- What's in a Gmail export
- Steps to export your Gmail emails
- Where to send the archive
- One-time, scheduled, zip or tgz
- How long it takes
- Will your Gmail labels survive?
- What the export won't include
- Finding the archive once it's ready
- Handing the export to another app or service
- When the export fails
- My verdict on exporting Gmail
- Frequently asked questions
To export Gmail emails, sign in to your Google Account, go to Google Takeout, untick every product except your mail, select Next step, choose a delivery method, file type and archive size, then select Create export. Google emails you a link when the archive's ready, and as of October 2026 you can't export a chosen date range: you get all your mail that hasn't been deleted.
Two things surprise people. First, the export doesn't remove anything: Google says downloading your data doesn't delete it from Google's servers. Second, the archive doesn't last. Google says it expires in about 7 days and each archive can only be downloaded 5 times, so download it promptly and keep the file somewhere safe.
What's in a Gmail export
Google's Gmail help lists exactly what comes out. The message content, the message headers and the attachments, plus Gmail labels for every class of message, including:
- Inbox, unread, sent, starred and draft messages
- Messages marked as important, archived, muted or snoozed
- Messages in the Trash folder and the Spam folder
- Messages in each of the Category tabs, and scheduled messages
- Template responses you've saved, and your own labels and IMAP keywords
It also exports your settings: email signatures, vacation response message and subject, delegated sender addresses, other account addresses, forwarding addresses, filters, blocked addresses and the end time of snoozed messages. Google notes that label data and forwarding addresses come out in different formats, and suggests creating a new label if you want to track email forwards. Encrypted messages stay encrypted in the download. If you use a work or school account, some data might not be available.
Steps to export your Gmail emails
- Sign in to your Google Account.
- Go to the Google Takeout page. The Google products you use are selected automatically.
- Uncheck the box beside each product you don't want, so only your mail is left.
- Select Next step.
- Under Delivery method, choose where the archive goes. The default is Send download link via email.
- Choose a one-time or scheduled export, a file type and a maximum archive size.
- Select Create export.
- When the email arrives, select Download archive and follow the steps on the screen.
Google recommends downloading and viewing Takeout exports from a desktop computer, not a mobile device. Your archive includes a file called archive_browser.html that explains the file formats and how to open them.
One more option on the product list: Google says that inside a product you may see a button like All data included. Select it and you can uncheck the parts of that product's data you don't want, rather than taking everything.
Where to send the archive
| Delivery method | What happens, as of October 2026 |
|---|---|
| Send download link via email | Google emails you a link and you select Download archive |
| Add to Drive | The archive goes into Google Drive and counts toward your storage |
| Add to Dropbox | You link accounts and allow access to an Apps folder in your Dropbox |
| Add to OneDrive | You link accounts, and the archive is then governed by Microsoft's terms |
| Add to Box | Files bigger than your Box account's max upload size won't be exported, and on an enterprise account the admin can view your data |
For the cloud options, Google Download Your Data shows up as a connected app that can access some of your info. You can remove that access at any time, but you'll need to grant it again next time. Once the archive reaches Dropbox, OneDrive or Box, Google says it's no longer responsible for it, and Google's advice is to make sure you're not sharing that folder with anyone else.
One-time, scheduled, zip or tgz
Under Export type, a One-time archive is a single snapshot. A Scheduled export creates an archive of your selected data every 2 months for one year, with the first one made straight away. That's the closest thing Takeout has to an automatic Gmail backup.
For file type, Google says Zip files can be opened on almost any computer, while Tgz files may need extra software on Windows and can't have unicode characters in the file names. For archive size, if your data is larger than the size you pick, Takeout splits it into several files. Choosing the 50GB size limit makes that less likely.
How long it takes
Google says it depends on how much is in your account, and can take from a few minutes to a few days, though most people get their link the same day. If you're enrolled in the Advanced Protection Program, the archive is scheduled for two days in the future, and scheduled exports aren't available to you at all. Google also says that if your actions seem risky, they may be delayed or unavailable, to protect your account.
When you go to download, you may be asked to re-enter your Google Account password, and if you have 2-Step Verification on, to complete an extra step. Google does this to make sure you're the only person downloading your data.
Will your Gmail labels survive?
Yes, but not in a way most email apps read. Google says each message's labels are kept in a special X-Gmail-Labels header in the download file. No mail client recognises that header now, although most allow extensions that could use it. So expect your mail to arrive with its labels recorded, but not neatly sorted into folders, if you open it somewhere else.
What the export won't include
- Deleted data: items still in the process of being deleted aren't included.
- Very recent changes: changes made between when you request the download and when the archive is created may be missing.
- A date range: Google says it doesn't currently support exporting data for certain time frames.
- Some work or school data: Google Workspace administrators can control whether users can download data from each product.
Finding the archive once it's ready
When the export finishes, Google emails you a link to the folder where your data is. If you chose Send download link via email, the link takes you to your data in Google Takeout. If you chose a cloud destination, it takes you to the folder in Drive, Dropbox, Box or OneDrive.
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If you miss the 7-day window, don't worry about your mail. Google says an expired archive doesn't mean your data has expired, and you won't see any change in Google services. You just create a new archive, which will also have your most up-to-date mail in it.
Handing the export to another app or service
If you're exporting to move your mail somewhere else, Google describes three ways to share it. If you downloaded it to your device, use the other service's own access point, such as an upload page or an email address it gives you. If you sent it to Drive, Box, OneDrive or Dropbox, you can share it from that cloud service. And some apps connect to a cloud storage destination directly, so you can grant them access to read the archive from there.
When the export fails
Google's first fix is simply to try creating another archive, which it says often solves the problem. If that doesn't work, download in smaller pieces by choosing one product at a time, or pick a smaller archive size. Google also suggests exporting to a third-party storage site such as Box if a direct download keeps failing.
Once you have the file, store it somewhere safe with enough room. Google says downloading straight to your computer is usually easiest. On a public computer, keep it in Google Drive or another storage space only you use. And if you're exporting because you plan to delete your Google Account, Google says you'll have to move the archive from Drive to different storage before deleting the account.
My verdict on exporting Gmail
I'd use Takeout if you're leaving Gmail, closing an account or want a full backup of your mail and settings, and I'd send it by email link straight to a desktop computer. I'd skip Add to Drive if your account is nearly full, because the archive counts toward your storage: see my guide on Gmail storage full first. If it's only your address book you need, my guide on how to export Gmail contacts is the quicker route.
Frequently asked questions
Does exporting Gmail delete my emails?
No. Google says that downloading your Google data doesn't delete it from Google's servers.
Can I export Gmail emails from a specific date range?
No. Google says it doesn't currently support exporting data for certain time frames, so Takeout exports all your mail that hasn't been deleted.
How long does a Gmail export take?
Google says it can take from a few minutes to a few days depending on how much data you have, but most people get the link the same day.
How long is my Gmail export available to download?
Google says your archive expires in about 7 days, and each archive can only be downloaded 5 times.
Are my Gmail labels kept in the export?
Yes. Google says each message's labels are preserved in a special X-Gmail-Labels header in the download file.
