Need a version of an email that contains all headers and details to forward, save or import? Find out here how to download a Gmail email to the desktop as an EML file using nothing but your browser.
First, We Use Feathers Like They Were Meant to Be Used
For birds as well first developed their feathers as a cushion of warmth, at least according to one theory of their evolution.
In related news, Gmail did not develop a way to download emails as EML files initially; it first showed message sources—which, saved with a “.eml” extension are EML files, of course.
So, let’s use Gmail’s Show original feature for its not so original purpose:
How to Download a Gmail Email as an EML File
Time needed: 1 minute
To export and save an email as an EML file in Gmail on the desktop:
- Open the message you want to save as an EML file in Gmail.
- Select the three dots menu button in the message’s header.
Where: You find the menu button (
) next to the reply button (
). - Now choose Download message from the menu that has appeared.
Your browser will download the message’s source as an EML file.
Alternative: You can also view the source before downloading it:
- Click the three dots menu () for the message.
- Select Show original from the menu.
- Now click Download original.
The other way (clumsy) around: How to Open an EML File in Gmail
Save Gmail Email to the Desktop as EML Using Simple HTML Gmail
To save an email as an EML file from Gmail’s basic HTML view:
- Open the message.
- Follow the Show original link in its header area.
- Click Download Original.
Just “.EML”: If your browser adds a .txt or other file extension when saving the file, do change it to only .eml.
Save Gmail Email as EML on a Mobile Device
On a mobile device, either
- follow the steps for saving emails as EML using simple HTML Gmail or
- open Gmail’s desktop version in a mobile browser and download as EML using that.
In both cases, alas, you may have to wrestle the browser into saving the linked EML file as an EML file.
How to Download a Gmail Email as an EML File: FAQ
Can I access message source and EML files in the mobile Gmail apps?
No.
The Gmail apps for Android and iOS do not let you save emails as EML files directly or access the message source; neither does the mobile version of Gmail in a browser.
What you can do is open the desktop web version of Gmail in a mobile browser and access the source and EML files there.
Can I download multiple emails as EML files in bulk from Gmail
No, not using the web-based version of Gmail.
To save multiple Gmail emails as EML files:
- Set up Gmail using IMAP (or POP) in a desktop email program.
- Make sure all desired Gmail labels are accessible as IMAP folders.
- Now make sure all desired messages are accessible in those folders through IMAP using the Folder Size Limit setting in Gmail.
- Find and export or save all the emails in the email program.
Is there an alternative for downloading multiple emails?
Yes.
You can download Gmail emails in bulk in the MSG format, which you can then convert to EML.
What are EML files and what can I do with them?
EML is the file format and extension used for saving emails in their source form as individual emails: a plain text file with the message as it is sent across the internet.
You can open and import EML files into many an email program and service.
(How to export and download a Gmail email to an EML file tested with Gmail in a desktop browser; first published March 2019, last updated July 2024)