Moving Google Shared Drives to Microsoft 365 involves either using Microsoft’s native migration tools (Migration Manager) or third-party solutions like ShareGate, or Cloudiway. The process carefully migrates files, structure, and (sometimes) permissions from Google Shared Drives into SharePoint Online or OneDrive for Business.

Table of Contents

1. Getting Ready: Requirements & Prerequisites
2. Methods for Migration: Native & Third-Party Tools
3. Step-by-Step: Using Microsoft Migration Manager
4. What to Watch For: Tips & Limitations
5. Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Ready: Requirements & Prerequisites

• Admin access to Google Workspace and Microsoft 365 is required for an organization-level migration.
• Clean up Google Shared Drives: Remove unnecessary files and clarify ownership before starting.
• Decide the target: SharePoint site (the most common), OneDrive, or Teams.
• If intending to preserve advanced sharing and metadata, double-check tool capabilities.

Methods for Migration: Native & Third-Party Tools

You’ve got two main approaches:

• Microsoft Migration Manager: Free, built-in, solid for many scenarios. Handles files, folders, and basic metadata, although not every Drive setting or permission.

• Third-Party Tools: Tools like ShareGate, CloudFuze, and Cloudiway offer more bells and whistles, often including more detailed mapping, reporting, and sometimes delta (incremental) migration.

Step-by-Step: Using Microsoft Migration Manager

Let’s keep this simple.

1. Install the migration app from the Microsoft 365 Admin Center into your Google Workspace environment.
2. Connect your Google account and authorize access.
3. Select and scan the Shared Drives you want to migrate. Scanning will flag issues before anything moves.
4. Copy to migration queue: When scans are “Ready to Migrate,” move them to the list of drives to be migrated.
5. Map users and permissions: Microsoft will let you map Google accounts to Microsoft 365 identities. Adjust permissions mapping as needed.
6. Review target destinations: Pick or prep the SharePoint sites or OneDrive libraries where content will land.
7. Start migration and monitor: Launch! Monitor progress and fix errors as they come up.
8. Validate the results: Check SharePoint or OneDrive for missing, skipped, or misplaced content.

What to Watch For: Tips & Limitations

• Not all Google file types (e.g., Drawings, Forms) convert cleanly; some may become PDFs.
• Large migrations can take days or weeks, plan a blackout window if needed.
• Permissions, comments, and version history can be complex, test with a small pilot first.
• Metadata mapping is often limited, except for some manual correction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can Google map exactly to Microsoft 365?
A: Usually, yes for files and folders, but granular sharing or links may need manual adjustment.

Q: Is manual migration (download-upload) practical?
A: Only for very small sets of files, it’s slow and error-prone for anything sizable.

Community Question

What has been the trickiest part of moving your files from Google to Microsoft so far?

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