How to Migrate from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365? Step-by-Step

Method 1: Migrate from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 Using OAuth 2.0

Follow the steps mentioned below to easily transfer emails from Google Workspace to Office 365 account:

Step1: Open Microsoft Admin Center

1. Sign in to Microsoft 365 Admin Center
2. Click on Show All and press Exchange to open Microsoft Exchange Admin Center
3. Afterwards, choose Migration Option from the left Panel. You will land on the Migration Batches page

Step2: Create a New Migration Batch

1. Click on Add Migration Batch. Enter the batch name
2. After that, choose Migration to Exchange Online from Path > Next
3. Choose Google Workspace as the migration type to migrate from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365. Click Next at the bottom

Step3: Complete Google Workspace Prerequisites

1. Click Start on the Prerequisites Page
2. Log in to Google Workspace as Super Admin >> Continue
3. When prompted click on the link to add API access
4. You will be directly navigated on the API access page of “Google Admin Console” >> Choose “Add New”
5. Copy the client ID and scope from Microsoft Exchange Admin center’s Prerequisites page
6. Next, enter Client ID and Scope in the OAuth Scope page >> Authorize
7. Once done, Go back to the Microsoft Exchange Admin Center’s Prerequisites page and click Next

Step4: Create a Migration Endpoint

1. If you have already created an endpoint for migrating Google Workspace to Office 365, choose that
2. Otherwise create a new one and click on Next

Step5: Configure Gmail Migration Settings

1. On Gmail Migration configuration page, enter the Email ID of the Super Admin
2. Select the OAuth 2.0 JSON File we have generated earlier to migrate Google Workspace to Office 365 in Google Cloud console
3. Import the CSV File of mailboxes you want to migrate >> choose the CSV file.
4. Enter the name of the target delivery domain >> Next

Step6: Start the Google Workspace to Office 365 Migration

1. Choose recipients to send Google Workspace to Office 365 migration report to, and check all the Mail, Calendar, Rules, and Contact boxes
2. Finally, click on Start Migration to migrate email from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365

Step7: Complete Google Workspace to Office 365 Migration

1. Go back to the Migration Page of the Exchange Admin Center
2. Check the status; if it shows Synced. Select the Migration Batch you have created earlier
3. Lastly, click complete migration on top >> confirm to migrate from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365

Method 2: Migrate Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 with Migration Manager

Migration Manager is a Microsoft built-in tool that has been specifically designed for migrating Google Workspace to Office 365. This migration from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 tool is quicker than manual OAuth, is included for free in Microsoft 365, and requires basic knowledge. Advised for use by all companies.

Step 1: Prepare Your Migration CSV File

1. Open Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets
2. Create two columns:
   • Column A: Google Workspace Email Address (e.g., [email protected])
   • Column B: Microsoft 365 Email Address (e.g., [email protected])
3. Fill in all users (1 per row)
4. File should be saved as migration.csv
5. Example:[email protected], [email protected]

   [email protected], [email protected]

   [email protected], [email protected]

Step 2: Create Google Cloud Project & Service Account

Follow these steps to create the project:

1. Go to Google Cloud Console (console.cloud.google.com)
2. Select Project >> New Project
3. Enter the name of the project (e.g., “Microsoft 365 Migration”) >> Click Create
4. Wait for the project to load
5. Go to APIs & Services >> Library
6. Search for Gmail API >> Click Enable
7. Go to Credentials >> Then Click on Create Credentials
8. Select Service Account
9. Fill in:
   • Service account name: “Microsoft365 Migration”
   • Service account ID: (auto-filled)
10. Click Create and Continue (grant no special roles needed)

Step 3: Generate JSON Key for Service Account

1. Search for the newly created service account on the list
2. Select the service account email
3. Open Keys tab >> Click on Add Key >> Create new key
4. Choose JSON >> Click Create
5. The JSON file is downloaded automatically; you need to save it properly

Important: The downloaded file must be kept confidential, as it is your authentication key

Step 4: Authorize the JSON key in Google Workspace Admin Console

1. Access the Google Workspace Admin console (admin.google.com)
2. Go to Security >> API controls
3. Select Manage all API client access
4. In the text box enter the service account client ID (find it on your JSON file)
5. In OAuth Scopes enter:https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.migration, https://www.googleapis.com/auth/admin.directory.user
6. Press Authorize
7. Your service account is allowed to access Gmail

Step 5: Access Microsoft 365 Migration Manager

1. To begin, login to Microsoft 365 Admin Center via admin.microsoft.com
2. Hit the Show All option (on the bottom left)
3. Choose Exchange (from the Admin centers list)
4. Then, follow the path shown on the left: Recipients >> Migration

You should now be viewing Migration Batches page to migrate users from Google Workspace to Office 365.

Step 6: Create a New Migration Batch

1. You can start off by clicking on + New >> Migration batch
2. Provide a name for the migration name (example: “Workspace_Batch_1”)
3. Hit the Next option
4. Choose Migrate to Exchange Online option >> Hit the Next option

Step 7: Configure Google Workspace Prerequisites

1. On the prerequisites page, click Start
2. Login to Google Workspace as Super Admin
3. Hit Continue at the prompt
4. You’ll now be taken to Google Admin Console
5. Then, click on Security >> API controls >> Manage domain-wide delegation
6. Click Add new
7. Now, in Client ID, paste the Service Account Client ID from the JSON file
8. In OAuth Scopes, enter the following to migrate mailbox from Google Workspace to Office 365:https://www.googleapis.com/auth/gmail.migration, https://www.googleapis.com/auth/admin.directory.user
9. Click Authorize

Head back to Microsoft Exchange Admin Center and hit Next

Step 8: Create Migration Endpoint

1. When you are on the Endpoint page, tap the Create new endpoint button
2. For Endpoint name, enter: “Google Workspace Endpoint”
3. Keep all other settings unchanged
4. Press the Next button

Step 9: Configure Gmail Migration Settings

1. Enter the Super Admin email address
2. Press Browse to upload your created JSON key file (during Step 3)
3. Select your JSON file and hit the Open button
4. Complete Target delivery domain (your Microsoft 365 domain name e.g., company.onmicrosoft.com)
5. Hit the Next button

Now follow the next step after completing account configurations to migrate Google Workspace calendar to Office 365 and other data.

Step 10: Upload CSV Mailbox List

1. Press Browse to upload your created CSV file (during Step 1)
2. Select the migration.csv file and hit Open

Once the CSV is uploaded, Migration Manager acknowledges it to migrate mail from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 manual method.

Step 11: Select Data to Migrate from Google Workspace to Office 365

1. Check data types being transferred:
   • Email (mails and folders)
   • Calendar (calendar events)
   • Contacts (contacts list)
2. Rules (email rules: it’s important to know any of the email rules need reconfiguration and this is optional)

Tip: If you’re moving larger migrations (1000+ users), unselect “Rules” so that the migration will be faster. Press Next

Step 12: Set Sync Notification & Schedule

1. Type in email addresses to receive notifications about the migration
2. In Sync schedule:
   • Select to run immediately (it will start in no longer than one hour)
   • Select to run at a certain time (schedule for off hours)
   • Press Next

Step 13: Review & Start Migration

Start the process to migrate from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365:

1. Check everything on the summary page
2. Confirm email addresses, csv file as well as types of data
3. Press Create to commence migration

Step 14: Monitor Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 Migration Progress

1. Go back to the Migration Batches section in Exchange Admin Center
2. Select the batch you created to check how the process progresses
3. The status can be:
   • Syncing: Data is being transferred at the moment
   • Synced: Data was transferred successfully
   • Error: There are some issues (most often OAuth scope and permissions errors)
4. Generally, the transfer takes around 2-8 hours depending on the size of mailboxes that are being transferred

Tip: Check 2-3 mailboxes via Outlook

Step 15: Complete Migration & Activate Users

1. When the status for all mailboxes shows up as Synced, you can finish the process
2. Select the batch >> Click Complete Migration
3. Confirm the process by clicking on Yes, complete the migration
4. Users can log in to their accounts now
5. After the migration is completed:
   1. Tell the users when they will be able to access Outlook
   2. Give them the instructions for setting up Outlook
   3. Continue using Google workspace for 2-4 weeks as a backup
   4. Change DNS records to Microsoft 365

⏱️ Expected time: 4-6 hours to set up + 2-8 hours to sync (based on the total amount of emails and the total amount of users).

✅ When to use Migration Manager: Companies that range from 5 to 100 people prefer the use of Microsoft’s own tool for migrating Google Workspace to Office 365, do not want to involve third-party companies, and require batch operations with no manual involvement.

❓ Troubleshooting common errors:

• OAuth scope error: Make sure you have provided permissions for both Gmail API scopes in the Google Admin Console (Steps 4 and 7)
• Permission denied error: Check if the email of the service account is on the list of Gmail domain delegations in Google Admin Console
• Mailbox not found: Make sure to match email addresses in the CSV file with the Gmail account correctly
• In case of an error you can just run Migration Manager again for the failed mailboxes only

Post-Migration Verification Checklist

After migrating from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365, verify the following before completing the process:

Email

• Check that the migrated emails and number of emails have been validated.
• Review the attachments, folders, and email format.
• Check both the desktop and web versions of Outlook.

Calendar

• Make sure that the calendar events are correct, including regular events.
• Confirm that the guests for the meeting and the shared calendars have been verified.
• Check that the calendar’s mobile version is synchronized.

Contacts & Access

• Check contacts and distribution groups.
• Conduct testing of Outlook web, desktop and mobile access.
• Confirm that two-factor authentication works well.

Data & Compliance

• Check the migration report for any errors.
• Check the archived data and retention policies.
• Verify the two compliance and search functions are working properly.

Go-Live Readiness

• Train users and make arrangements with the support team.
• Keep Google Workspace opened for 2-4 weeks.
• Send notifications about the date of the migration and further support.

✅ If all checks pass, then the migration process is complete and everyone can proceed to work in Microsoft 365 system.

⚠️In case of any problems review migration logs, repeat failed activities, and reach out for support when necessary.