How to Access Your Gmail After Downloading Through Google Takeout

Illustration showing computer and emails.

Google Takeout is a service provided by Google that allows you to download your data from various Google products, including Gmail. This article describes how to download your Gmail using Google Takeout, and the accessing your emails on your Windows desktop computer.

First, download your emails from Google Takeout. Follow these steps:

  1. Access Google Takeout:
  2. Sign In to Your Google Account:
    • If you’re not already signed in, you’ll be prompted to sign in to your Google account. Enter your Gmail email address and password.
  3. Select the Data to Include:
    • On the Google Takeout page, you will see a list of Google services for which you can export data. To download your Gmail data, click on “Deselect All” to unselect all services.
  4. Scroll Down to Gmail:
    • Scroll down the list until you find “Mail” or “Gmail.” Check the box next to it to select Gmail for export.
  5. Configure Gmail Data Settings:
    • After selecting Gmail, you can click on the dropdown arrow next to it to configure the settings for your Gmail data export. You can choose to export all of your Gmail data or select specific labels or categories. You can also specify the file format and the maximum file size for each exported file.
  6. Select Delivery Method:
    • Scroll down to the bottom of the page, and you’ll see options for how you want to receive your exported Gmail data. You can choose to receive a download link via email, add it to Google Drive, or add it to Dropbox or OneDrive.
  7. Create Export:
    • Once you’ve configured your settings and chosen a delivery method, click the “Create Export” button.
  8. Wait for the Export to Complete:
    • Google will start preparing your Gmail data for export. This process may take some time, depending on the size of your Gmail account. You can leave the page and come back later to check the progress.
  9. Download Your Data:
    • Once the export is complete, you will receive an email notification (if you chose email delivery) with a link to download your Gmail data. You can also access the download link from the Google Takeout website.
  10. Store Your Gmail Data:
    • Download the ZIP file containing your Gmail data to your computer. Inside the ZIP file, you will find your Gmail messages in standard MBOX format.
  11. Extract MBOX Files:
    • After downloading the ZIP file, extract its contents to access the MBOX files.
  12. Backup or Store on a USB Drive:
    • You can now copy the MBOX files to a USB drive or any other storage medium for safekeeping.

By following these steps, you can use Google Takeout to download your Gmail data and store it in MBOX format or another format of your choice.

The next step is to use PstViewer Pro or Pst Viewer Lite to access your Gmail data. These Windows software products allow you quickly open, search and view your Gmail files. They also work with many other email client file types, including MBOX, PST, OST, EML and MSG. Download the 15 day free trial of either the Pro or Lite version Pst viewer. Using the File > Open function, select the Gmail file you want to view.

Upon choosing the Gmail file, the emails will quickly load into a familiar email viewing pane. You can search for emails, open file attachments, sort by date or sender, print, and even save emails a PDF document. Using Pst Viewer Pro ($89.99) or Pst Viewer Lite ($19.99) is a great way to free yourself of dependency on Gmail, while retaining access to all of your Gmail emails and files.

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