A Simple Gmail Hack to Reclaim 15GB of Storage Space Free of Cost

Every Gmail account begins with a generous offering of 15GB storage, but this can quickly be depleted, as it encompasses files in both Google Drive and Google Photos. If your inbox is overflowing with unread newsletters or sneaky spam, there's a method to clean it up without losing significant emails. By following the right procedure, you can safeguard important content while starting afresh.

Strategic File Backup

To keep your emails secure, consider backing them up to your computer or an external storage device before shifting them to cloud storage. Use Google Takeout to export data from Google Photos or Drive. Be prepared for a lengthy process if you have a substantial number of emails, as even a sample account with approximately 75,000 emails required nearly two hours for download.

Transferring Emails to a New Account

After securing your email backup, it's time to set up email forwarding. Begin by accessing settings in your original Gmail, enable POP for all mail, and choose to delete Gmail's copy once accessed. After saving these settings, prepare to create an archive account.

Creating an Archive Account

Set up a new Gmail account as an archive. Within this account's settings, you can add your original email account to import emails using POP3. If needed, create a temporary Google app password for syncing. Ensure secure connection settings are enabled and skip the inbox by archiving incoming messages. Finalize by adding the account.

Managing Your New Space

Once email transfers are complete, clear out your original account's Trash folder, which might take some time depending on the quantity of deleted emails. Note that Draft and Spam folders do not transfer, so take care to preserve any unfinished drafts if needed.

Ending Automatic Transfers

To halt the email transfer, navigate to the new account's settings and remove email fetching for your original account. This adjustment will restore the inbox-zero feel to your primary account while preserving essential communications in the archive account.