Google Takeout is a free backup service introduced by Google to export data from a Google application. One can use it after signing into Google Takeout using Google account credentials. This Google service performs the following functions.
- Allows data export from Calendar, Chrome, Classroom, Contacts, Drive, Google My Business, Google Photos, Mail, Maps, and more.
- Offers option to backup data from specific services.
- Allows choosing the delivery method and setting backup frequency, file type, size, etc.
Google Takeout will create the MBOX file for Gmail and later you can incorporate this file into either other email clients or export it further into Office 365 too. To use data into other different email clients, you can convert MBOX to PST, EML or MSG formats.
Why Do Users Need to Take Backup of their Gmail Data?
There are several reasons to back up your Gmail mailbox data, but the most significant ones are as follows:
- Backup of your Gmail data helps you to restore your files in case of accidental deletion.
- Provides additional security against data breaches.
- It helps you quickly transfer and access your data on any other device.
- After backing up Gmail emails, you can delete old emails and free up storage without any loss.
- Having a backup of your data can be a time-saver, especially when you need to convert it into different formats.
Step-by-Step Guide to Backup Google Mail Emails using Google Takeout
Many users utilize this Google service to backup Google emails; it saves Mails including Trash and Spam, in MBOX file format in a Zip file. Let us understand the backup process of Google Mail MBOX file with the Google Takeout service.
- Sign in to Google Takeout using Google account credentials.

- In the Select data to include section under CREATE A NEW EXPORT, click on Deselect all.

- Now, select the Mail option and then click on All Mail data included.

- In Mail content options, select Include all message in Mail option, then scroll down and tap on Next Step.

- Continue with selecting Frequency, File type & size. Click Create export.

- The export process will get started. You need to wait for some time.
- After export, you’ll receive an email in your inbox. Open it; a highlighted Download link will appear. Click on that to download the backup. You may need to input your account password again.
- Open the .zip file and extract all items. You’ll get an MBOX file containing your Gmail emails.
Convert your MBOX Backup files into Outlook PST Format
We hope you are aware of all the needed steps to backup Gmail emails with Google Takeout. It is wise enough to always keep a backup of your Gmail data locally. For added security, you can also export MBOX backup files to Office 365 cloud platform or other useful formats like PST.
For this, you can opt for a professional MBOX to PST tool – Kernel for MBOX to PST Converter, which exports MBOX files from any source to Office 365, PST, and more platforms instantly. It integrates advanced preview feature and filter options. This tool has a user-friendly interface and advanced algorithms, which maintains the full data hierarchy and its meta properties.
Sahil VermaTechnical Writer
This article is written by Sahil Verma, a technical content writer at Kernel Data Recovery. This content has been reviewed in accordance with our editorial guidelines.