How to Fix Missing Email Folders After Migrating from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365
Question details
Users need to recover missing emails and folder hierarchies after transitioning to Microsoft 365.
- Product
- Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A migration from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 has been completed, but the initial migration batch cannot be re-run to fetch missed data.
- Observed behavior
- Users can successfully access their new Microsoft 365 accounts, but several emails and folder structures are missing, likely due to IMAP migration limitations.
Ensure you have global administrator or compliance administrator permissions in Microsoft 365 to access the Microsoft Purview compliance portal and perform bulk PST imports.
Import Missing Mailbox Data using PST Files in Microsoft Purview
Export the missing Google Workspace emails to a PST file and use the Microsoft Purview Import service to securely upload them into Exchange Online without creating duplicates.
An IMAP-based migration often fails to transfer specific custom folder structures, labels, and certain email statuses from Google Workspace. Because the initial migration batch cannot be re-run, manually exporting the omitted data into a PST format and uploading it via Microsoft Purview is the most reliable recovery method.
Use Google Workspace export tools or connect the original account to a desktop client like Outlook to export the missing emails and folders into a standard .pst file.
Log in to the Microsoft Purview compliance portal with administrator credentials and navigate to Data lifecycle management > Microsoft 365 > Import.
Click on 'New import job', provide a recognizable name for the batch, and select the 'Upload your data' option.
Follow the provided on-screen network upload instructions to securely upload your PST files to the provided Azure Storage location, then create and upload a PST Import mapping file to link the data to the correct Exchange Online mailboxes.
Review your mapped settings and initiate the import process. The system will process the PST file and automatically skip duplicate items that already exist in the target mailbox.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the initial IMAP migration miss some of my Google Workspace folders?
IMAP migrations only sync basic email data and standard folders. Custom labels, complex folder hierarchies, and non-email data in Google Workspace are often omitted during an IMAP sync.
Will importing a PST file overwrite my existing emails in Microsoft 365?
No. The Microsoft Purview Import service includes a built-in duplicate check. If an email already exists in the target mailbox or archive, it will be skipped rather than overwritten or duplicated.
Can I re-run the original Google Workspace migration batch instead of using PST files?
In most cases, once a migration batch has been finalized or if it encountered specific unrecoverable errors during the sync, re-running the exact same batch is not possible. A supplemental PST import is the recommended fallback.
Do I need a separate Azure subscription to upload PST files via network upload?
No, Microsoft provides a temporary, secure Azure Storage location specifically for the import process as part of your Microsoft 365 subscription when using the Purview compliance portal.
