Summary: Most of the users have a question in mind: How do I backup my Gmail emails to my computer? Backing up emails from Gmail is not a tricky task. Any users who have single or multiple accounts on Gmail have the privilege to backup their data. They can backup and save their complete Gmail account data to any local storage where they want. In order to quickly backup Gmail emails on a PC/laptop, we will share some quick and 100% verified methods.
There is no doubt that Gmail is the most reliable email client and the primary choice of billions of users. However, it has better security options and an advanced spam filter feature, but that does not mean your data is completely safe there. Having a backup of Gmail emails with attachments locally is a smart prevention measure for possible future hacking attacks. You can retrieve your important data anytime whenever you want if you have a safe backup of your Gmail account.
So, let’s move to the methods to download Gmail emails to any Windows PC or Mac computer.
How to Backup Gmail to Hard Drive?
There are several ways to take Gmail email backup on a computer or PC. One way is to use the Google Takeout feature. This will archive the complete Gmail data to the system storage. Another way is to use a third-party Gmail backup tool. These tools will allow you to create a backup of your entire Gmail account, including all of your emails, attachments, and calendars. You can also download emails to computer by just saving every single thread in PDF locally. Let’s see how we can do it all.
Methods to Backup Gmail Emails on Windows/Mac
#1. Use Google Takeout to Backup Gmail Emails with Attachments on Mac and Windows
Perform the steps carefully to backup your data from your Gmail account:
- Firstly, sign in to your Gmail account for which you want to take backup.
- Tap on your Google account icon from the top right corner and click on Manage your Google Account. You can also click this link https://myaccount.google.com to directly open the My Account section.
- Now, click on Data & Privacy option from the left panel and scroll down to the bottom.
- Here, you will see Data from apps and services you use. Now, you have to select Download your data option and this will take you to the Google Takeout page.
- Next, click on the Deselect all button at the top of the page as shown in the image.
- Select the Mail option to backup Gmail emails only. You can also check the other items that you want to download.
- Click on the Next Step button from the bottom of the page. Here you will be asked to choose the file type, frequency & destination for your export file.
- Here, you can select the frequency as per your choice, choose the file type (.zip or .tgz), and the file size.
- Finally, click on the Create export button, and the backing up emails from Gmail process will start.
Depending on the size of the data, it can take the time up to hours or days. Once the process will complete, you will receive an email link through which you can download emails to computer’s local storage. This is the common method to take free Gmail backup on your Mac as well as Windows PC. In fact, you can set your accounts to backup regularly, which is a good practice to prevent your data from vulnerable threats.
Another method to backup Gmail inbox emails is printing every single thread in PDF format. Using this technique, you can save your important emails locally in PDF format. Let’s see how we can do it.
#2. Use the Print Option to Backup Gmail Emails in PDF
- Login to your Gmail account and open the email that you want to download to your computer.
- Now, click on the Print icon from the top-left corner.
- This will open the new tab and new wizard asking to select the destination and the pages.
- Here, choose Save as PDF option from the destination menu and click on the Print button.
- Now, choose the saving location, enter the file name, and tap the save button.
That’s all, and you will successfully save your Gmail email locally to your computer or laptop. You have to repeat the procedure to backup multiple Gmail inbox emails.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, backing up your Gmail emails is an essential step in ensuring that your important data is safe and secure. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily backup Gmail emails on both Windows and Mac PCs. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced user, this guide will help you create a backup of your emails quickly and easily. With the help of this guide, you can safely backup your Gmail mailbox and create a local copy for easy retrieval in case of any unexpected issues or data loss.
Ankit Roy is a professional Technical Content Developer, Freelancer, and blogger. He holds a Masters’s degree in Computer Science and has worked as a Digital Marketing Strategist. With a deep understanding of technology trends like AI, ML, Big Data, Neural Networks, Network Infrastructure, etc., Ankit is able to communicate complex technical concepts in a clear and concise manner. He is a regular contributor to several websites and has authored numerous technical guides and instructional materials. In his free time, Ankit enjoys tinkering with new technologies and staying up-to-date with the latest developments in the field.