How To Export and Import Emails and Files Using Google Takeout

Government-Wide Email System (GovMail) is a data retrieval platform that allows users to export and import their data from Google services like Gmail, Calendar, and Photos using Google Takeout. Users can select which data to include, customize the archive format, and access the archive via email once it is generated, which could take from minutes to days depending on the amount and size of files. The exported files are stored in MBOX format and can be imported into other email clients like Thunderbird using plugins or uploaded to Google Drive by selecting the archive folder.

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How To Export and Import Emails and Files Using Google Takeout

Uploaded by

Darlene Yap Rontas

Available Formats

Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

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Government-Wide Email System (GovMail)

Table of Contents

What is Google Takeout? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 1

How to export Google Workspace data using Google Takeout ……………………………………………………………………………….. 1

How to import MBOX files into Thunderbird …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3

How to import Google Takeout Archive to Google Drive …………………………………………………………………………………………. 5

What is Google Takeout?
Google Takeout or also known as Download Your Data, is a data retrieval platform that allows users to import
and export data from a number of Google products. It takes all the existing Google data and compiles it into one
archive file, which can be later downloaded.

With Google Takeout you can:

● Create a local copy of your files to save it to your personal devices;

● Free up space on your Google Drive by archiving old documents to physical storage;
● Create redundant archives of important files to store on other cloud services;
● Allows your data to be restored from an earlier point in time to help recover from an unplanned event.

How to export Google Workspace data using Google Takeout

You can export and download your data from the Google products you use, like your email, calendar, and photos
using Google Takeout. In a few easy steps, you can have your archive to keep for your records or access your files
with a service outside of Google.

Select data to include in your archive.

1. Go to takeout.google.com.
2. Choose Deselect All.
3. By default, Google Takeout selects all possible data and file types to include in the Takeout archive. But
you can just check on the services you want to export data from.

4. Click Next Step.

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Customize your archive format.

You are asked to select the file type, frequency, and destination for your archive. You are also asked to select the
maximum size for each archive file.

1. Under Delivery Method, choose where to download the archive file when it's ready.
2. Under Frequency, choose how often to export the files for download.
3. Under File type & size, choose the file type for the archive file and the maximum size.

Note: The file type default is .zip, which can be opened on most computers. The other option is .tgz,
which may require additional software to be opened on a Windows computer.

4. Click Create Export.

Get your archive.

When your archive is created by using one of these options (Delivery Method), Google will email you a link to its
location. Depending on the number and size of the files you requested, the archive takes from several minutes to
several days to create. Google took about three minutes to create a 175 MB archive file.

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How to import MBOX files into Thunderbird
Emails in the zip folder exported from Google Takeout are stored in MBOX format. Therefore, a user can easily
import MBOX files manually by following the steps mentioned below:

1. Install the latest Thunderbird version on your computer.

Note: Please follow the steps on “How to Setup Thunderbird” manual.
2. Open the Thunderbird application, go to Settings > Account Actions > Add Mail Account.
3. Enter the username and password of your Gmail account to get all emails in Thunderbird.
4. Now, in order to import MBOX to Gmail, Mozilla Thunderbird requires the installation of the
ImportExportTools plug-in.

5. Once installed, click on Tools, select ImportExportTools, and click Import MBOX file.

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6. In the pop-up, the option Import directly one or more MBOX files is set by default; click OK.

7. Browse for the MBOX file in the specific location; click Open.

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8. After the import, you can see all your mailbox items.
Note: In some cases, it may take some time to complete the process depending on the device and the
size of the files to be synced.

How to import Google Takeout Archive to Google Drive

Emails in the zip folder exported from Google Takeout are stored in MBOX format. Therefore, a user can easily
import MBOX files manually by following the steps mentioned below:

1. Sign in to your Google Account.

2. Open your Google Drive.
3. Click New > Folder upload to upload your archive folder.
4. In the pop-up, select the file(s) you wish to import.
5. (Optional) To ensure that your uploaded documents are converted to Google Docs format, follow these
steps before uploading your archive:

● Select Settings.
● Check the Convert uploaded files to Google Docs editor format box.
● Click Done.

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