How to Export Gmail to Text?- 4 Easy Ways (Free + Pro)
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You can export Gmail to text file using a manual copy-paste, using MS Word, Thunderbird and also professional solution. The most suitable way to export emails from Gmail as Text format is based on the number of Gmail emails. To export limited files, the easiest way is to copy-paste in Google Docs & download as .txt format or print based conversion with word method. For bulk Gmail email to Text conversion one can use Thunderbird (for up to 4 GB of data) as a free option or secure dedicated tools are more suited to automate the process while keeping the output organized.
Note: Gmail itself does not offer any manual way to save in TXT format. Hence choosing the right method is crucial for seamless conversion without data loss.
Reasons to Export Emails from Gmail as Text
- Small File Size: Plain text consumes very little storage space on your storage space as compared to other file formats.
- Compatibility: Text file can be accessed and opened on almost every device, operating system or text editor with ease.
- Easy Editing: You can easily & quickly search, edit, or copy specific lines of text and store hundreds of files.
- Reliable Backup: Text files work as safe and offline backup saves you from accidental deletion, server outages, etc.
- Portability: Plain text makes it easy to move or feed messages into other scripts, local archiving systems, and programs
What’s Data Preserved or Lost When You Export Gmail to Text Format
Saving Gmail messages in TXT offers better portability & scannability in limited size making it best for data imports into CRM, NLP training and documentation purposes. Due to its Plain text format limitation some Gmail data cannot be exactly converted.
✔Preserved |
✖Not Preserved |
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Note: If you download Gmail messages in Plain text format, it will not be possible to import the exported messages as TXT is not an email format but a document readable format.
Free Way to Save Gmail in TXT – For Limited Emails
You can export Gmail to Text files without any additional installation on Mac & Windows devices by using Google Docs. The major advantage is that it is beginner-friendly.
- Create a New Blank document in Google Docs.
- Open the Gmail message you want to export as a TXT file.
- Press Ctrl+A to select all message data.
- Copy (Ctrl+C) and paste (Ctrl+V) in a newly created Google Docs.
- Click on File at the top left >> Download >> Choose Plain Text (.txt) as the saving option.
- Click on the Export button.
Where Copy-Paste Method May Fall Short to Export Gmail to TXT?
Although the process can be completed in a few simple steps and is relatively faster it falls short
- Unnecessary data that can create confusion may also be selected.
- Not suitable for bulk export of Gmail emails in Text format.
- Threaded Gmail conversion to TXT can lead to email message body loss.
- Organization can be an issue due to manual file naming.
Manual Method to Export Gmail Messages to Plain Text
The manual method is provided here, although it requires a significant amount of time and work to export emails from Gmail as Text format. You must be thinking why is this so? You will find the answer to this in the next section.
- Open your Gmail account and select the email that you want to export into text format.
- After opening the email, click on the print option.
- And choose a destination, saving it as PDF format.
- Now, go to the location where you saved the resultant data.
- Right-click on the PDF file and choose the “Open With” option.
- Thereafter, choose the Word option from the multiple options.
- Hence, click on file >> Save as an option.
- Choose the .txt option under the “All files” option.
- Eventually, hit the Save button to save the resultant text file.
Your Gmail email is saved as a text format. It sounds so simple, but isn’t. Read its limitations for choosing this method.
Limitations:
- Via this method you can only save Gmail emails in Text on Windows computer.
- You can only export one email at a time from your particular Gmail account. If you have a significant number of Gmail emails, you will have to repeat this process over and over.
- Moreover, this process may not support your attachments included in the Gmail email.
- Long process, because first, you save it in other format earlier and then export it to a text file.
Bulk Download Gmail Mailboxes in TXT Format Using Thunderbird for Free
Thunderbird is an open-source email client that works on Windows, Mac & Linux and lets you export Gmail to text with attachment (although saved separately not embedded) while maintaining folder & subfolder structure with the help of ImportExportTools NG add-on. It is a good alternative to the manual one by one conversion in case you are downloading to keep a simple backup for documentation & legal needs.
- Download & install Thunderbird from the official source.
- Enter your Gmail ID and connect via OAuth in the pop-up upon launching the software.
- Go to Menu (three-lines) >> Add-ons and Themes >> Add ImportExportTools NG.
- Go to the Gmail mailbox from which you want to export emails as TXT.
- Right-click and choose ImportExportTools NG >> Export All Messages In Folder.
- Choose Plain Text Format as the export option:
- Messages And HTML Index
- Messages With Attachments And Index
- Messages and Index with Subfolders
- Messages, Index and Attachments with Subfolders (Recommended for organizations)
- Messages As Single File
- Messages As Single File With Attachments
- Browse the Saving Destination on your computer and press Save.
Limitation of Thunderbird to Export Gmail to Text Files
- Thunderbird ImportExportTools NG has a cap of 4 GB to export Gmail in Text format.
- Requires complete Thunderbird setup may not be suitable for beginners.
- Cannot export multiple Gmail labels emails into TXT files at once.
Automated Solution to Export Gmail to Text in Bulk
Download BitRecover Gmail Backup Wizard can help you rapidly export multiple Gmail messages to text format. A user-friendly interface makes it easy for everyone to use this automated software. If you want to export Gmail emails to DOC , this tool is also helpful for this. For more, try this free demo version to understand the software process to smoothly export emails from Gmail as Text file.
This is a standalone application that can easily work without any installation of other applications. This software not only supports .txt format but you can export Gmail to EML file, PDF format, etc. Later on, it even offers a facility to free up storage space in Gmail account.
Read More: Know the Way to Export Gmail to Excel File on Desktop?
Steps to Export Bulk Gmail Messages to .txt Format
- Firstly, download and run this Gmail to Text converter tool on your machine.
- Secondly, type your Gmail account credentials and click on Login button.
- Thirdly, choose single files or entire folders from the left panel of the software screen.
- Now, it’s time to select the RTF or DOC option as the saving option.
- This tool saves resultant data on the desktop by default, but if you want to change the location, then click the “change” button.
- Finally, hit on the Backup button to initiate the process to send Gmail email to Text format.
Features of Professional Gmail to Text File Converter
- You can export multiple or all Gmail labels to Text files at once saving significant time when dealing with thousands of emails.
- With this utility, you can export emails from multiple Gmail accounts by using the “Batch Mode” option.
- It gives you the facility to achieve the selective export of Gmail messages to text format. A user can manually change filters like date range, from, to, and subject.
- Use 10+ filters such as Subject, Date, Time, and more to organize and identify exported TXT files with ease
- This is a safe and secure software with compliance with HIPAA & GDPR that connects to Gmail via OAuth.
- Does not require any specific technical knowledge to export Gmail to text file. It has an easy-to-use interface.
- Users dealing with large datasets can migrate messages hassle-free as this tool does not impose any file size restrictions.
Comparison Between All Methods: Choose the Best One
| Features | Google Docs | Print & Convert | Thunderbird | Professional Solution |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best For | Few emails | Individual emails | Free bulk emails | Bulk & selective export |
| Windows &Mac | Yes✅ | Windows mainly | Yes✅ | Yes✅ |
| Bulk Export | No❌ | No❌ | Yes✅ | Yes✅ |
| Multiple Gmail Labels | No❌ | No❌ | Limited | Yes✅ |
| Selective Export | One email at a time | One email at a time | Folder-based | Date, sender, subject, & more |
| Attachments | Limited | Not reliably preserved | Saved separately | Saved separately |
| Folder Organization | Manual | Manual | Supported | Maintained |
| Ease of Use | Very Easy | Moderate | Requires setup | Easy |
| Large Mailboxes | Not Suitable | Not Suitable | Limited by setup/process | Suitable |
| Main Drawback | Not suitable for bulk export | Time-consuming | Requires Thunderbird & add-on | Requires dedicated software |
User Queries: Export Gmail Emails as Plain Text Format
Q1: Can I use Google Takeout to export Gmail messages in TXT format?
No. Google Takeout exports Gmail email in MBOX format that can be directly opened with Notepad and saved as TXT file. But the architecture is not similar to TXT where emails are stored separately without encoding.
Q2: Why do I see illegible text after converting Gmail messages in Text format?
This is a common issue when users rename Google Takeout exports as Text or TXT or using the manual copy-paste method. Use better solutions like – Thunderbird or dedicated export tool.
Q3: How is saving emails in Gmail Cloud different from saving them in TXT format?
Here is the core difference between Gmail data storage vs. in Text files:
| Factor | Gmail | Text/TXT Files |
|---|---|---|
| Offline Access | Only If Offline Mode Enabled | Anywhere – Almost on All Mac, Windows, and Mobile Devices |
| Storage location | Google’s Server – (No access in case of account suspension or server outage) | Local on your device |
| What it stores | Email Body, Formatting, Embedded Links & Attachments, Signature etc | Only email body, metadata and header |
| Size | Relatively larger due to additional state | Comprehensive only plain text storage |
| Best For | Email service for everyday use | Legal archival, documentation and simple backup |
Q4: Is exporting Gmail to TXT free?
Yes, there are free methods like using copy-paste method, converting saved Gmail email as PDF to Text with Word (on Windows) or Thunderbird.
Q5: Can I export Gmail to TXT on Android?
There is no direct way offered by Gmail to save as TXT on Android devices. Yet you can export Gmail to Text on desktop and access them on Android.
Bottom Line
We understand our users’ issues that is why we always try to provide the best solution to your every concern and you can easily export emails from Gmail as Text. Now, we understand that users face storage issues in their Gmail accounts, so we came up with a one-stop solution. Try our tool to easily export Gmail email to Text format in bulk. Plus, this utility has more attractive features, so try the free demo version.
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