Free Gmail MBOX Viewer to Open Google Takeout Files Using 4 Methods

Why do People Open Takeout Files?

Five reasons bring people to a Gmail MBOX viewer.

• Backup Check. Open the Takeout file and confirm that your emails exist before you delete a Gmail account.
• Old Email Search. Find one invoice or one thread without an import into a mailbox.
• Offline Access. View emails and attachments on a computer with no internet.
• Records and Audits. Share a copy of business emails with a lawyer or an auditor.
• Account Closure. Save your mail before you close an old Gmail account.

How Does Google Takeout Save Gmail?

Google Takeout saves your Gmail data in an archive and you choose a ZIP or a TGZ format. ZIP files open on almost any computer and TGZ files can need extra software on Windows.

Google splits an archive into several files when it passes the size limit you select. Inside the archive Gmail data sits in MBOX files and Takeout names every MBOX file after a Gmail label like Inbox.mbox.

Google stores the labels of an email in an X-Gmail-Labels header and no email client recognizes that header. Google Takeout Help explains the archive formats and the label header. Our Google Takeout Download Steps guide shows how to request the export.

What to Check Before You Open a Takeout File?

Prepare the archive before you open anything.

• Extract the ZIP file and find the MBOX files in the folder.
• Copy the MBOX files to a new folder.
• Note the file names because Takeout names them after Gmail labels.
• Check that your computer has free disk space for the extracted files.
• Select one small MBOX file for a first test.

Which Free Methods Open a Gmail MBOX File?

Three free methods open Takeout files. Two need an import and one shows raw text.

Thunderbird (Free, Import First)

Thunderbird shows Gmail MBOX emails after you import the file with a free extension.

1. Install ImportExportTools NG with Tools > Add-ons and Themes.
2. Right click Local Folders, select New Folder and name it Gmail Import.
3. Right click the new folder, open ImportExportTools NG and select Import mbox file.
4. Select Import all mbox files from directory and click OK.
5. Browse to the directory with your Takeout MBOX files and click Open.
6. Wait for the import to end and open the new folder to view the emails.

Large files import slowly so import one file at a time. Our Add MBOX File to Thunderbird guide shows more import options.

Apple Mail (Free, Needs a Mac)

Apple Mail imports Takeout files on a Mac after you extract the archive.

1. Open Mail. Select File > Import Mailboxes and select Files in mbox format.
2. Click Continue and locate the folder that has your MBOX files.
3. Mail saves the imported emails in a new mailbox named Import.
4. Drag the emails you need into your own mailboxes and delete the Import mailbox.

Apple Mail Import Help lists the same steps. Our Import MBOX Into Apple Mail guide adds export steps.

Text Editor (Free, Shows Code Only)

Text editors show an MBOX file as plain text. You see the headers and the message text in one long page and attachments appear as encoded text under RFC 2045 Base64 Encoding.

Choose this method to check a header or a date in a small file.

How to Open Gmail MBOX Files Through EmailDoctor Software?

EmailDoctor MBOX Viewer opens MBOX, MBS and MBX files from Google Takeout and Google Vault with no email client and no import. Free edition has no file size limit and previews emails with attachments.

Mac users view Gmail archives through Apple Mail since the software works on Windows only.

Five features help you view a Gmail archive.

• Preview Modes. Eight tabs show an email as Normal Mail, Properties, Message Header, Hex, MIME, HTML, RTF or Attachments.
• Horizontal and Vertical View. Set the layout of the email list and the preview.
• File Mode and Folder Mode. Open a single MBOX file or select a folder with many MBOX files.
• Sort Options. Sort emails by From, To, Subject, Date and Attachments.
• Folder Hierarchy. Tick Maintain Folder Hierarchy in folder mode to view the folder tree.

Check the system needs before you install the software.

• Operating System. Windows 11 (64 bit), 10, 8 or 7 and Windows Server 2019, 2016, 2012 R2 or 2008.
• Disk Space. 100 MB of free space.
• Memory. 2 GB of RAM.

View Gmail MBOX Emails on Windows

1. Start the software with Run as Administrator from the right click menu of its shortcut.
2. Click the Add File button at the top left.
3. Select MBOX Files under Select An Email Application and choose the file system option. Click Next.
4. Click ... next to Select Path.
5. Select your Takeout MBOX file and click Open.
6. Click Process.
7. Click an email and use the preview tabs below the list to see it in Normal Mail, Properties, Message Header, Hex, MIME, HTML or RTF form.
8. Tick Use Folder Mode and Maintain Folder Hierarchy when you have many MBOX files.
9. Click ... and select the location of your MBOX folder. Click OK.
10. Click Process.
11. Click a folder in the tree to view its emails.
12. Open the Attachments tab to view the attachments of an email.
13. Click Switch View and select Horizontal or Vertical.
14. Click Upgrade to Pro when you need to search emails or print emails or save them as PDF files.

    Pro edition prints emails with attachments. Our Batch Print MBOX Files With Attachments guide lists the print settings.

    Want a PDF copy of your Gmail emails? See Convert MBOX Files to PDF for the methods.

Which Option Fits Your Gmail Archive?

Four methods open a Takeout archive but they differ in import steps and email views.

Thunderbird and Apple Mail suit people who already use the email client. Viewer software gives a quick look at a Takeout archive with no setup.

What Problems Appear While You Open Takeout Files?

Six problems appear while you open Takeout files.

• TGZ File Does Not Extract. Google says TGZ files can need extra software on Windows so request the export again as a ZIP file.
• Download Link Expired. Takeout links expire in about 7 days so request a new export.
• File Does Not Open on Double Click. Start Thunderbird or Apple Mail or the viewer software first and select the file there.
• Labels Missing. Google stores labels in an X-Gmail-Labels header and no email client recognizes it. Use the MBOX file name to find the label.
• Large Import Is Slow. Import one file at a time and wait for the end.
• Software Does Not Start. Open the shortcut menu of the software and select Run as Administrator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Words

People open Takeout files to check a Takeout backup and to find old emails offline. Both free email clients import first and text editors show code.

Extract the archive and copy the files to a new folder before you start. Test one small file and check the dates and the attachments.

EmailDoctor software previews Gmail MBOX emails free and the Pro edition adds search and print.