How to Bulk Convert MBOX to TXT Format Using Easy Ways?

  Rollins Duke
Rollins Duke   
Published: September 10th, 2025 • 8 Min Read

Users sometimes need to convert MBOX to TXT format for various reasons. Have you ever encountered a situation where you downloaded some Google emails to your new Windows laptop and, due to the great compatibility of plain text files, you now want to change MBOX files to text format? Well, if you have decided so, we are there to guide you towards your journey to resolve this problem with ease.

Different email users wish to export MBOX emails to Text files so as to open the email data in any word processor or text editor program. Keep reading this blog to learn about how to export MBOX files to Text format using free and pro techniques.

Reasons to Convert MBOX to TXT

You might be wondering what the major reasons are to convert MBOX emails to Text files. If you have an MBOX file exported from email clients like Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Google Takeout, Eudora, PowerMail, or Evolution, then you can easily change MBOX files to TXT format and avail of the following benefits with the plain text files.

  • TEXT files can easily be opened on different platforms like all Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, for that matter, using different applications.
  • Having text files with you will remove the headache of deciding which format is best.
  • Since text files are really easy to work with, you can migrate MBOX to TXT and save them in a single folder.
  • Whenever you change MBOX emails to text format, you can get rid of stuff like images, spacing, etc., which usually happens in Word or Excel.
  • You can batch convert MBOX to TXT format and use the output text files wherever required, as they occupy a small size.

Manual Way to Convert MBOX to Text

There are three different conventional methods to export MBOX to Text file. Hence, get a quick glimpse of them one by one in the below mentioned sections:

Method 1: Save MBOX File in TXT Format Using Thunderbird

  1. Download the free open-source Thunderbird client.
  2. Configure any email account in your Thunderbird.
  3. Install the ImportExportTools NG add-on to Thunderbird.
  4. After that, import MBOX to Thunderbird.
  5. Then, open any specific email in Thunderbird.
  6. Select More >> Save As option to continue.
  7. Choose Save as type, i.e., Text Files (*.txt, *.text).
  8. Browse the destination and tap Save to convert MBOX to TXT.

Method 2: Convert MBOX to Text Using a Text Editor

  1. First of all, right-click on the MBOX file that is saved locally.
  2. Then, click on Open With.
  3. Further, select Notepad++ or any other text editor you have.
  4. This will open the MBOX file in Text format.
  5. Further, you can click on the Save option and choose TXT format to convert MBOX to Text.

Alert: This manual way to export data from MBOX to TXT file may create a lot of confusion as it shows data in puzzling block forms. This makes searching and accessing the desired piece of data very difficult.

Method 3: Use Apple Mail to Convert MBOX to TXT

  1. Run Apple Mail on your Mac device.
  2. Now, go to the File option and click “Import Mailboxes”.
  3. Once done, browse and choose the MBOX files to import.
  4. When the process to import MBOX to Apple Mail completes, choose the desired MBOX email or folder.
  5. Next, click on File and choose the Save As option.
  6. Then, select the Plain Text option and hit Enter.
  7. This will convert MBOX to Text in no time.

Alert: This method to export MBOX files to Text format can be followed only in Apple Mail. Not only this, but the user has to repeat the same process again and again for each MBOX file, which makes it a time-consuming and complex process.

Limitations of the Manual Approach

  • The manual technique requires installing and setting up 2 different programs to accommodate this task, i.e., Thunderbird and ImportExportTools NG.
  • This method can only export one email from MBOX to a TXT file each time. To export multiple files, you’ll need to repeat the same steps several times.
  • Non-technical and home users may face problems because of some technical steps involved in this process, like account and add-on configuration.
  • The manual approach is not preferable for batch conversion of MBOX to TXT format due to repetitive steps.

Pro Method to Batch Convert MBOX to TXT

All those hassles involved in exporting MBOX emails to TXT format can be resolved using the MBOX Converter Software. It comes with a free demo version, which you can download from the link below.

It allows a user to convert the top 25 emails from MBOX to simple text files without any problems. Later, you can switch to the full pro version for unlimited email conversion of MBOX files to TXT format.

Let’s start by downloading and running the tool on Windows as well as Mac machines. Then, read the pointers mentioned in the software window and tap on Next.

How to Change MBOX Files to Text Format?

  1. Launch MBOX to TXT Converter that offers dual modes for adding MBOX files.
    Add MBOX files
  2. Check or uncheck those mailboxes that you wish to export in simple text format.
    Select MBOX files
  3. After that, enable the required filter option for selective data conversion.
    Advance filters
  4. Now, from the saving options list, pick TXT as the saving type.
    Select TXT
  5. Along with this, pick a required file naming option for better email management.
    File naming options
  6. Set the destination path and click Convert to convert MBOX to Text files.
    Convert MBOX to TXT
  7. The MBOX to TXT conversion process is running. Please wait until completion.
    Convert MBOX to Text
  8. Lastly, opens the resultant folder comprising the output TXT files.
    Converted TXT files
A Note to Remember: You can use this software for converting MBOX data of multiple MBOX-supported email clients, such as convert MBOX to Outlook, Apple Mail, Alpine, Claws Mail, Evolution, Google Takeout, Eudora, PowerMail, SeaMonkey, Postbox, Mulberry, Entourage, Spicebird, Netscape, Earthlink, KMail, Opera Mail, Thunderbird, Mail Copa, Pocomail, and Turnpike.

MBOX to TXT Converter Benefits

  • This MBOX to Text converter gives dual options to add MBOX files to the software panel. You can even select or deselect required mailboxes for conversion.
  • You can export MBOX emails to text files along with associated attachments. The tool creates a separate folder to store attachments.
  • During the process of converting MBOX to text format, the tool maintains all the email properties like date, time, year, subject, signature, and all.
  • It preserves the on-dis folder hierarchy of all MBOX email folders throughout your transfer MBOX files to TXT files. This software also offers several file naming conventions.
  • MBOX to text file converter provides several filter options to change MBOX files to Text files by date range, subject, sender, and receiver information.
  • This tool can be downloaded on all Windows as well as Mac OS editions effectively. It is also compatible with MBOX files exported from any program.

Frequently Asked Queries

Q 1: How can I convert MBOX files to TXT format?

Above, we have discussed the top 2 tried and tested approaches to change MBOX to TXT format. You can opt for any solution according to your requirements.

Q 2: Does the software run on my Windows 11 computer to save MBOX as TXT format?

Yes, definitely! It is a Windows-based application. Hence, you can convert MBOX to TXT format on Windows 11 too.

Q 3: Will the application help me selectively move only inbox MBOX emails to text format?

Yes, with this software, you can export selective files of MBOX into TXT format.

Q 4: I have downloaded the zip file from Google Takeout, which is now in .mbox file format. How can I convert all MBOX emails to a text file?

Use this MBOX to TXT converter to batch export MBOX files to TXT.

Concluding Words

We have disclosed manual and pro ways to convert MBOX to TXT. You need an automated solution to get fast and accurate results because the manual technique comes with some limitations. Hence, MBOX to TXT Converter is the most ideal choice regarding this. It is a speedy, reliable, and efficient application for exporting MBOX files to text format.

The best part is that you don’t require any other application installation for converting MBOX data to text files. Users can try the free demo version and enjoy its benefits. For more queries, keep in touch with our technical support team.

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