Export Gmail to Text: Save Gmail Emails as TXT Files Easily
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Written By
Aaradhya Jain -
Approved By
Shivam Rathore -
Updated on
February 12th, 2026 - Read Time
5 minutes
User Query: I have important emails in my Gmail account that I want to save as simple text files. I need them for backup, record keeping, and offline access. What is the easiest and safest way to export Gmail to text format without losing email content?
Introduction: Gmail is one of the most widely used email services in the world. People use it for personal communication, office work, billing records, and important discussions. Over time, inboxes become filled with valuable information. Sometimes, users need to save these emails in a simple and readable format. Text (TXT) files are basic files that can be opened on any device without special software. They are lightweight, easy to store, and perfect for archiving or documentation. In this blog, we will explain a free manual method and a professional DRS Gmail Backup Tool for a hassle-free result.
Reasons to Convert Gmail to Text
- Text files open on any system without extra software.
- TXT format is simple and lightweight.
- Useful for long-term email archiving.
- Easy to upload into documentation systems.
- Helpful for legal or official records.
- Keeps email content readable without formatting issues.
- Furthermore, it allows offline access anytime.
Manual Method to Export Gmail to Text [Free]
If you only need to save a few emails, you can use a simple manual method. This method is free but works best for small numbers of emails. Steps to Save Gmail Email as Text Manually:
- First, open your Gmail account in a web browser.
- Now, open the email you want to export.
- Click on the three-dot menu (More options).
- Select Show original.
- After that, click Download Original.
- The file will download in .eml format.
- Open the file in a text editor like Notepad.
- Finally, click Save As and choose the .txt format.
Limitations: Manually Export Gmail Emails to Text
- You can export only one email at a time.
- It is time-consuming for multiple emails.
- Attachments are not saved properly in TXT format.
- There is no bulk export option.
- The manual method requires repeated steps for each message.
- Furthermore, this is not suitable for business or large mailbox backup.
Professional Tool to Export Gmail to Text [Hassle-Free]
The DRS Gmail Email Backup is a quick, reliable, and 100% accurate tool. This tool is specifically designed to convert multiple Gmail emails at once with zero data loss. It offers several advanced features, such as Preview, Remove Duplicate, Date Filter, and more. You can maintain the original data formatting, structure, and metadata during the entire process. With its simple interface, every user can easily use it without needing any technical skills. In addition, you can set up Gmail Emails in Outlook Account and other formats.
Simple Steps to Download Gmail Emails into TXT File
- Download and install the DRS Gmail Backup Tool.
- Enter your Gmail Email Address & Password to Sign In.
- You can preview and select the Gmail emails to convert.
- Pick Text as the Saving Format from the drop-down list.
- Apply advanced features as per your needs. Click Convert.
Real-Life Scenario: Save Gmail Emails to Text
A legal consultant needed copies of email conversations for documentation purposes. Keeping emails inside Gmail was not enough for official records. By exporting Gmail emails into text files with the DRS Gmail Backup Tool, the consultant created simple and readable records that could be stored securely and accessed offline whenever required.
Conclusion
In this blog, we explored the manual method and a professional tool to export Gmail to Text. You can use the manual method for free, but it works best when exporting only a small number of Gmail emails. But it has several limitations, which make it an unreliable choice for many users. Besides that, we highly recommend using a professional tool. It supports bulk conversion with multiple advanced features. A free version of this tool is available to evaluate its features and performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ans: To export Gmail to Text using the DRS Gmail Backup Tool, download and install the software on your system. Sign in with your Gmail credentials, preview and select the required emails, choose TXT as the saving format, apply filters if needed, and click Convert. The tool will save your Gmail emails into text files without altering the original content.
Ans: Yes, HR teams can use the DRS Gmail Backup Tool to export employee emails into TXT format for official records. The tool keeps email content, subject, sender, date, and other details intact, making it suitable for documentation and compliance purposes.
Ans: TXT format is simple, lightweight, and easy to access on any device without additional software. With the DRS tool, users can generate clean and readable text files that are ideal for archiving, documentation systems, and long-term storage.
Ans: Yes, the DRS Gmail Backup Tool supports bulk conversion. Users can export multiple Gmail emails or entire folders into TXT format in one process. It also provides advanced options such as date filtering and duplicate email removal for better control over the export process.
About The Author:
I, Aaradhya Jain, a technical content writer at DRS Solutions, specializes in delivering clear, practical guides on data management, migration, and recovery tools. With a detail-oriented and user-first approach mindset, I transform complex processes into actionable insights for IT professionals and decision-makers.
