UW-Madison Google Workspace - Copy your Google Site to a different account

This article explains how to copy your Google Site from one Google account to another.

Learn more about the differences between a personal Google account and a UW-Madison Google Workspace account.


Copy your Google Site from a personal Google account to a UW-Madison Google Workspace account

If you created a Google Site in your personal Google account and would like for it to be covered by the UW-Madison Google Workspace Terms of Service, you may want to copy your site to your UW-Madison Google Workspace account. However, keep in mind that your URL will change. For example:

  • If your current URL is: https://sites.google.com/site/bucky-badger
  • Your new URL in UW-Madison Google Workspace will be: https://sites.google.com/a/wisc.edu/bucky-badger

To copy your site to your UW-Madison Google Workspace account, follow the steps below:

    1. Log into your personal Google account.
    2. Open your Site.
    3. Click on the Share icon in the top right menu.

      Share Icon

    4. You will see a list of everyone who currently has access to your site. Enter the email address associated with your UW-Madison Google Workspace account in the Add people and groups text field.

      Share settings

    5. Make sure to check the box next to Notify people and then click Send.

      Notify people

    6. You should now see your UW-Madison Google Workspace email address listed in the People with access list. Click on the drop-down menu next to your newly added email and select Transfer ownership.

      Transfer ownership

    7. This will prompt a pop-up notification verifying that you are transferring ownership. Select Yes.

      Pop-up message

    8. Next, log out of your personal Google account.

      Log out

    9. Then log in to UW-Madison Google Workspace with your NetID and password using the following URL:

      If you have multiple UW-Madison Google Workspace accounts, select your desired account from the list provided.

      Select account

      If you only have one UW-Madison Google Workspace account, you will be logged into your account automatically.

    10. Navigate to Sites.

      Navigate to Sites

    11. You should now be able to see the site you just shared in your UW-Madison Google Sites home page. If you are not able to see the site, navigate to your UW-Madison email where you should have received a notification with a link to the site.
    12. Click on your shared site either from your UW-Madison Google Sites homepage or using the link sent to your UW-Madison email. These will both take you to your site, where you should see editing options. Verify that you are logged in with your UW-Madison Google Workspace account by clicking on the profile icon in the top right corner.

      Verify Account

      Note: If you don't see edit options when you open your site, verify that you navigated to Sites from with your UW-Madison Google Workspace account and not from within your personal Google account.

    13. Click on the ellipsis icon located to the top right of the page. Then select Make a copy from the drop-down menu.

      Copy Site

    14. Enter your Site name and your desired site settings. Then select Ok.

      Copy Settings

    15. A copy of your site should now be hosted within UW-Madison Google Workspace.

Copy your Google Site from a UW-Madison Google Workspace account to a personal Google account

If you created a Google Site using your UW-Madison Google Workspace account and you are leaving the University, the best way to retain access to your Site is to copy it to a personal Google account.

    • If you are using your WiscMail account (e.g., bbadger@wisc.edu) to log in to UW-Madison Google Workspace , you will lose access to your UW-Madison Google Workspace account once your NetID has been deactivated. Please see the following for more information: [Link for document 15243 is unavailable at this time]
  • If you are using a WiscMail Plus account (e.g., joe_user@dept.wisc.edu) to log in to UW-Madison Google Workspace , whether or not your account continues to be active will be based on departmental policy. Contact your WiscMail Plus domain administrator for more information. If you don't know who your WiscMail Plus domain administrator is, you can find out by contacting the DoIT Help Desk.

Your URL will change when you copy your site to your personal Google account.

    • If your current URL is: https://sites.google.com/a/wisc.edu/bucky-badger
  • Your new URL in UW-Madison Google Workspace will be: https://sites.google.com/site/bucky-badger

  • Keep in mind that you may not be able to get the same URL extension you had in UW-Madison Google Workspace after you copy your Site to your personal Google account, due to the much greater number Sites in Google's public space.

To transfer ownership of your site to your personal Google account, follow the steps below:

    1. Log into UW-Madison Google Workspace with your NetID and password using the following URL:

    2. If you have multiple UW-Madison Google Workspace accounts, select your desired account from the list provided.

      Select account

      If you only have one UW-Madison Google Workspace account, you will be logged into your account automatically.

    3. Open your Site.
    4. Click on the Share icon in the top right menu.

      Share Icon

    5. You will see a list of everyone who currently has access to your site. Enter your personal Gmail account in the Add people and groups text field.

      Share settings

    6. Make sure to check the box next to Notify people and then click Send.

      Notify people

    7. You should now see your personal Gmail address listed in the People with access list. Click on the drop down menu next to your personal email and select Transfer ownership.

      Transfer ownership

    8. This will prompt a pop-up notification verifying that you are transferring ownership. Select Yes.

      Pop-up message

    9. Next, log out of your UW-Madison Google Workspace account.

      Log out

    10. Then log into your personal Google account.

    11. Navigate to Sites.

      • Click on the waffle icon at the top right of your screen.
      • Select More from Google at the bottom of the drop-down menu.
      • Scroll through the listed Google products until you find Sites.

    12. You should now be able to see the site you shared from your UW-Madison Google account. If you are not able to see the site, navigate to your personal Gmail where you should have received a notification with a link to the site.

    13. Click on your shared site either from your personal Google Sites homepage or using the link sent to your personal Gmail. These will both take you to your site, where you should see editing options. Verify that you are logged in with your personal Google account by clicking on the profile icon in the top right corner.

      Verify Account

      Note: If you don't see edit options when you open your site, verify that you navigated to Sites from within your personal Google account.

    14. Click on the ellipsis icon located to the top right of the page. Then select Make a copy from the drop-down menu.

      Copy Site

    15. Enter your Site name and your desired site settings. Then select Ok.

      Copy Settings

    16. A copy of your site should now be fully transferred to your personal Google account.

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    Copy your Google Site from one UW-Madison Google Workspace account to another UW-Madison Google Workspace account

    If you create a Google Site with your UW-Madison Google Workspace account, there are several reasons you may want to copy your site to a different UW-Madison Google Workspace accounts.

      • If you have two UW-Madison Google Workspace accounts -- for example, a WiscMail account (bbadger@wisc.edu) and a WiscMail Plus account (bucky.badger@doit.wisc.edu) -- you may want to move the Site to your other account.

      • If you are leaving the University, but members of your work group want to continue using the Site, you may want to copy the Site to a UW-Madison Google Workspace account that belongs to someone else in your group.

    • If you created a Site using a UW-Madison Google Workspace account that was associated with a departmental account (bucky.badger@doit.wisc.edu) and you are moving to a different department, you may want to copy your Site to a UW-Madison Google Workspace account that is associated with your new department (bucky.badger@library.wisc.edu).

    Keep in mind that your URL will always change when you copy your Site to a new account, regardless of whether that account is in the same domain.

    To copy your site from one UW-Madison Google Workspace account (Account A, bbadger@wisc.edu) to another UW-Madison Google Workspace account (Account B, buckyb_doit@wisc.edu), follow the steps below:

      1. Log into UW-Madison Google Workspace with Account A:

      2. If you have multiple UW-Madison Google Workspace accounts, select your desired account from the list provided.

        Select account

        If you only have one UW-Madison Google Workspace account, you will be logged into your account automatically.

      3. Open your Site.

      4. Click on the Share icon in the top right menu.

        Share Icon

      5. You will see a list of everyone who currently has access to your site. Enter email address associated with Account B in the Add people and groups text field.

        Share settings

      6. Make sure to check the box next to Notify people and then click Send.

        Notify people

      7. You should now see Account B listed in the People with access list. Click on the drop down menu next to Account B and select Transfer ownership.

        Transfer ownership

      8. This will prompt a pop-up notification verifying that you are transferring ownership. Select Yes.

        Pop-up message

      9. Next, log out of Account A.

        Log out

      10. Then log into UW-Madison Google Workspace with Account B:

      11. Navigate to Sites.

        Navigate to Sites

      12. You should now be able to see the site you shared from Account A. If you are not able to see the site, navigate to Account B's email where you should have received a notification with a link to the site.

      13. Click on your shared site either from Account B's Google Sites homepage or using the link sent to Account B's email. These will both take you to your site, where you should see editing options. Verify that you are logged in with Account B by clicking on the profile icon in the top right corner.

        Verify Account

        Note: If you don't see edit options when you open your site, verify that you navigated to Sites from within Account B.

      14. Click on the ellipsis icon located to the top right of the page. Then select Make a copy from the drop-down menu.

        Copy Site

      15. Enter your Site name and your desired site settings. Then select Ok.

        Copy Settings

      16. A copy of your Site should now be fully transferred to Account B.

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