Are you among those who have an urgent need to Export Gmail to EML files and dont know a method for it? Dont worry here in this writeup we have put together a series of solutions applicable at the user and organization level. Study them and download all available G Suite email data in EML format. We begin by reiterating exactly what causes such a need to arise.
Why Would Anyone Want to Export G Suite to EML?
No cloud-based service not even Gmail guarantees a 100% uptime. So in the odd case when the email portal goes down these EML files provide a way to access your emails for reference purposes.
Other than that compliance scenarios involving eDiscovery are another major reason that forces an organization to keep an online copy of emails. For that, EML is one of the best formats due to its wide acceptability in various clients and platforms.
Now the two main reasons are clear let us see how to attempt the process at the user level.
Steps to Export Gmail to EML files Manually
Step 1. Login to your G Suite(Gmail account)
Step 2. Open an Email. This is important as you can’t download/export right out of the Inbox itself you must expand the particular mail.
Step 3. Then once the email is open go take your cursor to the top right corner, there you will see three vertical dots beside the Printer icon, click on the dots. Inside the Flyout menu, you will see that there is an option to Download the message.
Step 4. A Save as box appears pick a suitable folder and hit save to get the G Suite emails as EML.
It is not always that you will have access to a desktop browser environment so you may want to use your mobile. However, the process is not as straightforward as you think. Let us explain why that is.
How do I Download an EML File from Gmail on Mobile?
Many users have this query, as the mobile app version of Gmail is fairly limited. This is also true for those on the premium edition of Google Workspace plans.
So, we suggest you use the desktop method and transfer the files to your mobile device via email or other data-sharing methods.
Otherwise, if you are in a hurry and want Gmail emails as EML on mobile as soon as possible, you can follow this specialized guide.
Step 1. Close your Gmail app on mobile.
Step 2. Open the Chrome app.
Step 3. Search for “Gmail”.
Step 4. Make sure to select the link titled “Email – Gmail – Google” (It should be the first link on the SERP).
Step 5. Use your password/biometric login to get into your Gmail account.
Step 6. The UI you see is an old version and does not allow what we are trying to do so to reload the current page.
Step 7. Tap on the 3 vertical dots at the top right part of the Chrome app.
Step 8. Check the box next to the Desktop site.
Step 9. Wait for the page to reload.
Step 10. Pinch out to zoom and enhance the viewing experience.
Step 11. Open any email you want in EML.
Step 12. Drag till the tool options in the top right-hand corner become visible.
Step 13. Tap on the 3 verticle dots (of Gmail UI).
Step 14. Tap on the Download message bar.
Step 15. This will generate a copy of the Gmail email and save it as EML in your default download folder.
Step 16. Check your download notifications to see where the file is and use it.
Step 17. Repeat from Step 11 onwards to get as many emails as you want in EML format.
Export Gmail to EML Files for All Users at Once
For this, you must use the SysTools G Suite Export Tool. Custom-built to address every user’s need. It delivers a straightforward mechanism to download all emails from every user account in the organization in the required file format which in this case is EML.
Admins can not only put in filters on time duration and user level but also apply a priority to some users so that their data gets exported first.
Step 1. Start off with installation then open the tool to select the endpoints which should be G Suite and EML
Step 2. In the Workload section mark the box next to the Emails option, you can also add a date filter from here.
Step 3. On the Source screen type in your Admin email and application ID then validate both. Press Next to continue the process.
Step 4. Likewise on the Destination page set a path where you will keep the EML data and Validate it too.
Step 5. Then you reach the mapping screen where you can use any one of the available options out of Fetch, Import, and Download.
Step 6. In the Preview Page see the user list and mark the ones whose data you want. Here you can also assign the priority via the star icon. Validate and Start Export.
Conclusion
Now users should be able to export Gmail to EML files in both stationary desktop and handheld mobile platforms.
Moreover, for organizations looking to get Gmail data in EML format for compliance or other purpose the best way is to use the professional tool talked about in this writeup.
Frequently Asked Questions on Exporting Gmail to EML Files
What happens to the emails on my G Suite(Gmail) account after I save them as EML?
Nothing, they remain as they are inside your inbox (or any other folder).
Can I restore these EML files to the same / another Google account?
There is no direct way to import EML files in Gmail. However, you can set up your Gmail account in an external desktop-based client like Outlook or Thunderbird. Then drag and drop that EML file into the inbox (or any other folder) and let it sync. Soon you will see that the EML appears in your Gmail portal too.
Does EML retain any metadata of the emails I export out of G Suite?
No EML as a format is primarily used to preserve the actual content, you may lose some of the metadata components like labels, conversation history, and security settings.
What happens to the attachments once I export Gmail emails in EML format?
Attachments are downloaded in their original format although they get stored separately. So you may have to spend some time rearranging them again.
Can I use the Google Takeout feature to get my Gmail emails in EML format?
No, the Takeout feature gives an MBOX format, you have to use an external agent to make the file transformation.