How to Import Google Takeout to Outlook? Easy Tips!
Home users and business professionals prefer to import Google Takeout to Outlook but don’t know the precious solution to do this. If you are looking for a reliable and trustworthy method to convert Google Takeout to PST format for Microsoft Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, and 2007 editions. Then you can stop your search, this blog post explains the manual as well as pro techniques to resolve this problem effectively.
A Beginner’s Guide to Google Takeout
Google offers a lot of services to its users with Gmail being the most popular email service worldwide. Takeout is a Google service that allows the user to download data from various Google Applications i.e. Gmail, Calendar, Classic Sites, Classroom, Alerts, Blogger, Chrome, Contacts, Drive, Fit, Chat, Photos, Keep, and many more. It is a free solution that only requires patience and a little bit of manual effort to select what you wish to download.
All in all, Google Takeout is a sort of backup solution that lets you export data from Google services. However, the format in which it exports data is completely dependent on the service. For example – you can export MBOX from Gmail account, so all your emails are in this file.
Challenges to Import Google Takeout to Outlook
There are a lot of email applications in the global market. Outlook by Microsoft is one of the most popular ones when it comes to desktop email clients. So, it comes as no surprise that many users who have the Google Takeout mailbox with them, wish to view it in MS Outlook.
But there’s a problem!
Google Takeout downloads mailboxes in MBOX format. But MS Outlook supports only PST (Personal Storage Table) files in its import functionality.
Solution?
It is quite straightforward, first, Convert Google Takeout to PST and then use the import functionality to add data to the Outlook client. With this, you can import Google Takeout to Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, and all.
Read Similar: Import MBOX to Outlook Windows and Mac
How to Import Google Takeout Data to Outlook Manually?
#1 Stage: Export Google Takeout Data
- Go to the Google Takeout page and log in with credentials.
- Next, choose “deselect all” applications at once and select “Mail“.
- Choose a “Delivery method” like “Send download link via email“.
- After that, select the “File type” as “ZIP” to customize archive format.
- “Select size” for the exported mailbox and click “Create Archive“.
- An archive of your emails is currently being prepared.
- Lastly, login to your Gmail, and choose “Download archive“.
You will get a “ZIP” file. Extract its content to get the “MBOX” file in the Mail folder and other items in the corresponding folders.
#2 Stage: Import Google Takeout to Thunderbird
- Launch the Thunderbird client on your computer.
- Add the “ImportExportTools” add-on to Thunderbird.
- Then, manually import Takeout MBOX to Thunderbird.
- Drag and drop imported mailbox to the configured account.
- The imported mailbox will be synchronized with email account.
After completing 2nd phase your Takeout mailbox data will be available into Thunderbird configured email account.
#3 Stage: Add Configured Account in Outlook
- Start MS Outlook on your machine and choose “File“.
- Then, select “Info” and choose the “Add Account” option.
- Fill Thunderbird email address and tap “Connect“.
- Enter account password for authentication and press “Done“.
- See Outlook is setting a local copy of your mailbox.
- Lastly, hit “Send/Receive All Folders” for completion.
Afterward, you can see Google Takeout data in Outlook including complete mailbox items and components. This is a 100% free technique to add Google Takeout to Outlook profile.
Drawbacks of the Manual Method
- This lengthy process involves completing three distinct phases as described above.
- It requires technical knowledge of Takeout, Thunderbird, and Outlook applications.
- Thunderbird should be installed on your computer with IMAP account configuration.
- Additionally, you need to install the ImportExportTools NG add-on in Thunderbird.
Read Also: Import MBOX to Google Workspace Directly
Pro Software to Convert Google Takeout to PST for Outlook
MBOX Converter Software is specially designed to convert Google Takeout mailboxes into various formats. It supports the hidden folder hierarchy of the Takeout mailbox that not even esteemed email clients are able to do.
The screenshots provided below are from the free trial version of the software. It will only convert the first 25 emails from the Takeout file and help you test our tool’s functionality. Once satisfied, move on to the buy section to get the full version.
How to Add Google Takeout to Outlook?
- Start software and add Google Takeout mailboxes in GUI.
- The tool displays Takeout mailboxes, select them, and click Next.
- Select PST as a saving option and choose the destination path.
- Click Convert to convert Google Takeout to PST format.
- Google Takeout to PST conversion completed, click OK.
- Lastly, run MS Outlook and import the resultant PST file.
Few Queries Asked by Users
Q 1: Does Outlook support Google Takeout mail files?
No, Outlook does not support Google Takeout mailboxes.
Q 2: Why do users convert Google Takeout to PST format?
Because MS Outlook has an import function that supports PST file format. Since MBOX and PST are both mailbox-type files, we can convert MBOX to PST first, and then import the resultant file in Outlook.
Q 3: Is Outlook the only destination provided by the software?
No, the software also allows you to convert Google Takeout to PDF, Outlook.com, and more than 30 export formats. Use the free demo version to see all the export destinations.
Q 4: How can I import contacts from Google Takeout to Outlook?
Go to the File menu in MS Outlook and click on Open & Export >> Import/Export >> Import a VCARD file (.vcf) >> Select the Google Takeout contacts.vcf file. It’s done.
Q 5: How do I move the calendar file to Outlook?
Go to the File menu in MS Outlook and click on Open & Export >> Import/Export >> Import iCalendar or vCalendar file >> Select the Google Takeout calendar.ics file. It’s done.
Final Thoughts
Google Takeout is a free service to save user data from multiple Google applications all at once. It lets you request data from the Google server. But all these data are only available to download in standard formats. So, if you wish to use them in renowned applications, it will be a little troublesome.
We featured a similar troublesome task i.e., import Google Takeout to Outlook. Since Microsoft Outlook does not support Google Takeout MBOX files, you need to convert this file to PST first. Above we have also discussed the manual technical to add Google Takeout to Outlook with limitations.
