If you are a Google user who uses both the normal Google+ profile and also one that is linked to your Google Apps account, you will be happy to know that Google now has option to link or rather merge the two profiles.
The merge is possible by a tool called Google Takeout. This is a new tool introduced by Google a few days back as part of the search giant' data portability initiative. The tool helps one to transfer their Google+ Circles and other information from one account to another. From the tool one can also make sure that their followers are transferred to their preferred account. For those of your who don't know, Google Apps is a Google hosted service that let institutions like business or schools use different Google products. It was only last October that Google Apps received support from Google plus.
The merge process however is a little tricky and one will need to be careful before you plan on using the transfer/merge service. The process will need to be started by clicking Google+ Circle Transfer from the Google Takeout tool. After this you will need to request the merge. Once you do that, there is a window of 7 days while you just wait on the process to get started. Once the actual process start, it will be around 2 days (48hrs) for the process to complete and... you will not be able to cancel or reverse this process now. Apart from this for these 2 days, you will not be able to perform any operations or use any of the two accounts.
After the process is done, your Circles, blocks and ignores are copied from your one account to the preferred account. However information like your source account profile' information, the posts and comments will be left nontransferable. So again, if there is any need to perform any merge please make sure you make up your mind as the process is irreversible!!
Google explains that "After the transfer is complete, your source account profile will still exist in your source account. However, it will be replaced with your destination account in other people's circles." and the guys also warns that "If you no longer need your source account Google+ profile, downgrade the profile associated with your source account and select Delete your entire Google+ profile. Before downgrading, we recommend downloading your Google+ data from your source account at Google Takeout."
For more information and the official word, you may see here.
The merge process however is a little tricky and one will need to be careful before you plan on using the transfer/merge service. The process will need to be started by clicking Google+ Circle Transfer from the Google Takeout tool. After this you will need to request the merge. Once you do that, there is a window of 7 days while you just wait on the process to get started. Once the actual process start, it will be around 2 days (48hrs) for the process to complete and... you will not be able to cancel or reverse this process now. Apart from this for these 2 days, you will not be able to perform any operations or use any of the two accounts.
After the process is done, your Circles, blocks and ignores are copied from your one account to the preferred account. However information like your source account profile' information, the posts and comments will be left nontransferable. So again, if there is any need to perform any merge please make sure you make up your mind as the process is irreversible!!
Google explains that "After the transfer is complete, your source account profile will still exist in your source account. However, it will be replaced with your destination account in other people's circles." and the guys also warns that "If you no longer need your source account Google+ profile, downgrade the profile associated with your source account and select Delete your entire Google+ profile. Before downgrading, we recommend downloading your Google+ data from your source account at Google Takeout."
For more information and the official word, you may see here.
I read about this a couple of days ago and posted on Google+. Has anyone actually DONE THIS? Sounds kinda scary. 'Undoing' anything "Google" is just about impossible.
ReplyDeleteYou shared it already? Oops we missed it, we would have loved to give you the Post Credit. Next time may be you could mention us in in the news :)
ReplyDeleteWe don't know anybody in our network who has tried this yet. Agree that this is kind of scary and we think Google could be trusted ;)
Thanks for dropping by Mike, we hope you had good holidays, waiting for more pics!!