How to Download Gmail Emails for Offline View? Simple Method

Jamie Kaler ~ March 12, 2025 ~ 7 Minutes Reading

Gmail offers 15 GB of free storage to each user and integrates with Google Drive, Google Photos, Google Contacts, and more. It provides advanced security, auto-categorization, an advanced spam filter, a modern interface, and regular updates. Gmail is a widely used email service as it has 1.2 billion active users as per February 2025 report, but making Gmail emails available offline can be challenging. Whether you need to Download Gmail Emails for Offline View, backup, security, or accessibility, multiple approaches are available.

In this write-up, we will share several methods to download Gmail emails locally, including offline mode, Google Takeout, and Gmail Backup Tool. So, keep reading this tutorial, as it includes several verified approaches to help you perform the task easily.

Needs to Make Gmail Emails Available Offline

  • If you are frequently traveling or working in remote areas, or facing connectivity issues then offline access ensures you can read and respond to emails anytime.
  • Keeping a local copy of your emails secure against accidental deletion, hacking or unexpected data loss issues.
  • Google offers 15 GB storage free storage, which is quickly filled by emails, Google Drive files and photos. Downloading Gmail emails for offline viewing and deleting from the server can help to manage storage limits.
  • Business and professionals may need to store emails for long term preservation, audit or compliance.
  • If you are switching to another email service provider, having offline backup makes migration easier.

How to Download Gmail Emails for Offline View Manually?

Here, we have explained several manual methods to make Gmail emails available offline. You can opt any of them as per your requirement:

Method 1. Make Gmail Emails available Offline Using Offline Mode

Gmail offers inbuilt offline mode that allows users to access, read and compose emails without having internet connection:

  1. Open “Gmail” on your web browser and enter credentials to login.
  2. Click on the “Settings” and press on See All Settings.
  3. Press on “Offline” and check the enable offline mail option.
  4. Adjust “Synchronization” settings emails from the past 7, 30 or 90 days.
  5. Press on “Save Changes”.

Limitations of Offline Mode

  • It contains several complicated steps and is not reliable for all types of users.
  • This method only works on web browsers and doesn’t allow a permanent backup.

Method 2. Download Gmail Emails for Offline View

If you want to download individual emails for offline use then you can follow the instructions as we have explained below:

  1. First, visit “Gmail” and open email as you want to download.
  2. Click on Three dot icons and press on “Download Message”.
  3. Email will be saved as an “EML file” in the download folder.

Boundaries of Download Individual Emails

  • You need to repeat the whole process to download each email.
  • This approach is not reliable to export batch emails.

Method 3. How to Download Gmail Emails as PDF for Offline Use?

If you want to export Gmail emails as PDF individually then you can use Gmail Print feature:

  1. First, visit “Gmail” and open email as you want to use it offline.
  2. Click on the Three dot icon and click on the “Print button”.
  3. Now, Select “Save as PDF” and press on Save button.

Issues using Download Gmail Emails as PDF

  • Formatting and metadata will not be preserved correctly.
  • This manual method is not reliable to export bulk emails.
  • You need to repeat the complete process to download each email.

Method 4. Use Google Takeout to Backup Gmail Emails Locally

Google offers native Google Takeout service to export mailbox data. Now, follow the step-by-step procedure as we have explained below:

  1. First, Visit “Google Takeout” and enter credentials to login to your Gmail account.
  2. Click on deselect all and choose “Mail” and other data as you want to export.
  3. Select file type, size and “Frequency” as you need to export.
  4. Click on “Create Export” and after preparing the exported file will share to download mailbox data.
Hurdles of Google Takeout
  • It generally takes 3-4 days to export depending on the mailbox data.
  • Google Takeout sometimes shows an error: We can’t create Google data.
  • Users must be aware of the file type, file size to export.
How to Make Gmail Emails Offline using Automated Approach?

If you want to export a large size Google mailbox or want to export multiple Google accounts at a single process. Then, we recommend you to opt Jagware Gmail Backup Tool as it allows you specific mailbox folders or complete mailbox data and it offers fully maintained attributes without leaving any information. To use it, you just need to click on download button and follow step-by-step procedure as we have explained below:

Instructions to Download Gmail Emails for Offline View
  1. Download and install “Automated Software” on your system.launch automated software
  2. Enter “Gmail email address” and Sign in with Google.Fill Gmail email address
  3. Enter the “Password” and click Next to proceed.Provide password
  4. Accept all “Google permissions” and click Next to continue.Accept all Google permissions
  5. Preview to select “Google mailbox folders” as you want to backup.Choose Google labels
  6. Choose “PDF” in the list of select saving options.Choose PDF
  7. Browse “File Naming Options” and browse Advanced filters.Select naming option
  8. Select destination path and press Backup to “make Gmail emails available Offline”.Download Gmail Emails for Offline View
Top-notch Elements of Automated Approach
  • It allows you to save Gmail emails to MBOX, PST, DOC, HTML, MBOX and 30+ saving options.
  • This software offers a simple initiative interface to easily perform by any level of users without having advanced technical knowledge.
  • You can also extract phone numbers, email addresses, and extract attachments from Gmail accounts.
  • With this software, you can also use incremental backup, exclude attachments, have the words, only export sent folder, exclude email body and attachment and many more modern filters.
  • This software can also migrate Gmail to Outlook, Microsoft 365, Zimbra, Thunderbird, and all IMAP Supported email platforms.
Best Practices for Offline Email Management
  • If you are using Gmail offline mode, ensure emails are periodically synced to reflect recent conversations and avoid missing important emails.
  • When saving email using Google Takeout stored them in managed order for easy retrieval.
  • For long term preservation, save emails on external storage devices or cloud storage to prevent accidental loss.
  • If emails contain confidential information use encryption tools or password protected storage for a stable security system.
  • Setup automatic email export to avoid manual download and ensure consistent data protection.
Common Questions about Download Gmail Emails for Offline View

How Do I Download Emails to Work Offline?

To download emails to work offline enable Gmail offline mode in See All Settings. Go to Gmail and click on Settings and press on See All Settings and press on Offline and click on enable Offline mode and select sync period 7, 30, 90 days and click on Save Changes.


How to Check if Gmail is in Offline Mode?

To check if Gmail is in Offline mode click on open Gmail Settings and press on See All Settings and click on Offline mode and enable Offline Mail is checked, it’s active. You can also disconnect from the internet and try accessing Gmail in chrome.


How Can I Check My Gmail Without My Phone?

You can check Gmail without your phone via computer or tablet using email and password. If Two two-step verification is enabled and you don’t have access to your phone, backup codes and enter Security key or use alternative email to login securely.

Time to Say GoodBye

We hope you have found a solution to download Gmail emails for offline viewing, as we have mentioned several methods. However when comparing options, automated software stands out as the best choice as it allows a batch Gmail account and also allows specific mailbox selection to save storage and Among all the methods, the automated approach is the most reliable, as it does not leave out any information during the download process.