Corbett

Gmail Backup Tool

Corbett Gmail Backup Tool downloads a personal @gmail.com account to Windows in eight formats, PST, MBOX, EML, MSG, PDF, HTML, CSV or TXT. Labels turn into folders, attachments stay attached and several Google accounts can run in one batch.

Download free demo Purchase now

4.6 out of 5 from 683 reviews

Gmail travels from imap.gmail.com to the PC. Corbett never stores or forwards it.

Free demo, scanned clean on VirusTotal and a 30-day money-back window.

Lifetime licence from $99 Free trial saves 10 emails per folder

Gmail specifics

Gmail Backup Tool for Labels, Mail and Dates

One accidental delete syncs to every phone and laptop. Gmail Trash then empties itself after 30 days. Corbett's Gmail backup tool keeps mail, attachments and dates on a local drive, with labels turned into folders as the lists below show.

Comes across

  • Labels as folders
  • Attachments
  • Inline images
  • Message dates
  • Read/unread status
  • Full headers

Labels backed up

  • Inbox
  • Sent
  • Drafts
  • All Mail
  • Starred
  • Custom labels
  • Nested labels

Saves as

  • PST
  • MBOX
  • EML
  • MSG
  • PDF
  • HTML
  • CSV
  • TXT
  • vCard
  • ICS

Not included

  • Inbox categories
  • Filters and rules
  • Google Drive files
  • Chat history
  • Account settings

A message can sit under two labels at once

Gmail allows that but a folder tree does not. Back up All Mail for one copy of everything, or select individual labels and accept that a few messages appear twice.

View Gmail backup files

Core features

Gmail Backup Tool in Five Screens

Five screens of the Gmail backup wizard, in the order a Gmail email backup runs.

Gmail sign-in screen

Connect

Add Gmail With an App Password

Choose Gmail and imap.gmail.com loads by itself. Paste the 16 character app password made under Google Account security and every label appears. Google took away the IMAP on and off switch, so there is no setting to hunt for.

  • IMAP or POP3 host and port detected automatically
  • App password or modern sign-in, whichever the account uses
  • Several Gmail accounts queued in one run
  • Credentials are used to connect and nothing else
Gmail labels shown as a folder tree

Label selection

Select Gmail Labels and Sublabels

Every Gmail label appears as a branch with a checkbox and message count. Nested labels keep their shape. Backing up one project label instead of the entire Inbox takes one checkbox, not a search and an export.

  • A checkbox on every label and sublabel
  • Message count shown next to every label
  • Leave Spam and Trash out of the run
  • All Mail available for one copy with no repeats
Message preview with hex and raw views

Message preview

Preview Gmail Emails Before Backup

Open any message beside four analysis views. A Gmail account copied for an e-discovery request needs that header and source detail, a casual archive rarely does.

  • Content brings up the readable message with its addresses
  • Message header details SPF, DKIM and the relay chain
  • Properties flags importance, size and enclosed files
  • Hex and raw message give the code behind the mail
Search filters for a selective backup

Selective backup

Back Up Gmail by Label, Date or Sender

Filters apply before anything is saved. All mail from one client across one tax year can be backed up on its own, the usual reason for a Gmail backup instead of the entire account.

  • Choose a From date and a To date
  • Sender, subject or message content
  • Messages that carry an attachment
  • Message size, to leave the large ones out
  • Exclude junk or repeated messages
Backup format and destination options

Output options

Save Gmail as Files or Copy to Another Account

Select the destination after the preview: save a file to any folder or send mail straight into another mailbox. Document formats carry a naming scheme so a folder of PDFs stays searchable.

  • PST for Outlook, MBOX the format Google Takeout also uses, EML and MSG
  • Document formats: PDF, HTML, CSV, TXT
  • Copy labels straight into a second Gmail account or a different mail server with the Gmail Migration Tool
  • Attachments, email addresses, phone numbers and contact photos extracted on their own, see extract email addresses from Gmail

Before connecting

Gmail App Password Setup Explained

Google changed how third party software connects to Gmail. Most guides still describe the old way, so here is what applies at sign-in today.

Already done

No IMAP switch to enable

Google retired the IMAP switch for personal accounts in January 2025. IMAP is now always on, so tutorials telling readers to enable it are out of date. Background is in the note Enable IMAP in Gmail not showing explains it.

Required

A 16 character app password replaces it

Google switched off less secure app access in March 2025, so the normal Gmail password is now rejected by every mail client. Set up two factor authentication on Gmail, then generate an app password and paste that instead.

Different

Workspace needs the admin

A work or school address on a custom domain is a Google Workspace account, covered by the Google Workspace backup tool. IMAP there is controlled in the Admin console. App passwords are switched off.

One more limit applies. Gmail allows 15 mail clients connected to an account at a time, counting phones, tablets and old installs. Sign out of unused devices if a connection is refused.

Free demo

Run the Gmail Backup Tool Demo on One Account

Install the demo, paste a Google app password, tick one label and choose a format. Files appear only after the backup begins.

Download free demo

Before purchase

Google Takeout vs Gmail Backup Tool

Gmail syncs across devices, which is not a backup. Delete a message on the phone and it disappears everywhere. Trash is emptied for good after 30 days. Google offers a free export instead, which works well for one export and badly for several.

Task Google Takeout Gmail Backup Tool
Cost Free $99 one time
One full archive, once Exactly what it is built for Also covered, the fee pays for the other rows
Choice of output format MBOX only Eight formats including PST and PDF
Select individual labels Labels yes, date range no Labels, dates, senders and attachments
See the mail before exporting Not offered Full preview with headers and raw source
Wait time Hours to days, Google decides Starts immediately
Several accounts One at a time, signed in separately Queued together
Opening the result MBOX needs Thunderbird or a viewer PST opens in Outlook, PDF opens offline anywhere

Rows tinted green are the ones where Takeout wins.

For one archive of one account in MBOX, Google Takeout does the job at no cost and no Gmail backup tool is needed. The Free Google Takeout Viewer opens the result. Notes cover open Google Takeout files and Google Takeout not working.

Specifications

What Gmail Backup Tool Requires

Download details

Released
Dec 2020
Download size
87.4 MB
Trial limit
10 emails per folder
Delivery
Download link and key by email
Licence
Lifetime, up to 5 machines
Download Now

System

Hard disk
150 MB to install, plus room for output
RAM
4 GB minimum
Processor
1 GHz, 2.4 GHz advised
Rights
Run as Administrator
Mail client
Not required

Supported editions

Desktop Windows from version 7 up to 11 in either bit version, plus Windows Server from 2008 to 2025.

No macOS or Linux build.

Corbett has built Windows email utilities since 2020. Gmail Backup Tool tickets reach the developers who build it.

Working process

Gmail Backup Software Video Guide

Prefer screenshots? The IMAP backup guide follows a Gmail backup screen by screen.

Gmail backup walkthrough

Common questions

Gmail Backup Tool Questions

App passwords, labels, Takeout and where the tool stops.

Why back up Gmail when Google already stores it?

Because syncing is not backing up. A message deleted on one device is deleted everywhere. Trash empties itself after 30 days, and Google makes no promise to keep an account open forever. A copy on your own drive is the only version nothing else can reach.

Why is my Gmail password rejected by the backup tool?

Google no longer accepts normal passwords from mail apps; since March 2025 every outside client is refused. Turn on 2-Step Verification, create an app password under Google Account security and enter it in Gmail Backup Tool.

Where is the Enable IMAP setting in Gmail?

There is not one any more. Google removed the switch for personal Gmail accounts in January 2025 and IMAP is now always on, so nothing needs turning on before you connect. Google Workspace accounts are different, since an administrator still controls IMAP there.

Does it work with a Google Workspace address?

Yes, provided the administrator allows IMAP for the account. Workspace stopped accepting app passwords in May 2025, so the sign-in there goes through the standard Google consent screen rather than a generated password.

Do Gmail labels survive the backup?

Yes. Every label becomes a folder and nested labels keep their order. A Gmail message can carry several labels at once, which a folder tree cannot mirror, so it appears in every selected label folder.

Should I back up All Mail or individual labels?

All Mail gives you one copy of everything with no repeats, which suits an archive you may never open. Individual labels suit a smaller selection like one client or one project and run much faster.

Will backing up Gmail free space in Google storage?

No. The backup tool copies mail out and modifies nothing in the account, so your 15 GB stays untouched. Delete messages in Gmail yourself once the backup opens offline.

Can I back up more than one Gmail account?

Yes. Accounts are added one after another and the backup runs across all of them in a single run. Every account needs its own app password.

Does it back up Google Drive as well?

No. The backup tool connects to the mailbox over IMAP, so it copies mail, attachments, contacts and calendar entries. Files in Google Drive are a separate store and stay where they are.

Does it save Gmail attachments and contacts?

Yes. Attachments and inline images are saved with the messages. Contacts, calendars and tasks come across where the account holds them, with contacts in vCard and calendar entries in ICS. Attachments, email addresses, phone numbers and contact photos can also be extracted on their own under Extract.

Is there a cap on Gmail mailbox size?

No. The full edition has no limit on account size or message count. Google throttles IMAP downloads, so a 15 GB mailbox takes a while, but the job never stops halfway and recovers from a dropped connection.

Why does Gmail refuse the connection?

Gmail allows 15 mail clients connected to one account at a time and counts phones, tablets, browser add-ons and old installs. Sign out of anything you no longer use, wait for the sessions to close and try again.

Does my Gmail data pass through Corbett servers?

No. Your PC links to Gmail directly and saves messages to a drive you choose. Corbett keeps nothing.

Is there a Gmail Backup Tool for Mac?

No. Gmail Backup Tool is Windows-only: desktop 7 to 11 and Windows Server 2008 to 2025.

Can I try Gmail Backup Tool before buying?

Yes. The trial logs in with an app password, loads every label and unlocks preview and filters. Output is capped at 10 emails a label, so results can be tested before purchase.

Step by step

Gmail Guides Before and After Backup

Every guide below walks through one task before or after a Gmail backup tool run, from start to finish.

Getting connected

Saving the mail

Converting the copy

Every other provider is listed on the email backup software page. For shifting a Gmail account to a new provider, use the Gmail Migration Tool, part of the email migration tool. To convert a saved file, use the email converter tool. Putting a saved Gmail file back into an account is the job of the email recovery software. Saved files open without export in the free email viewer software. Sibling pages: Google Workspace backup tool, iCloud backup tool, Webmail backup tool, Outlook.com backup tool, Hotmail backup tool, Office 365 backup tool and Yahoo backup tool. More Gmail walkthroughs: Download Gmail emails to hard drive, Save Gmail emails offline and Archive emails in Gmail by date.

User testimonials

Gmail Backup Tool User Reviews

683 user reviews score the backup wizard inside Gmail Backup Tool.

4.6 out of 5

Collected across 683 reviews from app directories and customer feedback. The three here are quoted as received.

Free methods dropped data

I was looking for a quick solution to back up Gmail emails and save them in PDF format. Before this I had tried to copy my emails using a bunch of free methods that I found over the internet. However, the copied files turned out to be missing key data. After a quick search, I came upon this Gmail backup tool.

Emily Correia

Copied Gmail into a desktop client

A colleague suggested this Gmail account backup software to help me copy my Gmail emails to a desktop email client. This application works really fast and efficiently perform all the task. The best part is I was able to copy multiple emails at a single go.

Sam Price

Wanted a copy after a Google outage

After the recent break down of Google services, I became concerned for the integrity of my Gmail data and started to look for efficient Gmail account backup solutions. That's when I found out about the Corbett Gmail backup tool. The software is really amazing as far as it comes to backing up Gmail emails.

Dave Stuart

Get started

Back Up Gmail Emails Today with Corbett Gmail Backup Tool

Get the free Gmail demo, paste an app password and test a few messages per label. Personal licence: $99 for life, refundable within 30 days.

Download free demo Purchase now

87.4 MB · Windows 11 to 7 and Windows Server 2025 to 2008 · 30 day money back