How to Export Gmail Emails to PST File? Complete Guide (2026)

Method 1. Export Gmail to PST Using Microsoft Outlook

If you already have Classic Microsoft Outlook then you can export your Gmail mailbox to PST file without any third party app. This method includes syncing with your Gmail account with Outlook via IMAP then exporting your Gmail mailbox data into a PST file.

This method is free if you have Outlook subscription but involves several steps and can take a long time if you have multiple emails in your Gmail mailbox.

Note: These steps are for Classic Outlook (Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, or Microsoft 365 Classic Outlook). If you’re using the new version of Outlook for Windows you will not not have the Import/Export wizard option to export Gmail emails into PST file.

Step 1. Enable IMAP in Your Gmail Account

Before adding your Gmail account to Outlook, the first step is to enable IMAP settings. Without this, Outlook will not sync with your Gmail mailbox.

Follow these steps;

1. First, sign in to your Gmail account.

2. Then click the gear icon in the top right corner and choose see all settings option.

4. After that, tap on the Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.

5. If you see the IMAP Access section (as shown in the screenshot), then IMAP is already enabled for your account.

If you still have an Enable IMAP option in your account, select it and click Save Changes.

Note: If IMAP is already enabled, you can skip this step.

Step 2. Add Your Gmail Account to Outlook

After enabling IMAP access in your Gmail account, next step is to configure the same account in Outlook.

1. Launch the Classic Microsoft Outlook application on your Windows PC.

2. Click on the File tab in Outlook.

3. Select Add Account to configure your Gmail account in Outlook.

4. Enter your Gmail email address and click Connect.

5. A new window will pop up where enter your Gmail password.

6. Review the message that shows up and click Allow.

7. Restart Outlook and after few moments you can check mailbox folders in the folder list.

Note: It may take several hours for large mailboxes to sync with Outlook completely. You have to wait for a while till Outlook finishes the mailbox syncing process.

Step 3. Export Gmail Mailbox to PST

Once your Gmail account is added into Outlook, you can now export your mailbox data into .pst file.

1. After successful configuration, click File Menu > Open & Export.

2. Select Import/Export Option.

3. Select “Export to a file” and then click the Next button.

4. Select “Outlook Data File (.pst)” again and hit the Next button.

5. Select the Gmail mailbox folders and click Next button.

6. Select the Output path and click Finish.

Finished! In this way, Gmail can be exported to PST manually.

Disadvantages of the Manual Outlook Method

This method is free but there are some limitations that you can’t ignore while exporting large Gmail mailboxes.

• Requires Classic Microsoft Outlook installation.
• It will not work with the New Outlook versions.
• You must ensure that Gmail is completely synced before exporting.
• Large mailboxes will take extra time to download.
• No way to export emails by specific criteria as per your need.
• Cannot export more than one Gmail account at a time.
• If syncing process gets stop in between then the export may remain incomplete.

The next method is a more direct way to create a PST file without first setting up Outlook if you have a large mailbox or do not use Outlook.

Method 2. Backup Gmail Emails to PST Using Google Takeout (Free Method)

If you don’t have Microsoft Outlook, Google Takeout is another free option to export your Gmail emails into .pst file. It is a Google’s official data export service which allows you to download a copy of your Gmail mailbox that you can later convert it into PST file format.

But there is one important limitation.

Google Takeout does not export email as PST file. Instead, it downloads your mailbox in MBOX format, which Microsoft Outlook can’t open directly. So, if you want to create a PST file, then you need to convert the exported MBOX file later using an email converter.

So, make sure to use this method only when you satisfy the above condition.

1. Visit the Google Takeout page on your web browser.

2. Then, Sign in with your Gmail account if asked.

3. Now, in this tab, you will see that Google Takeout has selected every Google service by default.

4. So, instead of downloading everything, click Deselect all.

5. Scroll down and check the box for Mail only.

6. If you only want specific Gmail folders, click All Mail data included and choose the labels you want to export.

7. Next, move down to the bottom and click Next Step.

8. Now choose your export preferences as shown in the screenshot.

Delivery method:

• Export once
• File type (.zip)
• Maximum archive size

9. Click Create Export.

10. Google will now prepare your mailbox export.

11. Depending on your mailbox size, it may take some time to download your Gmail mailbox data.

12. Once the export is ready, Google will send a download link to your email address.

13. Click on the download link and save the ZIP file from the email on your system.

14. Now, extract it on your PC and you will find your Gmail mailbox in .mbox file format.

15. This MBOX file contains all of your exported Gmail messages.

16. To finally export your Gmail emails in .pst file format, convert it into PST using any email converter such as Advik MBOX to PST Converter.

Important Drawback of Google Takeout

Even though Google Takeout is free and official method supported by Google, still it does not generate PST files directly.

If you want to open your Gmail emails in MS Outlook, you will still need to convert the downloaded MBOX to PST format.

Other restrictions are:

• No direct export to PST.
• No selective export of emails by sender or by subject.
• Large exports will be divided into multiple ZIP files.
• Export preparation can take hours or days.
• Large data require downloading the mailbox again.

Method 3. Convert Gmail Mailbox to PST Without Outlook

If you are not using the Microsoft Outlook application or want a quick and convenient way, then you can directly export Gmail emails to PST with the help of Advik Gmail Backup Tool.

Unlike the manual methods, this software connects to your Gmail account in a secure manner using Google OAuth authentication, and creates a PST file without the need of Outlook, IMAP configuration or Google Takeout.

It also preserves the structure of your mailbox, attachments, email headers and other message properties throughout the entire export process.

Download the software and install it on your Windows machine. After that, follow the instructions for the rest of the solution.

Steps to Export Gmail Emails to PST File Format

Step 1. Launch the Software

Install and open Advik Gmail Backup Tool on your Windows computer.

Step 2. Log into your Gmail account

Click Login and sign in to your Gmail account via Google’s secure OAuth sign-in.

Step 3. Choose Gmail Folders

Select the mailbox folders you want to export.

Step 4. Select PST for your Export Format

Choose PST from the save option list.

Step 5. (Optional) Use Advanced Email Filters

If you don’t need to export all your emails, you can use the filter to export only the emails you need.

Step 6. Select the destination folder

Click Change and choose the folder where you want to save the exported PST file.

Step 7. Initiate Export

Click on the Backup button, and the software will start downloading Gmail emails immediately and will create the PST file automatically.

The software will start exporting emails from Gmail to PST automatically. Once the process is finished, the software will display a successful pop-up notification with a log report.

How to Open Exported PST File in Microsoft Outlook

Once you have exported your Gmail mailbox to a PST file, the next step is to open it in Microsoft Outlook. Fortunately, Outlook lets you import or open PST files. You will see the exported PST file as a separate mailbox in Outlook so you can browse through all your Gmail folders, emails and attachments offline.

1. Launch Microsoft Outlook app, click on the file tab.
2. Click Open & Export wizard.
3. Next, choose Open Outlook Data File.
4. Browse the exported PST file.
5. Select the file and click on Open.
6. Outlook will add the PST file on the left side bar.

Now, open the folders to view all exported Gmail emails.

Watch Video Tutorial

Manual vs Automated Method Comparison: Which Method Should You Choose?

In this article, you will see three methods which all are capable of exporting Gmail emails into .pst file format. Your decision will depend on your needs such as size of your mailbox, applications you are using and on how much time you want to spend.

If you only need to export a few emails and you already have Classic Outlook then the manual method is totally free. Another official way to create a Gmail archive is Google Takeout. It downloads your mailbox as an MBOX file, not PST which you need to convert it using any third-party tool as direct manual conversion is not possible.

If you are exporting a large mailbox, multiple Gmail accounts or want to create a PST file directly without Outlook, then an automated solution is useful for you.

Both the above methods are workable and are recommended for exporting Gmail to PST file. However, if people want to save data more precisely by opting out of some unwanted emails, an automated solution is suggested. MS Outlook doesn’t provide an email filter option. Below are a few additional benefits you will get from the software.

Real Testing Results: Exporting a Gmail Mailbox to PST

We tested the direct solution offered by Advik Gmail Backup Tool on a Windows PC to check the accuracy of it’s working discussed in this guide. Our goal was to test it’s speed while exporting Gmail mailbox data into PST file and how it preserve and maintain data integrity and lastly it’s compatibility with Microsoft Outlook.

Testing Environment

Concluding Words

In this article, we have discussed how to export Gmail mailbox to PST with or without Outlook. You can choose any of these methods depending on your needs and convenience. Also, one must go through the merits and demerits of both methods. However, if you want a simple, direct, and faster solution, then we recommend that you use the automated tool to export PST from Gmail smoothly.