---
title: Moving Domain Email Away from Google Workspace
created: 2026-09-19
updated: 2026-09-19
type: concept
tags: [kb, reference, workflow, homelab]
sources: [raw/articles/moving-domain-email-away-from-google-workspace-2026-09-19.md]
confidence: medium
contested: false
---

# Moving Domain Email Away from Google Workspace

Google gave free Google Workspace users (those hosting custom domain email, e.g. me@mydomain.com) until June 1 to either pay or switch providers. Free gmail.com addresses are unaffected.

## Choosing a New Email Host

- **Web host** — may offer email hosting free or for a fee
- **Domain registrar** — often provides email hosting (if not Google)
- **Paid providers** — [Fastmail], [ProtonMail] offer calendars and docs as Google Workspace alternatives

## Switching Steps

1. **Clean up** — empty trash/junk, unsubscribe from unnecessary lists (you don't need to Marie Kondo everything)
2. **Export** — use [Google Takeout] or the Data Export Tool for mail, calendars, docs
3. **Sign up** with new host — create mailboxes as placeholders before MX switch if possible
4. **Update MX records** — at domain registrar, change from "google"/"googlemail" to new host's records; verify with [whatsmydns.net]; allow 24-48h (often faster)
5. **Test** sending/receiving with your email client (Apple Mail, Outlook, Thunderbird)
6. **Import archives** (optional) per new host's instructions
7. **Cancel Google Workspace** — log into Google admin console, cancel subscription, delete org users after exporting all data

## Notes

- You can keep using the same email addresses after switching
- Old emails can be imported to new host (subject to their storage limits)
- Free Gmail account can be configured to read/send from new host addresses
- If MX records updated before mailboxes created, mail lands in both old (Google) and new inboxes temporarily

## Related

- [[Google Workspace]] — the service being left
- [[Email Hosting]] — general concept of hosting email for a domain
- [[MX Records]] — DNS records that direct email delivery

[Fastmail]: https://www.fastmail.com
[ProtonMail]: https://proton.me
[Google Takeout]: https://takeout.google.com
[whatsmydns.net]: https://www.whatsmydns.net