Migrate from Fastmail to Gmail Step by Step

Written By Tej Pratap Shukla

Approved By Anuraag Singh

Modified On January 8th, 2026

Reading Time 5 Minutes Reading

To migrate from FastMail to Gmail, you need to make an app password. Then use either Gmail’s internal import option with POP details or an email client for IMAP-style transfer.

Fastmail is, without a doubt, a great service, but the problem is that greatness comes at a price, literally. Fastmail operates on a perpetual paid subscription model. If you fail to pay the premium on time, you risk losing your data. This fear prompts many users to go back to free email services like Gmail.

However, exiting Fastmail becomes quite a challenge. Don’t worry, I have made this guide to address this exact problem. Let’s first see what you can do to take your data out of Fastmail if you are on a free trial that is about to end.

Table of Contents Hide

Do This to Migrate from Fastmail to Gmail ASAP

Step 1. Log in to your Fastmail account.
Step 2. Click on the Settings Cog at the top right corner.
Step 3. On the left-hand pane, look for the Migration option.
Step 4. Switch to the Export tab and click on + New mail export.
Step 5. Choose a folder with emails in it.
Step 6. Press Save.
Step 7. Once the data is available, hit Download to collect it.

Check Out: Guide on MDaemon Migration to Office 365

Note, this is just half of the process. Now we have to put it inside Gmail, but Gmail does not have any mail import facility for this type of file.

Step 8. Unzip the data
Step 9. Add a Gmail account to an email client like Thunderbird.
Step 10. Drop the emails into your account.

Pull Fastmail into Gmail via Built-in Settings

Step 1. Open Fastmail and go to settings (top right).
Step 2. On the left-hand pane, look for the Privacy and Security option (under the Accounts Subsection).
Step 3. At the bottom part of your screen, you should see Connected apps & API tokens. Click the Manage app passwords and access.
Step 4. On the App Passwords page, click on (+ New App passwords)
Step 5. The app password is generated automatically and is only visible once, so save it before it disappears.
Step 6. Then, log in to your Gmail and click on Settings and See all settings.
Step 7. Go to Accounts and Import tab > choose Import mail and contacts option.
Step 8. A new window opens up in the top right. Fill in all the required details, make sure in the password field you add the App password we just made on the Fastmail portal, and not anything else.

Also See : How to Transfer Emails from Gmail to Gmail

Best Tool to Migrate from Fastmail to Gmail

SysTools IMAP to IMAP Migration Tool can do exactly what you require with safety and without compromising on speed.

Download Now Purchase Now

Download a demo today and migrate up to 100 emails for free. The biggest advantage of the tool over the manual methods I described up until now is the ability to perform multiple account migrations at once.

Also Read: Best Ways to Migrate Fastmail to Office 365

Note: Before you use the tool, make sure your Fastmail is in IMAP mode, and you have made an App password for it. Steps to use the utility on Mac or Windows

Step 1. Launch it and set up the date filter. We can do this directly, as the tool takes care of IMAP endpoints and email workload on its own.

Apply date filter to transfer email from Fastmail to Gmail

Step 2. In the source page, toggle the drop-down and select Others, then add the Fastmail server details like URL, port number Validate and press Next.

Select Gmail as the source IMAP server

Step 3. Likewise, do the same validation this time, select Gmail from the list, you won’t even have to add the details, the tool enters them automatically.

Validate Gmail as the destination IMAP server

Step 4. Then, map the user with the help of the CSV template present inside the tool.

Importing user list via CSV for migration

Step 5. At last, view the full user list, validate, and Start.

Starting the professional Fastmail to Gmail migration process

Conclusion

So now you know exactly what to do to migrate from Fastmail to Gmail. The plan is simple if you are on the premium version. Just change Fastmail to POP mode and use Gmail’s internal pulling mechanism.

However, this method tends to fail and does not offer any filtering capability. Another option for you is to use a mail client.

The best option still is the professional tool proposed in the text earlier. Use it and change service providers in no time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which is the most affordable plan that allows Fastmail to Gmail migration?

A: Get the 1-month Individual version of Fastmail, priced at $5 (cost may vary depending on your geographical location). It unlocks all you require to move Fasmail into Gmail. If your free Fastmail trial is about end, then I suggest you act immediately and get it before it locks you out and deletes all your data.

Q: How long does it take to migrate Fastmail to Gmail?

Take a look at my discussion on email migration durations. There, I explain how your timeline changes linearly with the amount of data you have. Individual users can expect anywhere from 1 to 2 days at most. Businesses, on the other hand, take much longer to complete the transition.

Q: What folders can I export out of Fastmail?

You can select any folder, even custom ones. The only condition is that the folder needs to have emails in it. Fastmail does not allow export of empty folders; this rule applies weirdly, like parent folders are considered empty, even if their sub-folders contain emails.

Q: Can I migrate the messages from the free trial of Fastmail to Gmail?

Truth be told, there is no direct and free way to migrate from Fastmail to Gmail if you are still on the free trial. So, upgrade to the premium subscription before using any of the methods.

Migrate from Fastmail to Gmail​ Step by Step