How to Import Web E-mail Accounts into Gmail

Gmail's new import feature lets you grab e-mail and contacts from another Web mail provider, and will even keep pulling e-mail from that account for another 30 days. CNET Webware's Josh Lowensohn shows you how to set it up using a Windows Live Hotmail account.

How to Import Web E-mail Accounts into Gmail Want to switch over in Google’s Gmail but don’t want to give up your old email contacts from another account? Now you don’t have too Google just come out with a new importer to grabs your emails and contacts from Hotmail, Yahoo or AOL account. I’m Josh Lowensohn and I’m going to show you how to use it. First head into your account settings then click on accounts and import. Click on the import from another email address then type in your address from your old account. For this example we’re using Windows Live Hotmail although these instructions are the same for other web mail providers. Gmail needs your password so type that in. Once it verifies your account you pick what you want it to import. It does contacts and email along with any new messages you’re going to get at that account for the next 30 days. After that it’s up to you to start using your new Gmail account. One important thing to pay attention too before you hit that import button is the setting what label you want Gmail to give your messages from your other account. In Gmail labels are kind of like tags. There’s an easy way to sort through your mail and show it next to the subject. The import automatically means the tag after the email address from the account that’s being reported. This is funny if you have a shorter account name but if you get long one, we recommend shortening it to something like old email. You can always go later and rename the label. So don’t pay too much attention to this. After you hit the import button it takes a while for your new messages to start filtering it. Google says it can be up to two days but always came in with about three hours. When it’s done you can view all your old email within Gmail and take advantage of Gmails specific features like viewing and composing messages will offline using Google gears and that in new tools and functionality from Gmail labs. You can even send messages from your old accounts email address but the last since within that 30 day period when Google is importing new messages you like to go back into the old account to view any replies. If you’re new to Gmail you can read all about it on cnet’s Webware blog. I’m Josh Lowensohn and happy emailing.