How to Restore Google Takeout Data
In short: To restore Google Takeout data, remember that Takeout only exports, so there is no one-click restore. Gmail comes out as an MBOX file Gmail cannot re-import, so you load it through Thunderbird over IMAP with the ImportExportTools NG add-on. A tool can also write it straight to Gmail. Contacts, calendar and Drive files each import back through their own Google page.
Can you restore Google Takeout data?
Yes, but not the way people expect. Google Takeout is an export service only, so Google gives you no button to load a Takeout archive back into your account. So restoring is really a set of small jobs, one per data type. Your export holds Gmail as MBOX, contacts as vCard or CSV, calendars as ICS, then Drive and Photos in their original formats, all inside a ZIP or TGZ file. Gmail is the awkward one, since an MBOX cannot go straight back into Gmail. The others each have their own import page, which makes them quick.
Technical Executive and Staff Writer, Corbett Software
“The thing to accept first is that Takeout is a one-way door. It exports but never imports. So restoring is really a set of small jobs. Gmail is the awkward one because it comes out as MBOX, while contacts, calendar and Drive each go straight back through their own Google page.”
Restore Gmail from the MBOX file
Gmail cannot import an MBOX on its own, so the free route uses Thunderbird as a bridge that uploads the mail over IMAP.
- Unzip the Takeout archive and find the Mail folder with your .mbox file inside.
- Install Thunderbird, then add your Gmail account using IMAP. Gmail needs IMAP turned on and an app password, since a normal password no longer works in mail apps.
- In Thunderbird, install the ImportExportTools NG add-on from the Add-ons manager.
- Right-click a folder under Local Folders, choose ImportExportTools NG, then Import mbox file and pick your Takeout .mbox.
- Once the messages appear, drag them from Local Folders into a folder under your Gmail account. Thunderbird uploads them to Gmail over IMAP.
This is free but slow for a large mailbox. Dragging can also create duplicates when some of the mail is already in Gmail. Restoring into a fresh label keeps it tidy.
Restore contacts, calendar, Drive and Photos
These are the easy ones, since Google accepts each format back directly.
- Contacts. Go to contacts.google.com, click Import and choose the .vcf or .csv file from the Takeout Contacts folder.
- Calendar. Open Google Calendar, then Settings, Import and Export, then import the .ics file from the Takeout Calendar folder.
- Drive. Open Google Drive and drag the files from the Takeout Drive folder back in. The Upload button does the same.
- Photos. Open Google Photos and upload the images from the Takeout Photos folder. The .json sidecar files are metadata, so you can ignore those.
Restore everything to Gmail with a tool
A converter helps when the manual Gmail route is too slow or when you want the mail written straight to Gmail or Office 365 with the formatting kept. It reads the Takeout archive and restores it in one run.
The Corbett Google Takeout Restore Tool loads your Takeout ZIP directly, previews the mail, then restores it to Gmail, Office 365 or a local file, with attachments and folders kept. It filters by date or folder so you restore only what you need, writes into a separate folder to avoid duplicates, then offers a free demo edition on every edition of Windows.
- Install and open the tool, then click Open, Email Data Files, then Google Takeout, then add your ZIP.
- Preview the mail to confirm it loaded correctly.
- Click Export, choose Gmail, enter your address and app password, apply any date filter, then Save.
Things to know before you start
Three points save a lot of frustration:
- The download link expires. A Takeout link is usually valid for about a week, with a limited number of downloads. If yours has expired, run the export again from the Takeout page.
- Gmail needs an app password. Both the Thunderbird route and the tool sign in to Gmail, so turn on IMAP and 2-Step Verification, then create an app password to use in place of your normal one.
- Watch for duplicates. Restoring mail that still exists in Gmail creates copies. Import into a new label or folder so you can review before merging.
Frequently asked questions
Does Google Takeout have a restore option?
No. Takeout only exports your data. There is no button to load an archive back into Google, so each data type is restored on its own, while Gmail needs a bridge like Thunderbird or a tool.
Why can’t I import the Gmail MBOX into Gmail directly?
Gmail does not accept MBOX uploads. You import the MBOX into Thunderbird with ImportExportTools NG, then let Thunderbird upload it to Gmail over IMAP. A tool can also write to Gmail directly.
How do I restore my contacts and calendar from Takeout?
Contacts import at contacts.google.com through Import, using the .vcf or .csv file. Calendar imports at Google Calendar under Settings, Import and Export, using the .ics file.
Do I need an app password to restore Takeout mail to Gmail?
Yes. Gmail no longer accepts a normal password in mail apps or tools. Turn on IMAP and 2-Step Verification, then create an app password and use that.
Will restoring create duplicate emails?
It can, if the mail already exists in Gmail. Restore into a new label or folder so you can check before merging. A tool can also import into a separate folder.
My Takeout download link stopped working. What now?
Takeout links expire after about a week and allow only a few downloads. Go back to the Takeout page and create the export again to get a fresh link.