If you use Gmail a lot, your inbox undoubtedly has years' worth of critical messages, attachments, and personal recollections. But what if something goes wrong, like someone hacking your account or you are accidentally deleting something important?
That's why it's a good idea to save your Gmail messages, especially those with attachments, to a USB device. When you save your emails offline, you keep your data safe and feel better.
But a lot of people don't do it because they think it's too complicated or takes too much time.
The good news is? You don't have to copy and paste or drag files around by hand to do it.
Let's go through the steps of the procedure together in a simple way.
Let's talk about why before we go into the how.
Security: Backing up keeps you from losing essential emails because of hacking, mistakes, or problems with your account.
Offline connectivity: Your emails and attachments are accessible even when there is no internet connection.
Managing storage: Gmail has limits on how much space you can use. You can make room by backing up old emails.
The idea is to store all of your emails (with attachments) directly to a USB drive without having to do it one at a time. There are two common ways to do that:
Method 1: Use Google Takeout (free and manual) You can retrieve your Gmail data for free using Google Takeout, a service provided by Google.
This is how to utilize it:
Google will begin making a copy of your emails. Depending on how much data you have, this could take a while. You'll get an email with a link to download it when it's ready.
When you're done downloading,
Keep in mind that the emails will be saved in. MBOX format, which may require a special viewer or application to open. The archive will include attachments.
A Gmail backup program might be a better solution if the Google Takeout technique seems a little too tedious or if you prefer a simpler approach to back up only certain folders or dates.
The purpose of these tools is to:
One such application is Softaken Gmail Backup. It is beneficial for:
This can save you time, especially if you're not used to using Google Takeout or dealing with big ZIP files.
Most tools have a similar setup. This is what it usually looks like:
That’s it! No need for complicated steps or IT knowledge.
It doesn't have to be hard to back up your Gmail emails with attachments.
Google Takeout is free and works well, but you will have to set it up by hand.
A specialized Gmail backup tool might make things a lot easier if you want a smoother, more flexible experience.
One choice is the Softaken Gmail Backup Tool, which makes the process easier and lets you choose what is saved and where.
No matter how you do it, the most important thing is to keep your emails safe before you need them.
Q1: Can I back up only Gmail emails that have attachments? Not directly through Google Takeout, however, many third-party applications let you filter and download only emails with attachments.
Q2: Will the backup have emails that were deleted or are spam? Google Takeout only has what you have in your files. So, if your spam or deleted emails are still in the trash or spam folder when you export them, they will be included.
Q3: Do I need to be online to get to my backed-up emails? No, you can open your emails offline with the right software or tools once they are saved to your USB in formats like PDF or EML.
Q4: Is it safe to use Gmail backup products from other companies? Yes, it's safe as long as the tool comes from a trusted organization and employs secure login (OAuth). Always get software from the official website.
Q5: Is it possible to set up automatic backups for Gmail? Some paid solutions let you set up schedules. This lets you back up your Gmail automatically without having to do anything.