How to Export Gmail Emails to MBOX File Stepwise? A Quick Guide
Query: I want to import my Gmail account emails into Mozilla Thunderbird. I know that Gmail exports its data in the MBOX format and Thunderbird supports MBOX file. However, I don’t know the exact procedure of exporting Gmail emails to MBOX file. So, how Can I transfer my Gmail emails to the required format?
Recommended Solution: There are two solutions for exporting Gmail account emails to MBOX file format. The first is by using SysTools Gmail Backup Tool and the second is through Google Takeaway or Takeout.
Let’s discuss both these methods one by one.
Solution 1: Software to Export Gmail Emails to MBOX File
Perform the following steps to transfer Gmail account data to MBOX format:
- Step 1: First download and run the Backup tool
- Step 2: Enter your credentials and login to your Gmail email account
- Step 3: Select the MBOX file format option from the Select E-mail Format pane
- Step 4: Select Email, Contacts, Calendar, and Document items to export from Gmail account to MBOX
Note: If you want to transfer only Gmail emails to MBOX, then select
- Step 5: Browse the location where you wish to save the export data
- Step 6: Click on Apply Filter to transfer only selective Gmail data to the MBOX file
- Step 7: Under Select Folders, you can choose which Gmail folder you want to export to MBOX format
- Step 8: Go to Email Filter section, and select the time-interval to export only selective Gmail emails to MBOX
- Step 9: Click the Start button to execute Gmail to MBOX conversion process. You can view the live progress report of the conversion process on your system’s screen.
The Download completed successfully message appears after the completion of the conversion process.
You can check that all your Gmail data has been saved in separate folders like emails, calendars, contacts, and documents at your selected location.
Now, import the resultant MBOX file to Mozilla Thunderbird.
Solution 2: Transfer Gmail Data to MBOX Using Free Google Takeaway
This Google Takeaway or Takeout (https://takeout.google.com/settings/takeout) is a free solution to export Gmail emails to MBOX file. In this solution, you have to sign in your Gmail account from which you want to download Gmail emails to computer.
Final Words
Here, we have read about two solutions to export Gmail to MBOX file format. The first solution is not free but it is the best solution for transferring Gmail emails to MBOX because it takes less time than Google Takeaway. Also, it provides the date filter option by which users can export selective data from their Gmail accounts.
Google Takeaway or Takeout takes much more time than the Recommended Solution. Also, it does not provide a date filter option and transfers only emails from the Gmail account to MBOX format. As a user, I would like to go with Solution 1 for conversion. You can decide as per your requirement.