Extract Gmail Message from MBOX File – Eminent Techniques
Gmail is a cloud-based email client that contains user’s all emails, contacts and all other data used for communication. However, it is easy to lose its data at the stroke of a key. Thus, backup is one of the best ways for protecting our valuable data. In case, if something goes wrong and user loses their Gmail data then, they can easily recover it from backup. Google takeout allows data downloading from Gmail, including emails, email labels and contact, as an archive. It downloads the Gmail data as MBOX file. Now, how to access the information from this MBOX file in various platforms? Well, in this article we will introduce users with the ways to extract Gmail messages from MBOX file.
User Queries
Many users ask for solution to access Gmail emails from MBOX file. They posted their queries on different social networking sites, blogs, technical forums, etc. We have selected few queries from these websites to post them here. This will assist readers in understanding the needs to extract Gmail message from MBOX file.
“I am a forensic investigator and I have some MBOX files that contain some Gmail messages of a user. Via some clues, we got that, this MBOX file contains some suspected emails of a Gmail user. Now, I need to access all the emails from this MBOX file. Can anyone recommend me any tool or manual procedure to extract data from the file. I will be very thankful for your precious advice.”
“Hello! Yesterday I took backup of my Gmail data via Google takeout, as MBOX file. Now, I want to open MBOX file in Thunderbird. However, I have no idea that how can I access this file from Thunderbird. Please someone suggest me any easy technique to execute the same task without any data loss.”
After taking Gmail backup from Google Takeout, it will provide you a MBOX file of downloaded data. However, we cannot extract email messages from this MBOX file until we have any MBOX supported email client.
Ways to Extract Gmail Messages from MBOX File
There are below-mentioned 2 methods by which one can access Gmail messages that are stored in MBOX file. Users can go with any of the technique as per their demand and installed email application.
Technique 1: Extract Gmail Messages from MBOX File via Thunderbird
Thunderbird can open your Gmail messages that are stored in MBOX file. However, before that you have to import this MBOX file into your Thunderbird. Now, for importing MBOX file to your Thunderbird account follow the mentioned steps:
- Download and launch Thunderbird Import Wizard tool.
- Click on Add file/Add folder and browse the MBOX file that consist Gmail messages.
- After adding MBOX file, software will preview the list of MBOX files/folder that you need to import. Now, click on Next button.
- Click on Select identities option, select the desired email account, and click on Import button.
- This time, you can view all Gmail messages that were stored in MBOX file.
Technique 2: Access Gmail Emails from MBOX File via Multiple Email Clients
If Thunderbird is not installed in your system then, we also have a solution: MBOX Converter. With this utility, users can convert MBOX files to multiple file formats such as MS Outlook, Lotus Notes and any other email client that supports PST, EML, MSG or NSF file formats. Now, for accessing Gmail messages from MBOX file follow down mentioned steps:
- Install and launch MBOX Converter software.
- Click on Add file then, select MBOX file >> Next.
- Browse the MBOX file/folder individually or in bulk and click on Next.
- Choose the export file option as per installed email client.
- Now, you can easily open your converted data file in the supported email client.
Conclusion
We usually take Gmail account’s backup via Google Takeout and then, we get a MBOX file of downloaded data. Most of the users search the ways to extract Gmail messages from MBOX file. Well, emails cannot be extracted from any MBOX file, if the MBOX supported application is not installed. To open Gmail messages of MBOX, we have only two options: first open MBOX in supported application and second, convert MBOX in other file format. Thus, if user wants to open MBOX in Thunderbird, they can prefer Thunderbird Import Wizard tool. This tool can easily import MBOX file/folder directly into your Thunderbird and then, users can access Gmail emails. However, if you have Lotus Notes, Outlook or any other email client that supports PST, EML, MSG or NSF format then, opt MBOX Converter. This is a very convenient utility and users will face no problem while converting MBOX into any mentioned file format.