Little-known Gmail trick lands you 15GB for free and without losing any files

If your inbox is clogged with newsletters you forgot you subscribed and junk mail that needs deleting, there’s a way to clean things up without losing the stuff you care about.

It's worth noting that every new Google email account comes with 15GB of free storage. Whilst a decent offer, this space can fill up fast, since it also covers your Google Drive and Google Photos too.

Sure, Google offers 100GB of storage if you upgrade to a 'Basic' Google One account plan for $24 a year. But, there's also a way to clear out your Gmail and get back storage for free. Here's how to do it:

1. Back up your files

In situations that require moving a lot of files, it's best to save a backup first for a worst-case scenario. You can download your emails onto your computer or an external hard drive, just to be safe.

To do this, go to Google Takeout and select 'Google Photos' and/or 'Drive' to export your files. Depending on how much stuff you’ve got though, this might take a while.

Google offers 100GB of storage if you upgrade to a 'Basic' Google One account plan for $24 a year. (SOPA Images/Contributor/Getty)

2. Get ready to transfer your Gmails to a new email account

Now that you've backed everything up, log into your original Gmail account and click the gear icon in the top right and then 'See all settings.'

Go to the Forwarding POP/IMAP tab, under POP Download, select 'Enable POP for all mail.' Set it so Gmail will delete copies after the emails are transferred (this clears up the space) and click 'Save changes.'

3. Create a second Gmail account and transfer everything

Create a new inbox-zero Gmail account, which will act as your personal archive. Log into your new account, go to Settings > Accounts and Import, and click 'Add a mail account' next to 'Check mail from other accounts.'

Then, enter the email address of your original account and follow the prompts. Choose 'Import emails from my other account (POP3).'

You can transfer your emails onto your computer or an external hard drive to back them up. (SEAN GLADWELL/Getty)

You’ll need the password for your original account - and possibly a temporary app password, which you can generate easily. Once you've done this, a pop-up window with your new 16-digit passcode will display.

Make sure to make a note of this or screenshot it, as Google will only show it to you once. Once you've synced your accounts, set the Port to '995' and check these three boxes:

• Always use a secure connection (SSL) when retrieving mail
• Label incoming messages
• Archive incoming messages (Skip the Inbox)

Finally, click 'Add Account,' and you’re good to go.

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