So, you’re trying to leave Google Workspace — or maybe just clean house before a re-org.
Either way, there’s that one gnawing fear:
“What if I lose track of who’s in what group… and Cheryl from finance stops getting payroll emails?”
I’ve been there.
Exporting Users and Groups from Google Workspace sounds like it should be a one-click thing.
It’s not.
But it doesn’t have to feel like decoding the Matrix, either.
Here’s the real, no-fluff, emotionally honest guide I wish I had when I first did this.
☕️ First, Take a Breath — Why Exporting Feels So Damn Stressful
You might be:
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Migrating to Microsoft 365
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Cleaning up your org after a chaotic year
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Backing things up because Google’s admin panel feels like it could implode at any moment
Whatever the reason, the emotional core is the same:
You want to make sure people stay reachable, data stays safe, and you don’t become “that admin” who broke email for half the company.
Let’s avoid that.
🧭 Step-by-Step: The Sanity-Saving Export Process
✅ 1. Export All Users (the clean way)
Google doesn’t give you a "Download All Users" button front and center, but here's what works best:
Method A: Google Admin Console (manual)
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Go to admin.google.com
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Navigate to Directory > Users
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Click the download icon (upper-right corner)
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Choose CSV or Google Sheets
What you get:
Name, email, Org Unit, status, and more — but not group memberships.
Still, a solid starting point.
Method B: Google Workspace Admin SDK (API, but easy)
If you want full control:
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Use the Google Admin SDK with a tool like Google Apps Script, Python, or GAM (GAMADV-XTD3)
GAM is a lifesaver. Period.
It’s a free command-line tool that unlocks all the stuff Google buries under layers of UI.
✅ 2. Export All Groups (and their members)
This is where things get spicy — and most people forget this step.
Best Tool: GAMADV-XTD3
Here’s what worked for me:
Boom.
You now have:
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A list of every Google Group in your Workspace
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A breakdown of every member, including roles and email addresses
Bonus: You’ll catch shadow groups, dormant aliases, and mailing lists that no one remembers creating.
💡 Unconventional Pro Tips (You Won’t Find in the Help Docs)
🧼 Clean Up Before You Export
Don’t take the junk with you. Use the audit moment to:
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Delete suspended or unused users
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Reorganize groups with terrible names like
team_old2-final-jan -
Remove duplicate aliases
💾 Save It All to Google Drive — Then Share It with Yourself
Sounds obvious, but make sure your export lives somewhere safe.
Label the folders clearly. Archive them in Drive with versioning. Share with a backup admin. This is future-you thinking ahead.
🔐 Always Export with Super Admin Rights
Partial data = partial panic.
If you’re not using a Super Admin account, you’ll miss stuff. And you won’t even know what’s missing.
🤯 Why This Matters (Beyond the Technical Stuff)
People think exporting users is just “an IT thing.”
It’s not.
It’s the difference between:
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A smooth transition vs a week of “Hey, I can’t log in?”
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HR getting sued because someone missed a benefits email
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That one team’s Google Group quietly breaking — and no one noticing until launch day
Don’t wait until you're deprovisioning licenses in a rush.
Export early. Export often. Own your org’s people-data.
TL;DR – Here’s What You Actually Need to Do
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✅ Use the Admin Console to export basic user info
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✅ Use GAM to export groups + memberships like a pro
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✅ Label, back up, and share the files securely
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✅ Clean up your Workspace while you’re at it
Final Words: Don’t Let Google Workspace Hold Your Data Hostage
I’ve seen too many people lose their org’s structure because they assumed it would always be “just there.”
It’s not about paranoia.
It’s about owning your ecosystem — and giving yourself room to breathe when the platforms shift under your feet.
You built this Workspace. You can back it up.
You’re not just clicking export — you’re reclaiming control.
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