users turn it off?
Conversation view groups a message and all of its replies into one thread, and it is on by default in Gmail. It keeps long back-and-forth exchanges in one place instead of scattered across the inbox.
Some people coming from Outlook prefer one line per message. They can turn conversation view off in Gmail settings, and the choice applies only to their own mailbox. Show this setting in training, because it removes one of the most common early complaints.
What happens to Outlook rules, signatures, and categories?
Plan to recreate rules and signatures in Gmail rather than expecting them to migrate. Ask people to note or screenshot their important rules before switchover so they can rebuild them quickly.
- Rules become filters. A Gmail filter matches on sender, recipient, subject, or words, then applies a label, archives, forwards, stars, or marks the message as read.
- Signatures are set in Gmail settings. People can keep different signatures for new messages and replies.
- Categories have no exact match. Colored labels cover most of what people used categories for.
Gmail search is strong, so many people end up with fewer filters than they had rules. Searching by sender, date, attachment, or label often replaces careful filing.
How do calendars and contacts change?
Calendar events, recurring meetings, and contacts move into Google Calendar and Google Contacts. Two items need attention.
First, meetings created in Outlook with a Teams link keep that Teams link. For recurring meetings you plan to keep, the organizer should recreate them in Google Calendar so they get a Google Meet link. Second, calendar sharing and delegate access need to be set up again in Google Calendar, and meeting rooms become calendar resources that people book from the event screen. See Google Calendar for Outlook users for the details.
Shared mailboxes follow their own path. Read migrating shared mailboxes and distribution lists before you plan those addresses.
Can your team keep using Outlook?
Yes, on Windows. Google Workspace Sync for Microsoft Outlook connects the Outlook desktop app to a Google Workspace account, so mail, calendar, and contacts sync with Google. It works well as a bridge for people who are not ready to change everything at once.
Most teams still move to Gmail in the browser over time, because features such as labels, search, and Google Chat work best there. On phones, people can use the Gmail and Google Calendar apps. Our guide to setting up Gmail and Google Calendar on phones covers iPhone and Android.
For the wider project, start with the Microsoft 365 to Google Workspace migration guide.
Next step
We migrate mail, folders, calendars, and contacts and help your team set up Gmail on day one. See our Microsoft 365 migration service to plan your switch.
Frequently asked questions
Does Gmail have something like Outlook's Focused Inbox?
Gmail offers several inbox types instead. People can sort new mail into category tabs, or choose layouts such as Important first, Unread first, or Priority Inbox. Each person picks the layout in Gmail settings, so it is worth showing the options in training.
Can users undo a sent email in Gmail?
Yes. Gmail has an undo send option that appears for a few seconds after sending. Each user can set how long the undo window lasts in Gmail settings. Gmail also lets people schedule a message to send later.
Will old email addresses in autocomplete still work?
Contacts migrate, so saved addresses come across. The Outlook autocomplete cache is separate from contacts and may not move. Gmail builds its own suggestions as people send mail, so autocomplete fills back in over the first weeks.
