From Gmail to Outlook
Macquarie University will retire its remaining student Gmail service on 10 February 2027. This affects former students whose Gmail mailboxes were not eligible for migration to Outlook.
If you are in this group, you may still be using your Macquarie Gmail mailbox, but this access will end on 10 February 2027.
Before this date:
- save any emails and attachments you want to keep
- update websites, subscriptions and other external services that use your student email address for contact, sign-in or account recovery.
Once your Gmail mailbox is retired, you will no longer be able to use it to send, receive or retrieve email.
If your student email was migrated to Outlook, this Gmail retirement does not switch off your Outlook mailbox. Your ongoing access is subject to Macquarie’s student mailbox retention arrangements.
Moving from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365
Macquarie University is moving to Microsoft 365 as its main platform for student email, file storage and collaboration. Student email moved from Gmail to Outlook on 22 July 2026, and the next stage is to retire Google Drive and other Google Workspace applications.
The email migration did not move files from Google Drive to OneDrive. Google Drive and other Google Workspace applications are being retired separately from the Gmail service.
If you have documents, assignments, or other content saved in your Macquarie Google account, you'll need to make arrangements to keep anything you still need. Learn more about this change.
Your student mailbox has moved to Outlook
On 22 July 2026, Macquarie University moved the email service for current students from Gmail to Outlook (Microsoft 365). Eligible former students were also migrated as part of the subsequent migration activities. The migration of these groups is now complete.
If your mailbox was included, your student email address has not changed. Outlook is now your primary student mailbox and is where new messages are delivered. Existing email and supported mailbox content, including folders, calendar information, contacts and tasks, were included in the migration process.
If you have been away from your studies or are returning in 2027, you do not need to arrange another mailbox migration. Simply sign in to Outlook to access your student email.
To access your student email, go to Outlook or open the Outlook app and sign in with your Macquarie student account. Follow any multi-factor authentication prompts. You can also use Outlook to view your migrated messages and manage your calendar and contacts.
- From 22 July 2026, new student email for migrated current students was delivered to Outlook rather than Gmail.
- Your student email address remained the same, so people could continue contacting you using your existing address.
- Existing supported mailbox content was transferred to Outlook as part of the migration.
- Your Google Drive files were not included in the email migration and have not been automatically moved to OneDrive.
The email service available to you depends on when you studied and whether your account was eligible for migration.
| Student group | What this means for your email |
|---|---|
| Current students, including students on leave of absence | Your student email moved to Outlook on 22 July 2026. Sign in to Outlook when you return to study. |
| Graduate Research students with an existing @hdr.mq.edu.au student mailbox | Your existing HDR mailbox arrangements continue. Auto-forwarding between your @students and @hdr mailbox will be applied for you, and you can continue to use your HDR mailbox if you prefer. |
| Students commencing after 22 July 2026 | Your student email is provided through Outlook. |
| Eligible former students who completed or discontinued study | Your mailbox was migrated to Outlook. Access continues for the applicable student email retention period. |
| Former students not eligible for migration | You may still be able to use your Macquarie Gmail mailbox. This service ends on 10 February 2027. Save important messages and update external accounts before then. |
For students whose email moved to Outlook
Outlook replaced Gmail as your primary student email service. New messages are delivered to Outlook, and your migrated email should be accessed there. Your previous Gmail mailbox is not the place to send or receive University email.
For former students who were not migrated
If you were not eligible for migration, your student Gmail mailbox may still be available for now. However, the remaining student Gmail service will be retired on 10 February 2027. Your mailbox will not be migrated to Outlook as part of this final retirement, so you should make your own arrangements to save information you need.
- Review your mailbox and identify messages, attachments and account information you need to keep.
- Download or export your important email before 10 February 2027. Google Takeout may be an option if it is enabled for your account. Allow time to complete and check the export.
- Update external accounts that use your student email for notifications, sign-in or password recovery. If you use “Sign in with Google”, check how to change the actual sign-in method as well as the contact email.
- Add a personal email address to services you expect to use after leaving Macquarie, such as My eQuals, where supported.
Two-year mailbox retention period
If you graduate or discontinue your studies, you can continue accessing your Macquarie Outlook mailbox for up to two years after leaving the University. After this period, your mailbox will be deactivated and you will no longer be able to access your emails.
We recommend saving any important emails and updating external accounts linked to your student email address before your access ends.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Students on leave of absence were included in the current-student migration on 22 July 2026. Sign in to Outlook using your Macquarie student account when you return.
No. If your mailbox was migrated to Outlook, your existing student email address stayed the same.
Your existing supported mailbox content was included in the migration. Sign in to Outlook and check your folders. If you cannot locate important messages, contact IT support.
No. Outlook is now the primary mailbox for migrated students. Use Outlook for your University email.
If your mailbox was not eligible for migration, you may still have access to Gmail until the remaining service is retired on 10 February 2027. Save emails you need and update linked accounts before then.
You can download important messages and attachments. Google Takeout can help export supported data if enabled for your account. Check your downloaded files before the deadline.
Not always. If a website uses “Sign in with Google”, you may also need to change its sign-in method. Update recovery details and test that you can sign in without your Macquarie Google account.
Drive files were not moved as part of the email migration. Google Workspace applications become read-only from 11 January 2027. Learn more about this change.
Contact IT Service Desk
TechBar, Ground Floor, 18 Wally’s Walk
Macquarie University
Wallumattagal Campus NSW 2109