How To Backup Your Gmail The Right Way

If you like to store important data like your confidential messages, documents, or images in your Gmail account, then creating a backup could be very useful from a security perspective.

Google has made it very convenient for users to create backups through its free online service, Google Takeout.

The process is also fairly easy to follow, and you can choose between backing up your data once or every twice a month in a year, all stored in a condensed .mbox file. Furthermore, we have listed a few other backup methods you can choose from.

So, without further delay, let us dive right into learning how to create a backup of all your Gmail messages.

How to Backup Gmail?

As mentioned above, the direct way to backup your Gmail messages is through Google Takeout, which is available in your Google account settings.

But, if you want to explore more backup methods, you can choose to sync your Gmail account with a mail client. You can also download and use third-party applications for an even easier process.

So, depending on your preference and convenience, you can choose either of these options. Now, let us learn about each of these methods in more detail.

Through Google Takeout

Here are some steps you can follow to backup Gmail through the Google Takeout service.

Open your browser and head over to the Google Account website.
Click on the Data & Privacy tab.
Now, scroll down, and under the Download or Delete section, click on the Download your data option.
It will now redirect you to the Google Takeout page.
By default, all Google products are already selected. If you only want to backup Gmail, click on Deselect all.
Scroll down and locate Mail from the list, and check its box.
After the selection, click on the All Mail Data included button.
From the pop-up, you can either check the option to include all messages in the mail or deselect this option and choose only specific categories.
Once the selection is complete, click on the OK button to continue.
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the Next Step button.
From the Create a new Export page, you can set the delivery method, frequency, file type, and size according to your preference.
Next, click on the Create Export.
After the export is complete, click on the Download button.
If prompted, enter your Gmail account’s password and hit the Next button.
You will also receive a mail in your inbox containing the backup file.

Sync Gmail With Email Client

Alternatively, another great way of backing up your files is by syncing your Gmail account through a mail service provider such as Outlook or Apple Mail. You can then export the entire mailbox by downloading the .pst or .mbox file, allowing you to create a local backup onto your device.

Here is a step-by-step guide you can follow to sync your Gmail account to your Outlook application through the Outlook Application

Configure Gmail Settings

Open your browser and log in to your Gmail account.
Navigate over to the top-right corner and click on the Gear icon.
Click on the See all Settings button.
Switch over to the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.
Scroll down and under the IMAP access section, check the option for enable IMAP.
Now, click the Save Changes button from the bottom of the page.

Configure Outlook Settings

Open up your Outlook application from your device.
Head over to the menu bar and click on File.
Click on the Account Settings icon, and from the drop-down menu, select Account Settings.
Now from the pop-up, click on New.
Enter your email address and hit Connect.
Now, follow the on-screen instructions and set up your Gmail account.
Click on the Connect button again to log in and sync your account.

Note: The steps to configuring the sync setup might vary according to the Outlook version.

To export your Outlook mailbox into a .pst file, follow this detailed article on how to do so.

Through Apple Mail

Use the Shortcut Command + Space Bar to open up Spotlight Search.
Type in Mail and hit the enter or return key.
Head over to the top-left corner of your screen and click on Mail.
Select the Preferences option.
Switch over to the Accounts tab.
Click on the + icon, check the Gmail option and click on the Continue button.
Now, follow the on-screen instructions and set up your Gmail account.
After your mailbox has loaded up, head to the left panel and right-click on the inbox.
Click on the Export MailBox option.
Select the destination where you want to keep your backup file and hit the Choose button.

Use Third-Party Applications

Alternatively, if you want easier access to creating backups or migrating your email messages from one email server to another, then using a third-party application is the way to go!

Some popular apps for backing Gmail include GmVault, Backupify, and UpSafe. All of these apps have quite an easy-to-use interface. So, configuring backups is relatively straightforward.