What Happens to Your Messages and Rules
When We Move to Gmail

As we continue preparing for the move to Gmail this summer, it’s important to understand how your existing email content and settings will be affected.

What Happens to Your Old Email?

Your Outlook inbox, folders, and message history will not be moved into Gmail. Instead, all your current emails will remain accessible at Outlook.com using your Windows login. You’ll still be able to search and reference those messages as needed, but new email will only arrive in Gmail after the switch.

What About Email Rules?

Rules and filters you’ve set up in Outlook will not carry over to Gmail. Gmail uses a different system to manage email using labels and filters, which replace Outlook’s folder and rule system.

Here are a few tips to help you get started:

• Labels act like folders, but better. You can assign multiple labels to a single email without duplicating it, and color-code them to stay organized.

• Create a label: In Gmail’s left menu, click the plus icon next to “Labels” to create one.

• Set up a filter: Use the filter icon in the Gmail search bar to create custom rules (e.g., auto-label emails from a certain sender).

• Skip the inbox: Filters can automatically label and archive emails so your inbox stays focused.

• Review your notification emails: Many tools (like Google Classroom) allow you to fine-tune what you receive and where it goes.

If you’ve relied on rules in Outlook to stay organized, taking a few minutes now to re-create them in Gmail will help ensure a smooth experience moving forward.