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How to Export Gmail to CSV for Free?

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Written By
Nick Rogers
Published On
November 8th, 2024
Reading Time
5 Minutes Reading

Learn how to export Gmail to CSV for free. In this article, we will teach you best method to export Gmail email in CSV file with all included attachments.

Exporting Gmail emails as CSV serves professional requirements, but it sure has a lot of benefits as well. CSV is a format that contains data in plain text and is easy to understand. It is an offline format that can be accessed using a spreadsheet application like MS Excel, Google Sheets, etc. CSV files can be used as backup copies of Gmail emails. So, if you can’t access Gmail for some reason, you can access the CSV file to access the same data.

How to Export Gmail Emails to CSV for Free?

The manual solution requires using an alternative email account such as Thunderbird to accomplish the task. This manual solution is completely free and suitable for technical professionals. Let’s check all the steps of the method below.

  • First, if you haven’t already, install Thunderbird on your Windows system
  • Now, go to “Tools” and then select “Account Settings” and then “Add Mail Account”.
  • Then, in the new window, enter your Gmail email address and password.
  • Then click the “Continue” button.
  • Now, Thunderbird will automatically detect and configure Gmail’s IMAP and SMTP settings.
  • Next, you will be asked to sign in to your Gmail account using a web browser.
  • Enter your Gmail credentials and then allow Thunderbird to access your Gmail account.
  • Next, you need to install some add-ons in Thunderbird like ImportExport Tool NG.
  • Next, in your Gmail profile, right-click the mailbox and select Export all messages in the folder.
  • Select the CSV file from the displayed option, select the location, and finally click on the Export button.

Within a few minutes, your Gmail emails will be saved in CSV format. This method is completely free but it has some limitations that you should review before deciding whether it is the right solution for you or not.

Limitations in Free Solution

  • You unnecessarily have to download and setup a Thunderbird account.
  • This method is time consuming since you need to follow multiple steps.
  • You must have higher technical knowledge because you need to install multiple add-ons.
  • If IMAP and SMPT settings are not configured automatically, you will need to search and configure manually, which may take up most of your time.

Are you reconsidering using the manual solution to convert Gmail email to CSV file? Let us help you with this. We have another solution that is better than the manual one, please read about it below.

Fast Way to Export Gmail to CSV

Gmail Backup Tool is the solution to effectively save your Gmail email as a CSV file. This software outperforms the manual solution in several ways. It is completely standalone and does not force you to use an additional email client. It is also very time efficient because it allows you to convert multiple emails from Gmail at once to a CSV file without manually configuring any settings.

Download Now Purchase Now

If you want an easier and time-saving solution to export Gmail labels to CSV file, this software is a must for you. You can download it from the link above and use it for free at first as it comes with the free version.

Why Should You Use the Professional Solution over Manual? 

  • This tool may easily convert unlimited emails from Gmail to CSV at once.
  • The user interface of the tool is fairly straightforward, hence useful for all users.
  • It retains all the properties during conversion and provides accurate result.
  • There is no need to install any supportive client to export Gmail to CSV file format.
  • This tool also lets users to convert emails to CSV from all or the specific Gmail labels.
  • With this utility users can also export Gmail emails to HTML, PST, PDF, etc.

The Conclusion

Converting Gmail emails to a CSV file is useful for most reasons, but it’s often not easy to find a solution. However, we have researched and provided the best solution in the text above. We have provided a manual yet free solution but it is time consuming and not suitable for non-technical users. It also recommends using an alternative email client.

To help you export Gmail to CSV file in no time and without much effort, we have also mentioned the best software. You can download the tool from the link above and use it for free with the trial version. We suggest you check both methods and then decide which works best for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question) Does Gmail allow saving a single email as a CSV file?

No, Gmail only allows saving a single email as an EML file, and cannot save to CSV manually.

Question) Can Google Takeout save Gmail emails in CSV file ?

No. Using the Google Takeout function, you can save only contacts to a CSV file. If you choose to save emails, they will be exported to MBOX but not CSV format.

Question) Why should I export Gmail to CSV?

CSV document file format is easy to open and read. It can serve as a backup format to keep emails in Gmail for emergencies.

Question) What happens to attachments when I save Gmail emails to a CSV file?

When exporting Gmail emails to CSV, all your attachments will be saved in a separate folder.

Question) How many Gmail emails can I convert to CSV at the same time?

You can convert unlimited number of emails from Gmail to CSV file with the help of 4n6 software.