It’s easy to find excuses to keep an old email account. Your contacts are there, people know the address or you have an emotional connection to it. Maybe you’re using an AOL account that you created when chat rooms were still a thing.
Most people stick to their old email address for convenience. Who wants to go through all the hassle of creating a new account? The truth is, it’s really not as complicated as it sounds. More importantly, if you choose correctly, you’ll have a more private, secure inbox.
Here are some tips for making the switch brought to you by our sponsor Startmail.
Popular doesn’t mean safe
Countless people have Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook and AOL accounts. They are easy to use and do not cost a dime.
But how do they stack up when it comes to privacy? These companies are open about how they use your data, from scanning your personal email for advertising purposes to collecting your information to create a personal profile.
If privacy is on your mind, you need to take a good look at your inbox. Our choice is Startmail. It is private, secure and ad-free. They don’t share your data, you can send encrypted email with just one click, and your messages can only be accessed by you.
moving on
Whether you’re switching to StartMail or a new account, you’ll need to take a few steps to make the transition smooth.
Be sure to use a unique, complex password. Your best bet is to use a password manager. Adding two-factor authentication (2FA) is always a good idea.
Update your profile and accounts
Once you’ve got your new email account up and running, it’s time to update your contact information for the sites you use the most. You may want to start with your bank and any business that emails you bills. Check your social media, online shopping accounts and subscriptions. It’s usually as simple as going to your profile and entering your new email address.
One way to find your accounts is to check your saved logins in your browser.
tell your friends
What good is a new email account if no one knows about it? It’s good when spammers can’t find you, but what about friends? Tell your contacts you’ve switched.
You can use your address book or contact list to make this step easier. Be sure to use the BCC field (Blind Carbon Copy) to protect the privacy of your recipients.
On Gmail, open the Google app by clicking on the nine dots in the top right corner and go to Contacts. (Or go to contacts.google.com). Check the contacts you want to message, then click Create Label. Give the group a simple name that indicates its purpose. Now open a new email message and click on the Bcc button. Type in the name of the group you just created, type your message, and send.
In Yahoo Mail, go to Contacts > Lists > List and enter a name for the contact group. Add email addresses in the Add Contact field and click Save. Open a new email and select BCC, then add the contact group name.
In Outlook, go to Home > New Items > More Items > Contact Groups. Enter the contact in the Name field. Start a new email message, select Bcc, and type a group name in the field.
In AOL, click Contacts in the left panel, then click New Listing and enter a label. Then click on the contact icon to add the name to the list. When you’re done, click Add List. Now open a new email and choose Bcc to receive blank field where you will enter the name of the contact list.
Move your messages to your new account
One of the biggest concerns with moving to a new email account is losing all your old emails. Luckily, you don’t have to waste hours carefully forwarding emails to your new account. You can accomplish this in a few steps.
Now, you will see the device information required to set up the connection. Tap Turn off, and you’ve configured your device. Now that you’ve established a solid foundation, it’s time to take big steps.
Set up your old email address in the client
Basically, you need to have your new email address and your old email address in the same client. This is the best way to transfer messages from your old account to a brand new one.
Here’s how to add a Gmail account to the client
Depending on which version of Outlook you use, the options you have for backing up data and importing and exporting may vary. The simplest way to move email from Outlook to another provider is through forwarding.
Since both email addresses are now set up in your mail client, you are all set for success. Here is the last step.
Start exporting messages
Before you begin, you’ll need to choose an end destination for your messages.
