Export Gmail to MBOX Via Google Takeout, Thunderbird & Tool
Quick Answer: The official and free method to export Gmail to MBOX file on Mac & Windows is using Google Takeout that can directly backup all Gmail mailboxes in MBOX locally via browser. An alternative free solution to export specific labels for free is using MBOX based email client like Thunderbird. But for bulk export Gmail emails to MBOX from multiple accounts attachment, label & sublabel structure and complete metadata quickly use BitRecover Gmail to MBOX Converter.
Here we have discussed all the three methods step-by-step you can choose the required one based on your needs. Before moving on to the actual solution let us discuss about MBOX file and why saving Google Mail in .mbox format is useful.
What is the MBOX Format in Gmail Export?
Upon extracting all emails from Gmail via Google Takeout, Thunderbird or BitRecover tool – you get an output MBOX file (with or without the .mbox extension), which may be in a zipped or unzipped format.
It is a widely used email container that stores emails and their attachments with specific labels in a structured plain-text format which make it easy to access locally on multiple platforms like Thunderbird or Apple Mail. Saving Gmail emails in MBOX format locally will enable you to access them locally without internet connectivity – offering you greater control of your data.
Here are the reasons why saving Gmail emails from cloud to local MBOX file is crucial.
Note: This guide is intended for personal Gmail users, whether they use a free Gmail account or a paid Google one subscription. If you are specifically using a Google Workspace account, refer to our dedicated guide: How to Export Google Workspace Emails in MBOX Format?
User Query: I have a Gmail account that I have to delete, but I want to save its emails locally in MBOX format so that they are easily reusable in the future if I need them. However, upon using Google Takeout, it took 2 days to prepare the export and then also it split my emails into 6 separate ZIP files that I had to manage one by one. Is there any better way? – Samuel, North Carolina
Why Do We Need to Export MBOX From Gmail?
- Storage Issue: Gmail provides you with only 15 GB of free space. That’s why users’ Gmail accounts reach full storage. And if they want to use Gmail accounts more then they need to save Gmail to MBOX file before deleting email messages.
- Gmail Migration: If you want to switch Gmail to a new MBOX-supported email client then you need to export an MBOX file from your Gmail account. After that, you can use MBOX files with associated email clients.
- Archiving: If you want to archive the mail and you want to delete your archived mail. First, you need to export Gmail emails to MBOX format and delete the existing email files in bulk.
- Offline Access: Sometimes users may have a desire to access Gmail mailboxes offline, so they prefer to download Gmail emails in MBOX format. After that, users can access Gmail mailboxes offline using various programs.
- Regulatory Compliance: According to government guidelines certain industries require to save their employee’s mailboxes for a specific time after leaving the job. So, users save Gmail emails to MBOX format to fulfill regulatory compliance requirements.
How to Export Google Mail to MBOX Format? Choose the Right Way
Here is a quick comparison between the three tested & reliable methods to export Gmail emails in MBOX format.
| Factor | Google Takeout | Thunderbird | BitRecover Tool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Export Limit | 50 GB Per Day | Practical Cap of 4GB per Export | No Limitation on Gmail Export to MBOX Files |
| Security | Google’s Official Method | Secure Connection via OAuth | ADA-CASA Certified Solution With OAuth 2.0 Authentication |
| Data Integrity | Preserved | Attachments and Label Structure Can Be Lost | Email Headers, Formatting, Attachments, Labels & Sublabel Structure |
| Output Split Option | Available | Based on Folders – No real split option | Available |
| Ease of MBOX Export From Gmail | Easy | For Technical Users | Simple 5-Step Gmail to MBOX Backup |
| Platform of Access | Via Any Web Browser | Mac, Windows & Linux Devices | All Mac & Windows Devices |
| Best Use Case | For One-Time Long-Term Archival Needs | Smaller & Faster Exports Under 4GB Limit | Frequent Bulk Gmail to MBOX Export with Security for Backup or Migration Needs |
How to Save Gmail to MBOX by Using Google Takeout Method?
- First, visit this Given URL https://takeout.google.com/and log into your Gmail account by using the Gmail credentials.
- Now select Download your data option and click the Deselect all option to continue.
- Check the Mail option and press the Next button.
- From the delivery method option, choose the Send download link via email option.
- Select the file type as ZIP and choose archive size as needed. After that, click on Create Export.
- An archive of your Mail data is currently being prepared, so please wait. You will receive an email when the archive is ready.
- After receiving an email, click on the Download Archive button. Thereafter, extract the file and get data in mailbox (.mbox) format.
- Now, enter your Google Mail email address, and press the Next button to continue.
- After that, your downloaded data is in a Zipped file. Extract the Zip file to get the resultant folder.
Note: The links holding MBOX export from Gmail are only valid for up to 7 days after which it expires. In case you fail to download within the expiry limit, you will need to start the process from scratch.
Issues You Can Face With MBOX Export From Gmail Via Google Takeout
High-Preparation Time
The official export window of Google Takeout explicitly says that it may take hours to up to 2 days before you get the download link for export (likely to happen with larger exports).
MBOX Export Limit from Gmail
There is a maximum of 50GB per day and users can only export at max 6 times in one week’s duration.
No Filter or Selective Export Option
Although Google Takeouts lets you split the resultant file in 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, 10GB, and 50GB size when exporting Gmail to MBOX. There is no option to choose which mailboxes to backup or filters like – date range are unavailable- giving cluttered output data.
Silent Failures
Larger exports over 15 GB often fail without any report or error message.
Selectively Export Gmail Emails to MBOX Using Thunderbird Application
Mozilla Thunderbird – a free & open source email client for Mac, Win & Linux that saves messages from the configured accounts under MBOX format inside the profile folder. With the support of ImportExport Tools NG (add-on in Thunderbird) you can export these messages from Gmail (in this case) to MBOX format to any desired location on the computer.
Major Advantage: With this method you can selectively choose Gmail mailboxes like – Inbox, Draft, Sent, Important etc to the saved as MBOX file.
- Download and Install Mozilla Thunderbird from the official website.
- Enter your Full Name and Google Mail account address when prompted upon launching Thunderbird.
- Connect your Gmail using OAuth and 2-step-verification (if enabled).
- Go to Menu (three-lines) on the top-right and choose Themes & Add-Ons.
- Search for ImportExport Tools NG and add the extension in Thunderbird.
- Right-click on the required Gmail Mailbox to be exported as MBOX. [You can also select multiple mailboxes simultaneously].
- Choose ImportExport Tools NG >> Folder Export as MBOX and choose the saving option – As MBOX File, Single Zipped MBOX File, Structured With Subfolders or With Flattened Subfolders.
- Select the destination, name the folder and save.
When Thunderbird May Fail to Export Gmail to MBOX Format?
Although not the official way to save Gmail emails in MBOX, it is quite useful for technical users needing selective export. Yet it does have some pitfalls:
Dependency on Extension
ImportExport Tools NG although very popular fails with certain Thunderbird versions. Additionally ImportExport Tools NG often leads to export failure and greyed out options.
Practical Cap Limit
There is no official cap limit – however after rigorous testing, experts concluded a practical cap of ~4GB Gmail export to MBOX via Thunderbird.
How to Export MBOX from Gmail by Using Automated Software?
BitRecover Gmail Backup Tool lets you save Gmail emails from multiple accounts in MBOX format without needing any external application or exporting one-by-one manually via Google Takeout easily & quickly (up to 1000 emails in 1 Min) while preserving all email attributes fully. Give a try to the demo version of Google Mail to MBOX Export Tool for Mac & Win today – no technical skill or advanced setup needed.
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Step Guide to Backup Gmail to MBOX File
- Install and Run the above discussed software on your system.
- Now, enter your Gmail account credentials and click Login to continue.
- After Login, you can see that your Gmail account folder will appear. Select required folders to export Gmail to MBOX.
- Now, go to the backup section and choose the MBOX as your saving format. This tool has the Advance Option to export your MBOX file date-wise, subject-wise, from, to, etc.
- Thereafter, choose the desired file destination path and click on Backup Button.
- Once the process has been completed, users can view their exported files at the destination path they had selected.
Benefits of Using BitRecover Gmail to MBOX Export Tool
- You can export Gmail emails to MBOX without mailbox size restrictions or limitations on number of accounts
- The recommended software offers various advanced filter options so you can save Gmail emails to MBOX within a specific date range, by specific subject, sender, and receiver email address.
- The output .mbox files contain all email elements such as messages, attachments, folder structure, email header (CC, BCC, Date, Time, Subject Title) and hidden metadata.
- Gmail to MBOX export tool is 100% secure – you do not need to add password in the application, directly connect via OAuth – your data stays fully local.
- Get a detailed saving log report holding all export information like source account, saving destination, format, number of accounts & email converted, status, date, time stamps etc. for future needs.
- Additionally, users can export MBOX from Gmail for incremental backups. For example, if a user initiates an MBOX export, the software will automatically perform an incremental backup, capturing only the newly received emails since the last export.
Access Data Post Gmail to MBOX Export on Computer
You will not see your emails directly when opening the resultant MBOX files. Instead, they will appear as plain text in Notepad. To view and access the actual email data after saving Gmail emails in MBOX files, you can open the resultant files in multiple platforms like Apple Mail (on macOS), Thunderbird, Claws Mail, Mutt and many other MBOX email clients. In case you don’t want the hassle of configuring an email client, you can also use the BitRecover MBOX Viewer Tool.
Read More: How to Import MBOX in Gmail?
Conclusion
In this blog post, we have discussed the manual and professional methods to export MBOX from Gmail. The automated method can save you valuable time and is easy to access. But if we are talking about the manual one then that method is not an ideal solution as it can consume a lot of effort and is time taking. To perform export Gmail to MBOX migration process, then users require some technical knowledge and can also face complications while migrating. I would recommend you to use the expert-trusted solution especially when dealing with large datasets. Still, if you have any queries or questions feel free to connect with our support team.
FAQs: Save Gmail Emails in MBOX File
Q1- Can I use this Backup Solution to batch export Gmail to MBOX?
Yes, using the above discussed tool you can successfully export Gmail emails in batch with attachments without any data loss. The tool believes in preserving data integrity and formatting throughout the process.
Q2- Why does Google Takeout, Gmail export to MBOX file keep failing?
It can be due to multiple reasons like – large mailbox size, frequent downloads or in rare cases server issues. If you are not able to download a takeout file to your computer check your computer’s available storage and internet connection.
Q3- Can I export specific Gmail folders to MBOX instead of the entire account?
Yes. To selectively save Gmail emails in MBOX file you can either use Thunderbird as a free alternative or use BitRecover Gmail to MBOX export tool for better selectivity with filters.
Q4- Will my output MBOX files have duplicates after exporting from Gmail?
No. Using the tool handles Gmail labels systematically thus helping avoid duplicate creation during export.
