Why You Need Email Backup
Your email can be compromised through phishing attacks or account breaches, and important messages can be lost during provider migrations. A local backup ensures you always have access to your correspondence regardless of what happens to your account.
How to Backup Gmail Emails
Gmail lets you download all your messages from Gmail through Google Takeout. Here's how:
- Click your Profile icon in the top right corner.
- Click Manage your Google Account.
- Select Data & privacy from the list of options on the left.
- Scroll down to the Download or delete your data section, and select the Download your data option.
- The Google Takeout tool will be opened.
- Ensure Mail is selected.
- Under Mail, you will find a button telling you how many labels you have selected. Click on this button and select all the labels you want to download.
- Click Next step below.
- Now, choose the destination, frequency, type, and size of the file you would like to download. Then click Create export.
- Wait for messages to download, as this will download all mail to your computer.
How to Backup Yahoo Emails
Yahoo Mail doesn't have a built-in export tool like Google Takeout. The simplest free method is to connect your Yahoo account to a desktop email client (like Thunderbird or Outlook) via IMAP, which downloads all your messages locally.
- Open Thunderbird (or another email client) and add your Yahoo account using IMAP.
- Wait for all messages to sync to your computer.
- Your emails are now stored locally in the client's profile folder and can be copied to an external drive.
Learn more: How To Forward Yahoo Mail To Gmail And Outlook
How to Backup Outlook Emails
To perform Outlook backup and save your emails, follow these steps:
- Launch Outlook and go to File → Open & Export → Import/Export.
- Among the given options in the next step, select Export to a file and click Next.
- In the next screen select Outlook Data File (.pst), and Next.
- Select the email account you wish to back up and ensure the Include subfolders option is selected.
- Specify a location and filename for your backup, then click Finish to export emails from Outlook.
📌 Note: These steps apply to classic Outlook. In the new Outlook app, go to Settings → General → Privacy and data and look for Export mailbox. If this option is not available, you may need a Microsoft 365 subscription to export your emails.
How to Backup Emails on Mac
There are several ways to backup emails on a Mac. Here are a few of them:
Using Apple Mail
- Open the Mail application and highlight the mailboxes you wish to back up.
- Navigate to Mailbox → Export Mailbox in the menu bar.
- Select an existing folder or create a new one, then click Choose. The mailboxes will be exported as .mbox files.
Using Outlook on a Mac
- Open Outlook on the web and sign in to your account.
- Click the Settings gear icon on the right side of the top toolbar.
- Navigate to General → Privacy and data.
- Click Export mailbox to create a copy of your data.
- The mailbox export process may take up to 4 days to complete. After the mailbox copy is ready, you'll receive an email with a link to download it.
📌 Note: Microsoft has been changing export options in recent Outlook updates. If you don't see Export mailbox, you may need a Microsoft 365 subscription or can use the Apple Mail method above instead.
Manual Backup
- Open Finder or click on the desktop of your Mac.
- Hold the Option key and select Go in the top menu bar.
- Select Library from the dropdown menu.
- Scroll down to find the Mail folder.
- Locate the email storage folder on your Mac, which is usually under ~/Library/Mail/ for Apple Mail.
- Copy the relevant mailbox folders to an external drive or cloud storage.
Using Third-Party Software
If the built-in export options don't cover your needs, third-party backup tools like MacUncle Email Backup Wizard or EaseUS can export emails from most providers into formats like PST, EML, or PDF. These tools are especially useful when your email provider doesn't offer a native export feature.
📌 Always verify that the software is reputable before granting it access to your email account.
How to Backup Thunderbird Emails
If you need to backup Thunderbird email, follow this easy guide for Mac users:
- Launch Thunderbird.
- Select your Inbox or any preferred folder.
- Select the message you want to export.
- Click the menu button to display the Thunderbird menu or press Control + click on Mac.
- Select Save as… and choose file format.
- Choose folder where the messages should be saved and click Save.
Clean Your Mailbox before the Email Backup
Backing up a cluttered inbox means saving thousands of messages you will never need. Cleaning up first reduces backup size and makes it easier to find important messages later.
Clean Email lets you sort through a messy inbox fast. The app groups similar messages together so you can delete or archive hundreds of emails in a few clicks. You can also unsubscribe from newsletters and set up rules to stop junk from piling up again.
The app works with Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, and other major providers, so you can manage all your accounts in one place. And it’s conveniently available on the web, Mac desktop, and mobile, so you can consistently control it from anywhere.
Conclusion
Regular backups protect your important emails from accidental loss, cyberattacks, and account issues. Whether you use Gmail, Yahoo Mail, or Outlook, each provider offers a built-in way to download your data.
Pick the method that fits your workflow, set a reminder to back up on a regular schedule, and you will always have a copy of your messages when you need them.
Follow our guides about email encryption, spoofed emails, and the most secure email providers.
How to Back Up Emails In Various Email Providers - FAQs
How to save emails from Outlook?
To backup Outlook emails, go to File > Open & Export > Import/Export, then choose "Export to a file" and follow the prompts. This will create an Outlook Data File (.pst) containing your emails, which you can save to your desired location.
How to back up emails from Gmail?
To back up emails from Gmail, navigate to Google Account settings, select "Data & privacy," and then choose "Download your data." Ensure "Mail" is selected and follow the prompts to create an export, which will generate a downloadable archive of your Gmail messages.
How to backup Gmail emails with attachments?
When performing local email backup with Gmail, all attachments are also automatically backed up alongside their email correspondents.
How to save emails to Google Drive?
To save emails to Google Drive, open the email in Gmail, click on the three-dot menu, and select "Download message" to save it as an .eml file. Then, upload this file to your Google Drive.
Does iCloud backup emails?
Yes, iCloud does backup emails for accounts that are configured to use iCloud Mail. Emails and other iCloud Mail data are stored in the cloud and can be accessed from any device that is signed into the same iCloud account.
How to save emails from Mac mail to hard drive?
- Launch mail, select one or more mailboxes, then choose Mailbox → Export Mailbox.
- Select a file path by choosing an existing folder or create a new one.
- Mail exports the mailboxes as .mbox packages.
How to save emails as PDF?
When backing up emails, you get to choose the file type you would like your files to be saved. However, not all email service providers offer the ability to export as PDF.
