Convert Your Data

How to Convert Email to Text File With No Data Loss?

Fact-checked and reviewed in accordance with our Editorial Policy

If you want to convert email to text file then open messages in your email client and use Save As with Text or .txt format, or copy the content & paste it into Notepad or TextEdit. Users convert save email as text file to save crucial messages, remove formatting or use content in other applications.

This guide covers complete steps for popular email clients such as Thunderbird, Microsoft Outlook, Gmail & universal copy-and-paste method that works with most of the clients. We will cover manual methods limitations followed by introduction of professional tool that will manage bulk conversion, keeps email properties & extracts attachments. By the end of this article, users will know right approach to save emails as TXT files.

How to Convert Email to Text File?

1. Download and run the tool on your PC.
   
2. Select email source, enter email address password for cloud email client, while desktop email clients sign in automatically.
   
3. Preview and select folders, tick the folders you want to convert.
   
4. Choose saving format. Pick text-based output format from saving options list such as RTF (Rich Text Format).
   
5. Choose destination path and click backup and wait for process to start.
   

Read More: Learn how to convert emails to PDF for easy sharing and archiving.

Features of the Email to Text Converter

• Cloud to Desktop Backup: Using this application user can save emails from cloud accounts such as Gmail, Google Workspace, Yahoo, Outlook.com, Microsoft 365, Amazon WorkMail, Bluehost, Comcast & more to your computer.
• Desktop to Cloud Restore: Uploads data from email clients & file formats like Thunderbird, Apple Mail, eM Client, Windows Live Mail, Outlook, Lotus Notes, PST, OST, OLM, MSG, EML, EMLX, MBOX and others to cloud email services.
• Multiple File Formats: The software saves emails in PST, MSG, HTML, MHT, XPS, RTF, DOC, CSV, EML, EMLX, MBOX, PDF & OLM formats if you want to convert email to text file.
• Batch Mode: This application can backup multiple email accounts at once using account details imported from a CSV file.
• Maintain Email Data: The software keeps To, Cc, Bcc, From, Subject, inline images, HTML links, signatures, formatting & headings in their original form.
• Attachment Extraction: Users can save email attachments separately in their original formats, including DOC, XLS, PPT, TXT, RTF, PDF, XPS, PNG, JPG, GIF & more.
• Advanced Filters: The tool lets you backup selectively based on date range, subject, sender or receiver address.

Manually Convert Email Messages to Text File

These are some methods given below to convert email to .txt, depending on your email client. Here are the popular ones.

Method 1: Save Email as Text file Using Thunderbird

1. Open Thunderbird and select emails you want to convert.
2. Right-click email and select Save As > File.
3. In the Save as type dropdown, select Text Files (.txt).
4. Choose destination folder, enter file name & click Save.

Method 2: Using Microsoft Outlook to Save Emails as TXT

1. Open Microsoft Outlook on your computer.
2. Double-click email so it opens in its own window.
3. Click File in top-left corner.
4. Select Save As (or press Ctrl + S).
5. In Save as type dropdown, choose Text Only (.txt).
6. Choose destination folder, name file & click Save.

Method 3: Convert Email to Text File Using Gmail (Web)

Gmail has no built-in “save as text” option, so copy and paste is quickest way.

1. Firstly, open Gmail & click the email you want to convert.
2. After that highlight email text with your mouse.
3. Press Ctrl + C (Windows) or Cmd + C (Mac) to copy.
4. Open plain text editor such as Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac).
5. Now Press Ctrl + V or Cmd + V to paste the text.
6. Click File then Save As, name the file and use the .txt extension.

Method 4: Using Copy and Paste (Any Email Client)

This works in Yahoo Mail, Outlook.com, Zoho Mail & nearly any other client.

1. Open the email and select the full message with Ctrl + A (Cmd + A on Mac).
2. Copy it with Ctrl + C (Cmd + C).
3. Paste it into Notepad or TextEdit.
4. Finally, Save file with .txt extension.

Limitations of the Manual Methods

• These methods don’t support bulk conversion which makes large-scale email conversion time-consuming.
• The text file holds only the message body, so user must save every attachment separately.
• Manual conversion does not maintain original folders & subfolders, so managing results later takes extra work.
• It requires repetitive manual work, it’s easy to miss content, overwrite files or save in wrong format.

Conclusion

Converting few email to text file is simple with built-in option. These manual methods work well if you only need to convert small number of emails. If users want to save attachments, keep email details and folder structure in its original form, going with professional tool to convert email to text file works best, as it simplifies the entire process and saves time.