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Keep Access to Your Google Assets
When Moving Email

Protect access with durable owners, DNS verification, and a simple checklist.
Google Workspace

By web developer and strategist

Estimated read time: 6–8 minutes

When moving email from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365, your Google assets do not disappear. The real risk is losing access if the only owner account is removed. This guide shows how to keep control. Add durable owners. Shut down Google Workspace with confidence.

Worried you’ll lose access when you switch email providers?

Good news. Your assets usually stay. Add backup owners and admins before you remove any Google accounts, then follow the steps below.

Critical warning

If you delete the only owner for a Google service, recovery can be slow and not guaranteed. Add backup owners and admins before you shut down Google Workspace.

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Quick Takeaways

  • Moving email providers does not delete your Google services.
  • If you delete the Google accounts that own them, you can lose access.
  • Add backup owners and admins before you shut down Google Workspace.

What Actually Happens

  • User accounts: When you terminate Google Workspace, those user identities are removed. They can’t sign in to any Google product.
  • Assets: Business Profiles, YouTube Brand Accounts, Google Ads, Analytics, Tag Manager, Search Console and more usually stay online. If the only owner is deleted, the asset becomes orphaned. You lose control.
  • Recovery: Some products allow recovery with verification or support. It can be slow and not guaranteed. It’s better to transfer ownership first.

How To Protect Access Before Migration

1. Audit your assets

  • List every Google product, account, property, and role.
  • Capture account IDs, property IDs, verification methods, and billing IDs.

2. Add durable owners and admins

  • Create one durable Google login. Use a non-Google email you control long term, or a dedicated shared Gmail with strong MFA.
  • Add it as Owner or Admin on every asset.

3. Use multi‑owner setups

  • Business Profile: Add at least two Owners. Set a backup Primary Owner.
  • YouTube: Add two Owners. Set a backup Primary Owner.
  • Ads: Add multiple admins. Link the account to a Manager account (MCC) that uses your durable email.
  • Analytics and Tag Manager: Add multiple admins. Document access.
  • Search Console: Use DNS verification. Add owners on backup accounts.

4. Consider Cloud Identity

  • Keep Google identities without Gmail. Use Cloud Identityto preserve admin accounts even if email moves.
  • Keep Google admin identities without Gmail during and after migration.

5. Document the essentials

  • Store IDs, verification methods, and billing details in a shared password manager or secure doc.
  • Export configurations where possible.

During migration timeline

  • Week 1. Audit assets and create your durable account.
  • Week 2. Add owners and admins. Set DNS verification for Search Console.
  • Week 3. Test logins and permissions. Confirm access from the durable account.
  • Final step. Terminate Google Workspace only after you confirm backup ownership everywhere.

Service by Service

Google Business Profile

  • What stays: Profiles stay published.
  • Risk: If the sole owner is deleted, you must reclaim via verification.
  • Do this: Business Profile Manager → Users → Add Owner → Promote to Primary Owner.

YouTube Brand Account

  • What stays: Channels persist.
  • Risk: If the Primary Owner is deleted and there is no other owner, the channel can be stuck.
  • Do this: YouTube Studio → Settings → Permissions → Add Owner → Make durable account Primary Owner.
  • What stays: Campaigns and billing stay.
  • Risk: If the only admin is removed, you lose access.
  • Do this: Tools and Settings → Access and Security → Users → Invite durable account as Admin → Link to MCC owned by durable email.

Google Analytics and Tag Manager

  • What stays: GA4 properties and GTM containers stay.
  • Risk: If the only admin is deleted, they become orphaned.
  • Do this: Analytics Admin → Access Management → Add Admin for durable account. Tag Manager Admin → User Management → Add Admin → Document access.

Search Console

  • What stays: Properties stay as long as verification remains.
  • Risk: If verification depended on a deleted method, you may lose access.
  • Do this: Use DNS verification → Add durable account as Owner → Keep DNS in place.

Other Products

  • Drive, Merchant Center, Maps, Play Console, and more follow the same pattern. Data usually remains, but sole owner deletion can lock you out.
  • Do this: Add durable account as Owner or Admin → Confirm billing and recovery access.

Further Reading

Google Business Profile

YouTube

Google Analytics

Google Ads

Google Workspace

If Workspace Is Already Terminated

  • Business Profile: Reclaim and verify with a new Google account.
  • Search Console: Re‑verify using DNS or file upload.
  • Ads, Analytics, Tag Manager: Contact support with proof of ownership. Results vary.
  • YouTube Brand Account: If truly unowned, recovery is difficult. Try support escalation.

The Bottom Line

Moving email does not delete your Google assets. Add backup owners now. Confirm access. Then shut down Google Workspace with confidence.