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Need to save your Gmail emails as individual EML files? Whether you want an offline backup, need to move emails to another email client, or simply archive important conversations, exporting Gmail to EML is a practical option.

Gmail provides a built in way to download individual emails as EML files. However, if your mailbox contains hundreds or thousands of messages, the manual process quickly becomes time consuming.

This guide explains both manual and professional methods to export Gmail emails to EML files while preserving attachments, email formatting, and metadata.

What is an EML File?

An EML file is a standard email file format used by many desktop email applications. Each EML file stores a single email along with:

• Email subject

• Sender and recipient details

• Date and time

• Message body

• Attachments

• Internet headers

Because of its broad compatibility, EML files can be opened using applications such as Thunderbird, Windows Mail, Apple Mail, and several other email clients.

Why Export Gmail Emails to EML?

Saving Gmail emails as EML files offers several advantages.

Easy Offline Access

Once downloaded, emails remain available even without an internet connection.

Portable Email Format

EML files can be copied to external drives, cloud storage, or shared with other users whenever required.

Compatible with Multiple Email Clients

Most desktop email applications can read EML files without requiring conversion.

Long Term Email Archive

Users often export important business emails or legal communications for secure local storage.

Manual Ways to Export Gmail to EML Files

There are two commonly used manual approaches.

Method 1: Download Individual Gmail Emails

Gmail includes a built in option to download one email at a time.

Steps

1. Open your Gmail account.

2. Open the email you want to save.

3. Click the three-dot menu in the top right corner.

4. Select Download message.

5. Gmail downloads the email as an .eml file.

You can now open the downloaded file using any compatible desktop email application.

Alternative: Open the email, select Show Original, then click Download Original to save the message as an EML file.

Method 2: Copy Email Content

Another simple option is copying the email text.

Steps

• Open the required Gmail email.

• Select the entire message.

• Copy the content.

• Paste it into a text editor.

• Save the document locally.

Although this preserves the message text, it does not create a true EML file and cannot retain complete email properties.

If your objective is creating a complete mailbox backup, you can also read our guide on how to backup Gmail emails to computer using the SysTools Gmail Backup Tool, which supports multiple export formats along with complete mailbox preservation.

Bulk Export Gmail Emails to EML with Attachments

When hundreds or thousands of emails need to be saved, an automated solution is much more practical.

The SysTools Gmail Backup Tool allows users to export Gmail emails into EML format while preserving:

• Attachments

• Email formatting

• Internet headers

• Metadata

• Folder hierarchy

The software also supports selective export using date filters, making it easier to archive only the required emails instead of downloading the entire mailbox.

Steps

1. Install and launch the application.

2. Select Gmail as the source account.

3. Sign in using your Gmail credentials.

4. Choose EML as the output format.

5. Apply optional filters such as date range or folders.

6. Browse and select the destination location.

7. Start the export process.

Within a short time, every selected Gmail email is saved as an individual EML file along with its attachments.

For users who also need other mailbox formats, the software can export Gmail data into PST, PDF, MBOX, MSG, and additional formats from the same interface.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Gmail export emails as EML?

Yes. Gmail allows downloading individual emails as EML files using the Download message option.

Does the manual method export multiple emails?

No. Gmail only supports downloading one email at a time.

Will attachments be included?

Yes, downloaded EML files include the original attachments when exported correctly.

Can I export only emails from a specific period?

Not through Gmail's built in option. A professional utility provides date based filtering for selective export.

Which email clients support EML files?

EML files can be opened in Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Windows Mail, Outlook (with supported configuration), and several other email applications.

Final Thoughts

Exporting Gmail emails to EML files is useful for creating offline copies, sharing important messages, and maintaining long term archives. Gmail offers a built in download option that works well for individual emails.

However, if your mailbox contains hundreds or thousands of emails, manually downloading each message becomes inefficient. A dedicated solution provides faster bulk export while preserving attachments, folder structure, and email metadata, making it a more practical choice for complete mailbox backup and migration.