How to Save Zimbra Emails to Hard Drive? Complete Guide

  Rollins Duke
Rollins Duke   
Published: May 19th, 2026 • 5 Min Read

Overview: If you are one of those who are looking for methods to save Zimbra emails to a hard drive, then you are on the right page. Here we will show you the best and safest methods to download your emails locally. As we all know, Zimbra is one of the most used email clients by over 5000 enterprises and over 500 million customers in about 140 countries. Zimbra provides amazing features and a lightweight email server that is available both locally and remotely. Users save their important data on it. But why do users want to save Zimbra emails to a hard drive? Because it is important to take a backup of the Zimbra mailbox when it comes to your important data. We all know that hacking and malware are increasing day by day, which mainly attack email servers to steal our data and accounts. So, having a copy of your emails prevents these situations. We are going to mention a query which we received recently about saving Zimbra emails to a hard drive.

How to Download Zimbra Emails to Hard Drive?

Here we will show you both the manual method and the expert solution. All methods are mentioned below with a step-by-step guide.

Steps to Save Zimbra Emails to Hard Drive Manually

  1. Open your Zimbra desktop client.
  2. Click on the Preferences tab.

    Preferences tab

  3. Choose the Import/Export option.

    Import/Export option

  4. Select All Folders from the Export option.

    All Folders

  5. Select the individual or entire mailbox and click the OK button.

    entire mailbox

  6. To begin the process, hit the Export button.

    Export button to save Zimbra emails to hard drive

  7. Browse the location to save your emails.

Now your emails will be saved as EML files at the selected location. Please unzip the files to read the emails offline.

If you don’t know how to view EML files, here are some methods:

Manual methods are straightforward and simple, but they have some limitations, such as the emails only being saved in EML format without preserving the folder hierarchy. If you want to save your emails into different standard formats, then use the expert solution.

Expert Solution to Save Zimbra Emails to Computer

We are going to take the help of the BitRecover Zimbra Converter tool to download emails locally into any file format or email service according to your choice. The software provides 30+ saving options with advanced features.

It is created with highly advanced algorithms, which make the software more usable for all users. The tool comes with a free demo version, which permits you to save a few emails from Zimbra desktop to local storage. With this, you can quickly evaluate how the utility works so that you can invest in it without any second thoughts. For downloading unlimited Zimbra mails to your PC, buy the license key.

Working Steps to Save Zimbra Emails to Hard Drive

  1. Download the software on your PC.
    launch Zimbra Exporter
  2. Upload the TGZ files of Zimbra using the Select Files and Select Folders options.
    select Zimbra TGZ file
  3. Select or deselect the required folders and hit the Next button.
    view Zimbra folder
  4. Select the saving option from the Select Saving Option list.
    select saving option
  5. Enable the advanced mode as per your choice, such as the Change Language Option.
    select filters
  6. Select the desired location using the Browse button.
    select destination
  7. If you have chosen a single email format, then apply the File Naming Option.
  8. Hit the Next button to save Zimbra emails to hard drive.
    start export Zimbra emails
  9. Check saving log report and the selected location will open automatically with the resultant data.
    check log saving report

Advanced Features of the Software

  • The software provides dual options to add single or multiple files/folders at once without any limitations.
  • Users can save the selected folders from the software screen according to their choice.
  • The software provides 30+ saving options including PST, PDF, MBOX, MSG, EML, EMLX, CSV, HTML, ICS, DOC, Lotus Notes, Gmail, G Suite, Office 365, Thunderbird, Outlook.com, Yahoo, IMAP, etc.
  • The software offers some advanced modes like the Change language option to map folders into a different language and Create Log for Messages Not Converted option, which creates a report of those emails that have not been converted, etc.
  • The file naming option will be enabled when you have chosen a single email format as a saving type to manage your converted emails.
  • Users can save emails to a desired location using the Browse button as per their choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Where is Zimbra mail data stored?

    Your data will be downloaded at the following location:

    • Windows: C:\Users\[USER-NAME]\AppData\Roaming\@zimbra\storage\[account-email-address]\.
    • Mac: /Users/[USER-NAME]/Library/Application Support/@zimbra/storage/[account-email-address]/.
  • What is Zimbra archiving?

    Zimbra Collaboration Suite (ZCS) Network Edition offers an archive feature, which means your emails will be moved to an archive if they are no longer required. Users often use this feature to manage their mailbox.

  • Which types of data can I download from Zimbra using the software?

    Users can download emails, contacts, and calendar data separately as per their choice.

  • Can I download the software in the latest Windows 11?

    Yes, the software is compatible with all Windows OS including the latest Windows 11.

Final Words

The Zimbra mail-saving tool is an effective application that provides a straightforward approach to saving Zimbra emails to hard drive. Using this software, you can effortlessly save multiple Zimbra mailboxes to local storage. It provides accurate results and preserves the integrity of data throughout the process. So, wisely choose your utility to download emails from Zimbra to a hard drive as your data is too precious. Take a trial of the demo version for free!

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