How to Backup Gmail Emails to OneDrive on Windows and Mac?

Ritu Roy | backup Email Backup How to's Software Technology | 6 minutes read | Modified on: 06-11-2026

In this article, you can easily learn how to backup Gmail emails to OneDrive using simple and effective methods. Whether you want to back up important business emails, personal conversations, or email attachments, this guide will help you find the right solution. You can choose between the manual method of downloading Gmail emails and uploading them to OneDrive or using a professional solution for a more convenient backup process.

Gmail is widely used for personal and professional communication, but storing all your important emails in a single account can sometimes be risky. Accidental deletion, limited storage space, account suspension, or unexpected data loss may prevent you from accessing valuable information. Therefore, creating an additional backup of Gmail emails in OneDrive helps keep your important data safe, organized, and accessible whenever you need it.

Why Do Users Save Gmail Emails to OneDrive?

Many users prefer keeping a backup of their Gmail emails in OneDrive to protect important information and access it whenever needed. Here are some common reasons for saving Gmail emails to OneDrive:

  • Accidental deletion or account issues can result in losing important emails. A separate backup helps keep those messages safe.
  • Companies and professionals often need old emails, invoices, and customer conversations for future reference.
  • Gmail offers 15 GB of shared free storage. Moving older email backups to OneDrive can help manage storage space.
  • Keeping another copy of important emails reduces the risk of depending entirely on one Gmail account.
  • OneDrive makes it convenient to access saved email files and attachments from different devices.
  • Users can archive valuable conversations, documents, and attachments for long-term reference.

Method 1: Save Gmail Emails to OneDrive Using Google Takeout

Google Takeout is a free service provided by Google that allows users to download data from different Google services, including Gmail. With this method, you can export your Gmail emails to your computer and then upload the downloaded files to OneDrive. The process involves two stages.

Stage 1: Download Gmail Emails to Your Computer

  1. Open Google Takeout and sign in with your Gmail account.
  2. Click Deselect All to uncheck all available options.
  3. Scroll down and select the Mail option.
  4. Click Next Step to continue.
  5. Choose your preferred delivery method.
  6. Select the file type and archive size according to your requirements.
  7. Click Create Export and wait for Google to prepare your data.
  8. Download the ZIP file once the export is ready and extract it to access Gmail emails in MBOX format.

Note: The downloaded MBOX file contains your exported Gmail messages. You can now upload this file to OneDrive.

Stage 2: Upload the Downloaded Gmail File to OneDrive

  1. Open Microsoft OneDrive and sign in to your account.
  2. Navigate to My Files.
  3. Click the Add New or Upload option.
  4. Select Files Upload.
  5. Browse and choose the downloaded MBOX file from your computer.
  6. Click Open to start uploading.
  7. Once the upload is complete, you can find the file under My Files in OneDrive.

Method 2: Save Individual Gmail Emails Using the Download Message Option

Gmail also provides a built-in Download Message option that allows users to save individual emails directly to their computers. This method is useful when you only need to back up a few selected messages instead of exporting your entire mailbox.

Follow these steps:

  1. Log in to your Gmail account.
  2. Open the email you want to save.
  3. Click the three-dot menu in the upper-right corner of the email.
  4. Select the Download Message option.
  5. Gmail will download the selected email to your computer in EML format.
  6. Now, log in to your OneDrive account.
  7. Click Upload > Files and select the downloaded EML file.
  8. Click Open to upload the email to OneDrive.

Note: This method saves one email at a time. If you have multiple emails to back up, you will need to repeat the process for each message.

Method 3: Save Gmail Emails to OneDrive Using the Print Option

Gmail also provides a Print option that allows users to save individual email messages as PDF files. This method is useful when you want to keep important emails in a readable format and store them in OneDrive.

Follow the steps below to complete the process:

  1. Sign in to your Gmail account.
  2. Open the email you want to save as a PDF.
  3. Click the Print All option available in the email.
  4. In the print window, select Save as PDF as the destination.
  5. Choose the folder where you want to save the PDF file.
  6. Click Save to download the email to your computer.
  7. Now, upload the saved PDF file to OneDrive using the upload steps explained in Method 1.

Note: The selected Gmail email will be saved in PDF format. You can upload this file to OneDrive for backup and future access.

Limitations of Manual Methods to Save Gmail Emails to OneDrive

Although manual methods allow users to save Gmail emails to OneDrive without additional software, they come with certain limitations. These approaches may become difficult when users need to back up a large number of emails.

  1. Downloading and uploading emails manually can take considerable time. Google Takeout exports may also take hours or longer, depending on the amount of Gmail data.
  2. Google Takeout generally exports the selected Gmail data rather than offering a simple folder-by-folder backup process. Users may need additional steps to organize the exported emails.
  3. Gmail’s Download Message option saves only one email at a time. Users with hundreds or thousands of emails must repeat the same steps for every message.
  4. The Print option also requires users to save each email separately. This makes the process inconvenient when backing up multiple Gmail conversations.
  5. Since manual methods involve several downloading and uploading steps, users may accidentally skip important emails or attachments during the backup process.
  6. These methods do not continuously sync Gmail emails with OneDrive. Users must repeat the backup process whenever they want to save newly received messages.

Overall, manual methods are suitable for backing up a few important emails. However, managing large mailboxes through these approaches can require significant time and effort.

A Professional Solution to Export Gmail Emails to OneDrive

If you are looking for a convenient way to back up Gmail emails to OneDrive, the CubexSoft Gmail Backup Tool can be an alternative to the manual methods. This software is designed to export Gmail emails along with their attachments while maintaining the original folder structure.

Unlike manual methods that require downloading and uploading emails individually, this tool simplifies the backup process through a few straightforward steps. It can be helpful for users who need to save large amounts of Gmail data without spending hours on manual exports. By keeping email messages and their associated attachments together, it also makes managing backed-up data easier.

win download buynow

mac download buynow

Benefits of Using Automated Software to Save Gmail Emails to OneDrive

The automated Email Backup Tool offers several useful features that make the email backup process easier and more efficient. It is especially helpful for users who want to export large amounts of Gmail data without following lengthy manual steps. Let’s look at some of its key benefits:

The software allows users to back up multiple Gmail emails in a single process, making it easier to handle large mailboxes.

  • Unlike manual methods, the automated solution reduces repetitive downloading and uploading tasks, helping users complete the backup process more efficiently.
  • Users can save Gmail emails in different file formats according to their requirements, making it convenient to manage and access backed-up data.
  • The tool provides filtering options to export specific Gmail messages based on criteria such as date range, subject, sender, and recipient.
  • It helps users retain email attachments along with their associated messages during the backup process.
  • The software preserves the original Gmail folder hierarchy, making it easier to locate and organize backed-up emails.

Final Thoughts

In this article, we have explained different methods to save Gmail emails to OneDrive, including Google Takeout, the Download Message option, and the Print option. These manual approaches are useful when you need to back up a few emails. However, they can become time-consuming and difficult when dealing with large mailboxes.

For users who want a more convenient way to back up multiple Gmail emails, the CubexSoft Gmail Migration Tool offers an automated alternative. It provides features such as bulk email backup, advanced filters, multiple saving formats, and attachment preservation. Users can also try the free demo version to explore the software before purchasing it. If you need any assistance, you can contact the support team through Live Chat or email at [email protected].