Student email accounts are deleted one year after you leave CSU!
(Or, if you had Office 365 email as a student, click here.)
If you had Rams (Google) as a student:
If you're using your @rams.colostate.edu (a Google Account provided by CSU), you can copy and transfer your files to another Google Account. This process lets you:
- Back up your files from time to time
- Keep important files when you graduate, switch schools, or leave for another reason
(remember, @Rams accounts are deleted about a year after you leave CSU)
What you can copy
You can copy and transfer these kinds of files from your @Rams account to another Google account:
- Email in your @Rams Gmail (not contacts, chats, or tasks)
- Documents that you own in Google Drive (except files in the "Google Photos" section of Drive; see below for solution)
- Documents in My Drive
A file in My Drive won't be copied if either of the following are true:
- You're a viewer, not an editor or owner
- The owner has turned off download, print, and copy options for commenters and viewers
- When the copy process is done, you'll be notified by email about any files in My Drive that weren't copied.
Copy & transfer your files
Each time you copy files from your @Rams account, a new set of copies is created in your other Google Account.
Create a new account
Students who have filed intent-to-graduate paperwork for a degree (or a certificate in some cases) will be given an Alumni gmail account (ends in @alumni.colostate.edu). Refer to your welcome email to access that. Otherwise, you can also create a regular Google Account such as your username@gmail.com.
Prepare your files
To copy content that other people have shared with you, add those files to My Drive.
Start the copy process
- Log in to your @Rams account with a web browser
- In that web browser, go to the transfer your content site, by entering https://takeout.google.com/transfer into your browser address bar.
- Still in the Rams account web browser, type the email address of the new or target (or @Alumni) Google Account where you want to copy your content to.
- Select Get code.
- Now go to a different browser
- On your new (e.g., Alumni) Google Account, check your inbox for a confirmation email from Google. In the email, select Get confirmation code. A new tab will open with a code.
- Back at your @Rams account, go back to the "Transfer your content" site. Enter the code, then choose Verify.
- Choose the content you'd like to copy, then select Start transfer.
Details about the copy process
- The copy process usually happens within a few hours, but it can take up to a week.
- Copied files might appear in batches on your Google Account during the copy process.
- When your files are finished copying, you'll get an email at your new Gmail address.
Download files that aren't copied
To save your content from other Google products, you can download your data.
For example, you can download your Gmail contacts, your YouTube videos, and your photo albums in Google Photos.
Notes on this process
See your copied files: To see the files you've copied, sign in to Gmail or Google Drive with your new Google Account.
- Gmail: Copied content will have a label with your school account name and the date you started the copy process.
- Drive: Copied content will be in a folder labeled with your school account name and the date you started the copy process.
What changes on copied files: There are a few important changes that happen on files copied from Google Drive:
- You automatically become the file owner of all copied files. (The owners of the original files remain the same.)
- Copied files aren't shared with others. (You can always choose to share them.)
- Comments are copied, but revision history isn't.
View transfer history: To see details about content you've copied in the past 30 days:
- Go to Transfer your content.
- Select Manage transfer history.
Troubleshooting
Confirmation code doesn't work
If you can't get a confirmation code or the code doesn't work, here are a few possible reasons.
- Code expired. Codes stop working after 24 hours.
- Code was already used. Each code can be used only once. You need to use a new code each time you copy files.
- Code was replaced. If you request a code more than once, only the most recent one works. Try again and make sure you've entered the most recent code.
- Confirmation email was forwarded. If the confirmation email was forwarded to another account, selecting "Get confirmation code" won't work. Sign in to the Google Account where the email was sent and try again.
Can't copy files
If you're having trouble copying your files, here are some possible causes.
Not enough storage
- Sign in to the Google Account where you want to copy your content.
- Check your storage space.
- If you don't have enough storage, you can clear storage space or buy more storage.
Restricted settings
The file owner might have restricted the file's settings. Or your school might not allow files to be shared with outside accounts.
Alternate method: use Drag-and-Drop
You may also try using the drag-and-drop method to move your emails from your student account to your forever account.
Delete copied files
The copied files are grouped together by labels in Gmail and by folders in Drive, so you can easily delete them.
Learn how to delete emails in Gmail and delete folders in Drive.
Change a file's owner
If you're the owner of a file in Google Drive, you can transfer ownership.
For example, if you'll graduate soon and you own documents for a student club, you might want to transfer ownership to another student.