This topic

Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

Bee-Tea — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 11:02:00 GMT

I'm using the IMAP email setup but I've got problems when trying to import my BT email folders and contacts into my gmail account, even though my BT email sign in credentials are valid. Google cannot connect to my BT email account.

Is there a setting in BT mail I have to enable for gmail to be able to make the connection?

Re: Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

licquorice — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 11:57:29 GMT

Unless you are currently a BT broadband customer or paying £7.50/m for Premium Mail, your mail account will only be accessible via webmail so it will not be possible to do what you are trying to do.

Re: Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

Bee-Tea — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 13:11:51 GMT

I'm a BT broadband customer paying over £40 per month

Re: Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

licquorice — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 14:14:42 GMT

What exactly are you trying to achieve?

What app/client are you using for Gmail?

Re: Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

licquorice — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 14:45:18 GMT

If you are trying to import to the Gmail webmail interface on Windows, there seems to be a problem. I can't import mail or check mail from a btinternet account.

No idea if the problem lies with Gmail or BT.

Re: Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

Frelon — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 14:01:38 GMT

GMail is able to import most other mail clients without too many issues, so unlikely to be a Google issue. Probably BT making it difficult to move away from BT!

Re: Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

johnld — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 14:54:10 GMT

I also looked at doing this some time ago

As I did not want to be held to ransom by BT if I need to leave at some time

Google will download new BT emails sent to my BT account

I have still to discover a way of downloading my BT email structure to my Google account

☹️

Re: Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

gg30340 — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 15:56:49 GMT

@licquorice wrote:

If you are trying to import to the Gmail webmail interface on Windows, there seems to be a problem. I can't import mail or check mail from a btinternet account.

No idea if the problem lies with Gmail or BT.

I have checked as well and it is not connecting with the BT servers.

I seem to recall trying this a while back when some else asked the same question and it was met with the same result.

They could try setting up an email client as IMAP with both accounts and dragging and dropping the folders/contents from one account to the other which will be replicated on gmail.

Re: Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

gg30340 — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 15:55:48 GMT

@Frelon wrote:

GMail is able to import most other mail clients without too many issues, so unlikely to be a Google issue. Probably BT making it difficult to move away from BT!

In case you are not aware, you can keep your BTMail email account when you leave BT Broadband. It will be downgraded to a BTMail Basic account which can only be accessed using a web browser.

https://www.bt.com/help/email/bt-email-products

Re: Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

licquorice — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 15:57:01 GMT

@gg30340 wrote:

They could try setting up an email client with both accounts and dragging and dropping the folders/contents from one account to the other.

It works just fine in Outlook 2010, I do it all the time, I'm sure it does with other clients too.

Re: Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

gg30340 — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 15:59:31 GMT

@licquorice wrote:

@gg30340 wrote:

They could try setting up an email client with both accounts and dragging and dropping the folders/contents from one account to the other.

It works just fine in Outlook 2010, I do it all the time, I'm sure it does with other clients too.

I just tried it on T'bird and it worked there as well.

Re: Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

Frelon — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 16:17:55 GMT

Google will download new BT emails sent to my BT account

How did you achieve this? At least that is a step in the right direction!

Re: Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

gg30340 — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 16:24:29 GMT

@Frelon wrote:

Google will download new BT emails sent to my BT account

How did you achieve this? At least that is a step in the right direction!

In your BTMail account settings set up "forwarding" to your gmail account.

If you are leaving BT Broadband, your BTMail account will become a BTMail Basic account and while forwarding may work at first it can be stopped at anytime by BT.

Re: Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

johnld — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 17:22:41 GMT

Thanks I was aware of that
But I want to be able to access the sub folders I have setup under the inbox
If you are able to do that with a basic account that would make it easier if I do leave BT

Re: Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

johnld — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 17:33:13 GMT

BT would not let me forward received emails automatically so I set up my Google the receive emails sent to my BT email address

I set it up in my gmail account
Go to email settings and go to the Accounts and Import tab then scroll down to the Check emails from other accounts

Re: Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

gg30340 — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 17:51:37 GMT

If all you are doing is using webmail the BTMail Basic account is exactly the same as the "Standard" account that you have at the moment.

Except you won't be able to use it on email clients or email apps and you won't be able to set up any more BTMail email accounts.

Re: Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

gg30340 — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 17:49:20 GMT

@johnld wrote:

Hi

BT would not let me forward received emails automatically so I set up my Google the receive emails sent to my BT email address

Was this after you had left BT Broadband and your BTMail account was BTMail Basic?

I have just set up forwarding to gmail using a "Standard" BTMail account and it works without issue.

Re: Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

johnld — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 17:55:45 GMT

I have not left BT

Re: Import existing email folder structure and messages into gmail

gg30340 — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 17:58:54 GMT

@johnld wrote:

I have not left BT

In which case there should be no reason why you can not forward your BTMail to a gmail account. As I said I have just done that as a test and it works without issue.