How to Securely Transfer Google Drive to Another Account

How Google Drive Ownership Is Managed?

Before we move Google Drive file to another account, it is necessary to understand the working of Google Drive ownership for simplified migration. Every Google Drive file has a single owner, even if it is shared across teams or multiple users. When data is moved from one Google Drive to another, ownership and permissions are transferred alongwith the data within it. 

Why This Matters?

• Because shared Google Drive files don’t takeup space for non-owners. 
• Control of ownership handles deletion and short/long-term accessibility. 
• Some files may behave differently from the binary files when uploaded. 

Thus, it becomes essential to find a secure and reliable solution for consistent migration. 

Why Users Need to Transfer Google Drive to Another Account?

The file storage and synchronization service by Google, aka Google Drive, enables storing and sharing documents, videos, images, presentations, etc. with collaborators. Accessible through web browsers on desktop and via applications on Android or iOS, it offers great facilities with 15 GB of shared storage. 

Still, users find transferring their data to another account feasible because: 

• It is a great way to store backups in case of disaster recovery. 
• Helps keep work and personal files separate for easy management. 
• Ensures consolidating multiple Drive accounts into one to save storage. 
• You need to switch from the School Google Drive account to a personal one. 
• Possibility of quitting from the current email address associated with Drive. 
• Access higher storage limits and keep sensitive data secure and preserved.

All of these help ensure that business continuity is maintained with the right approaches for transfer. 

Freeways to Move Files From One Google Drive to Another

There are multiple manual methods to transfer Google Drive data as specified below, along with their shortfalls. 

1) Using Share Feature 

For your Google Docs on the Drive, this is the simplest and easiest way. Follow these steps:

1. Log in to the source Google Drive account and select the files to transfer. 
2. Then, right-click and select Share from the menu. A dialog opens. 
3. Add a new email address where you want to move data and tap Done. 
4. Further, down the arrow icon, set permission to Editor and tap Send. 
5. This will transfer Google Drive to another account with access. 
6. Afterward, log in to the target account and check files under Shared with Me. 
7. Lastly, move these shared files and folders to My Drive to keep them safe. Or, maybe even Download them locally. 

Cons: 

• Best suited only for small datasets and individual owners. 
• Doesn’t transfer ownership and only allows creating a copy. 
• Time-consuming process for large files and doesn’t retain timestamps. 

2) Through Google Takeout 

If you want to move the entire Google Drive data in a single go securely for free, use these steps:

1. Start Google Takeout and sign in to your account to access services. 
2. Deselect All and then choose the Drive option to move. Click Next Step. 
3. In the delivery method, choose Add to Drive and select Export Once frequency. 
4. Pick a size and type for your transfer, and finally, click Link Accounts and Create Export. 
5. Follow the on-screen instructions to connect accounts and wait until the final process completes. 

Cons: 

• Takeout supports transferring only files created or uploaded by you and not those received by share. 
• It may take hours, weeks, or days for Takeout to transfer files from one Google Drive to another based on data volume. 
• With an account size over 10 GB, Google Takeout may split the files into several parts. 
• The resultant data will be in a ZIP file, which you need to uncompress to actually access the data. 

3) Download and Re-Upload 

This is a traditional way to transfer Google Drive to another account, which requires lots of manual effort. Steps are:

1. Sign in to your old Google Drive account and create a new folder. 
2. Next, move all the Drive data that you want to transfer into the new root directory. 
3. Afterward, right-click the new folder and press Download to save data on the PC. 
4. Furthermore, log in to your new Google Drive or another account and go to My Drive. 
5. At last, click Upload Files and load the downloaded data from earlier into it. 

Cons: 

• Consumes a lot of time for transferring data between accounts. 
• Unsuitable for bulk datasets and no guarantee of data fidelity. 
• It takes up local resources and disk space with human efforts. 
• Stable internet connectivity and unzipped data are a must for upload. 

4) Via Desktop App 

Another way to move Google Drive file to another account is with the use of its Desktop application. The steps to follow here are:

1. Initially, download and install the Google Drive Desktop App. 
2. Next, add both source and destination drives to it. 
3. Further, check Windows File Explorer for both drives. 
4. Later, open both drives in separate windows to make the transfer. 
5. In the end, drag and drop files between the two drives. 

Cons: 

• May slow down the system when uploading large and multiple files. 
• You need to ensure that both added drives in the desktop app belong to Google. 
• Some files may go missing or be duplicated, even with a lot of time and effort. 

5) With Google Admin Console

The final manual way to transfer Google Drive to another account is through ownership transfer by GAC. However, there are some prerequisites for this method. 

Pre-Migration Checklist 

• Suspend the account of the current owner temporarily to avoid modifications. 
• Verify file hierarchy structure for the new and previous owners aligns with eachother. 
• Ensure that if you are a new owner, you do not add any files during the transfer. 
• Move Trash and Orphan files to My Drive too if you wish to transfer them to another account. 

Now, the steps for the transfer are:

1. Go to the Admin Console from your Google Drive and click on Apps. 
2. Next, under Google Workspace, select Drive and Docs, and click Transfer Ownership. 
3. Further, enter the email address of the source account in From User and of the destination account in To User. 
4. At last, press Transfer Files and wait until the process to move files from one Google Drive to another completes.

Cons: 

• Only beneficial for users with admin access, permissions, and credentials. 
• Moves data only between two Google Drive accounts. 

Pro Way to Transfer Files from One Google Drive to Another

Dealing with large datasets, cross-domain accounts, and bulk file volumes migration requires expert solutions. SysInfo Google Drive Migration Software is a dependable and industry-specialized tool that enables streamlined data transfers with zero loss. Additionally, it keeps the entire data preserved and transfers entire drive hierarchies at once. Moreover, it avoids manual errors, works flawlessly across Windows and macOS, and maintains data fidelity throughout migrations. 

Guide to Transfer Google Drive to Another Account

1. Start the Google Drive Migration Software and tap the Next button. 
2. Then, choose the Drive account for the data transfer and click Next. 
3. Further, check folders in the tree view, select them, and click Next. 
4. Afterward, use the specific filters that you require and hit Next. 
5. Later, choose OneDrive/Google Drive from the options and tap Next. 
6. Finally, pick the destination drive folder, give it a name, and click Next. 

Does Migrating Google Drive Create Duplicates?

Yes, of course. Commonly, duplicates may occur during the transfer of Google Drive data from one account to another, but they can be eliminated. This depends on the method you choose for the transfer. Like: 

• With access sharing, duplicates may occur. 
• By transfer of ownership, duplicates are not created. 
• Through Takeout, download & re-upload, or the desktop app, duplicates may be created. 
• With the professional Google Drive Migrator, you get the option to skip duplicates.

Pro Tips for Secure Google Drive Data Transfer 

• Audit the file permissions before making the transfer. 
• Remove access to the source account after transfer. 
• Get an automated migrator tool for large downloads. 
• Check logs to verify the transfer completion. 
• Run a pilot test first to confirm security and accuracy. (Use the Demo Version of the software.)

Conclusion 

Google Drive migrations are simple until you need to focus on scalability, accuracy, security, and ownership. When these are considerable, reliable approaches are the best choice to transfer Google Drive to another account, like with SysInfo Google Drive Migration Utility. It minimizes duplication, ensures precise transfers with zero loss, and keeps business continuity. It is the optimal solution for all scenarios and is highly suggested by experts, too. 

Frequently Asked Questions

About The Author:

Simran Bhatia

Simran Bhatia is a technical content writer engaged in writing clear, concise, and SEO-optimized content. With a background in computer science and a passion for writing, I thrive to deliver complex technical content in simple layman terms.