How to Open Google Takeout Files on Mac or Windows?

But before proceeding on it, let’s know about Google Takeout. It’s a free service created by Google to download emails from Gmail. It will export in a ZIP or TGZ file. ZIP will commonly be used in Windows, macOS, and Linux, while TGZ is commonly used in Unix-based Mac or Linux platforms to easily manage mailbox data. Google Takeout allows you to download emails, contacts, calendars, recent activity, photos, Google Drive, and so more. It will export data in multiple extensions depending on the file type, such as JSON, MBOX, PDF, CSV, MP4, JPEG, PNG, or many more.

Key Reasons to Open Google Takeout MBOX File

• Some users realize they have lost important emails in Gmail and use Google Takeout to recover them.
• People who prefer to store their email data offline for security or compliance reasons download their messages via Google Takeout.
• Users often need to retrieve important files sent via email such as documents, images or invoices.
• Some users download their email archives to view messages offline, and it’s too beneficial for those users travelling frequently or have limited connectivity.
• Instead of logging in to Gmail and searching online, users open Google Takeout MBOX files locally to access mailbox data directly.

How to Download Gmail Mailbox data using Google Takeout?

If you want to proper procedure to download Gmail mailbox data using Google Takeout then you can follow manual approach as we have explained below:

1. First, open your preferred web browser and visit “Google Takeout” url: takeout.google.com/
2. Click on deselect all and “select Data to include”.
3. Now, check on the box which data you need to “Export” and press Next step.
4. Click on “destination option” and choose send download link via email, Add to Drive, Add to Dropbox, Add to OneDrive, Add to BOX as best suited to user needs.
5. Choose “frequency” Export Once or expert every 2 months for 1 year.
6. Now, “Browse file size” such as 1 GB, 2 GB, 4 GB, 10 GB, 50 GB to create multiple or single file.
7. Now, press “Create Export” to download mailbox data at your selected destination when export is ready.

How to Unzip Google Takeout Files?

Once you have downloaded mailbox data from Google Takeout then it will be compiled into a ZIP file. To open Google Takeout MBOX file you need to unzip Google Takeout files:

1. First, open “WinRar” on your computer.
2. Then, right-click on the “ZIP file” and select Extract here or too at any chosen destination.

1. Click on the “Extract button” to Unzip Google Takeout files successfully.

How to Open Google Takeout Files using Apple Mail?

1. Install “Apple Mail” on your Mac and click on the file.
2. Press on “Import Mailboxes” and locate the MBOX folder in Google Takeout files.
3. Browse the location where “Google Takeout exported MBOX file” is located.
4. Select the “MBOX file” and now press Start Import and now you can easily open Google Takeout files.

Challenges to Open Google Takeout MBOX Files using Mac Mail

• Large MBOX files can slow down Apple Mail or freeze during import.
• Apple Mail may not detect an MBOX file if it is inside multiple subfolders.
• Some emails may appear with missing content, incorrect formatting or attachment not loading.

How to Open Google Takeout Files using Thunderbird?

1. Install and open “Thunderbird” on your machine.
2. Click on the “Menu” and press on “Add-ons and Themes” in the list.
3. Find “Import/Export NG Tools” and click on “Add to Thunderbird”.
4. Pop appeared, Click on the “Add” option.
5. Now, right-click on the chosen email account and click on “Import/Export NG Tools”.
6. Press “Import MBOX file” and select Individual or many more MBOX file and press OK option.
7. Navigate to “unzipped Google Takeout MBOX file” and select it.
8. Click on open and now you can easily “open Google Takeout MBOX file”.

Common Issues When Importing Google Takeout Files into Thunderbird

• Import/Export NG Tools may not detect Google Takeout MBOX file due to incorrect file placement and corrupt MBOX file.
• Sometimes, Thunderbird imports Google Takeout files, but no emails are visible.
• Some emails may be missing content, attachment or have unreadable characters.

Guidelines to Open Google Takeout MBOX Files

1. First, Download and run “Jagware Google Takeout Viewer” on your system.
2. Click on open and “select Google Takeout MBOX file” as you want to preview.
3. Now, select the “MBOX file” and choose the email you want to preview.
4. Find emails using the “Search Option” and easily access them.

Remarkable Qualities of Google Takeout Viewer

• It allows users to open Eudora MBX files, MBS, and other versions of MBOX files without facing any compatibility issues.
• This software offers an easy-to-perform interface to make it a reliable tool for all levels of users.
• You can easily detect the Thunderbird MBOX location to directly access it.
• It preserves the data integrity and folder structure of the Google Takeout MBOX file.
• You can easily open attachments of any file extension such as PDF, DOC, PNY or any other.
• This software can be upgraded to upload Google Takeout to a new account or can be exported in multiple extensions such as PDF, PST, TXT, MBOX, and many more.

Often Inquired Questions about Open Google Takeout MBOX Files

How do you open a Google Takeout file?

To open Google Takeout files, you need to download a ZIP or TGZ file from Google Takeout and unzip the Google Takeout files using WinRAR, 7-ZIP, or any other tool. Once unzipped successfully, locate folders such as emails, contacts, and calendars. As MBOX files cannot be accessed directly, you can open MBOX file in Gmail using Thunderbird.

How do I Unpack Google Takeout files?

Google Takeout are compressed in ZIP or TGZ file. To unpack Google Takeout files use WinRar, 7-ZIP or any other tools to extract them. Unzip Google Takeout files at your desired location to easily access it with their supported applications.

What to do with Google Takeout files?

Google Takeout files can be imported into various application such as MBOX file can be opened in various email client such as Thunderbird, Apple Mail or contacts can be added to address book and Drive files can be restored or move to cloud storage. Analyze exported data and use it when needed.

How do I view Google Takeout downloads?

To view Google Takeout downloads, locate the extracted files from ZIP or TGZ archive. Open MBOX file with an email client, VCF files with contact app, and Google Docs files with supported applications. Organize and browse Google Takeout folders based on exported data type.

Final Thoughts

In this write-up, we have shared all effective methods to open Google Takeout MBOX files manually using Apple Mail or Thunderbird to easily access them on Mac or Windows and also discussed its single alternative, which is workable with both Mac and Windows, making it easier to open Google Takeout files. This recommended software has been completely tried and tested and also offers fully valuable output without losing any single attribute. It has been marked as one of the best tools as it offers fully valuable results and a completely risk-free solution for your data.