How to Import MBOX Files in Gmail Account & Add All MBOX Data

This comprehensive guide provides all the information users can get on how to efficiently import MBOX file to Gmail. It also explains the requirement to transfer MBOX to Gmail or Upload and why it is necessary. Read the blog to the end to discover some proven techniques along with their lesser-known facts.

The MBOX file format is widely known to store users’ email messages employed by numerous email clients such as Apple Mail, Thunderbird, Eudora, Entourage, Postbox, and many more. Gmail, on the other hand, is a popular cloud-based email platform consisting of advanced features, large storage space, and accessibility between devices for better management purposes.

Gmail may be a widely known email platform, but it does not support backup or uploading of MBOX files from a direct channel, resulting in users with difficulty securely import MBOX to Gmail or upload MBOX file to Gmail. It becomes crucial for users to import MBOX to Gmail as while doing so, Gmail has not created identical emails if the MSG ID matches with the header. Unknown to many users, this assists them in minimizing the occurrence of double entries while migrating the same MBOX file twice.

Why do Users Want to Bring MBOX files to Gmail?

Gmail users to get MBOX files from a variety of places. For example, when they close an old account and use the Google Takeout service to keep an offline copy of their emails. Organizations to reattach the MBOX data that they get from an e-discovery operation in Google Vault.

As MBOX files in themselves are of little to no use, it is only when they are part of a live email account that users can work with them.

So anything from forwarding MBOX data as an email and not an attachment, to reading the content directly in the Gmail application, etc are all genuine causes for users to seek out a remedy.

Transfer of MBOX to Gmail in a Specific Scenario

In scenarios where you are not concerned about the metadata of MBOX files but rather just want the content. Also, all you want is for attachments to be accessible with a click in your email platform. For that, you can try self-mailing the MBOX file.

But before you do this, hit pause. This is not a great idea as Gmail lacks any native method to process these files. So they are pretty much useless, as you can’t preview them to see what content is inside the files. They just end up occupying space inside your Gmail account.

Moreover, you won’t see any benefit even if you add these MBOX files to Google Drive. If you want to use some internal Gmail mechanism to get those MBOX files, perform a check at your end. The only way you can avoid transferring MBOX to Gmail is to have access to the original account from where these MBOX files are from. After verifying that, look if the files are still inside the source inbox.

If both of these checks are positive then you can use the same process as the one we used to pull AOL emails in Gmail.

Here are the steps in brief.

1. Go to Gmail, Click on Settings Cog > All settings > Accounts and Import > Import Mail and contacts
2. Follow the on-screen instructions as they appear in the small window at the top left corner until you gain access to your mail on Gmail.
3. On top of bringing in old data, you can set up auto-forwarding and add the source as an alias in Gmail to get every mail directly into your Gmail account.

Use Thunderbird to Transfer MBOX to Gmail

Step 1: Install the Thunderbird client

1. Browse (https://www.thunderbird.net/en-GB/) and click “Free Download”.
2. Run the executable.
3. Click “Yes” to allow the system changes then “Next”.
4. Pick a setup type and click “Next”.
5. Select the installation location then “Next”.
6. Keep the default components and then click “Next”.
7. Choose shortcut options then “Next”.
8. Confirm installation location and click “Install”.
9. Wait 2-3 minutes for installation.
10. Click “Finish”

Step 2: Enable IMAP and add Gmail in Thunderbird

• Enable IMAP in Gmail:

• Inside Gmail click cog (upper-right corner).
• Select “See all settings”.
• Click the “Forwarding and POP/IMAP” tab.
• Enable IMAP in the IMAP Access section.
• Click “Save Changes”.

• IMAP Account Settings:

Incoming Mail:

• Server: imap.gmail.com
• Port: 993
• SSL: Yes

Outgoing Mail:

• Server: smtp.gmail.com
• Port: 465 (SSL) or 587 (TLS/STARTTLS)
• SSL/TLS: Yes
• Authentication: Yes

• Add Gmail in Thunderbird:

• Open Thunderbird.
• Select File > New > Existing Mail Account.
• Enter your Gmail account information.
• Click “Continue”.
• Thunderbird will configure the server details.
• Click “Done”.
• Sign in with your Google credentials.

Step 3: Install the ImportExport NG

1. Download ImportExportTools NG from Add-ons and Themes.
2. Select Tools > Add-ons and Themes.
3. Click Gear > Install Add-on from File.
4. Select downloaded file > Add.
5. Restart Thunderbird.

Step 4: Use Extension & Import MBOX Files in Gmail

You can’t directly add MBOX files to your server-connected Gmail account as the option is greyed out. So, do this

1. Right-click on Local Folder in the left side pane.
2. Hover over the ImportExportNG extension.
3. Select Import MBOX files and then the secondary option.
4. Browse for MBOX files, select and add.
5. Once inside Thunderbird, drag and drop the MBOX items from the local folder to your Gmail mailbox.
6. Login to your Gmail account to see the results.

Limitations of Using Manual Method

• While using built-in or easily available techniques can upload MBOX file to Gmail in direct ways, they do not generally support backing up an MBOX data file to Gmail directly, which proves to be a drawback among many while dealing with plenty of MBOX files in less time.
• Users need to configure a desktop email client like Apple Mail or Thunderbird to import MBOX files.
• Not favorable for users looking for a solution to transfer MBOX to Gmail in batches.
• Not suitable for processing large files or mailboxes since they often crash and freeze while importing.
• Migrating MBOX files manually consumes a lot of users’ time and energy as Gmail tend to throttle IMAP uploading speed to eliminate spam activities.
• Since Gmail does not provide any native support to clients with MBOX files, it takes the assistance of an advanced tool to decode the MIME structure for Gmail to display the attachments without any issue.

Import MBOX File to Gmail with the Automated Solution

For organizations dealing with a mass movement of MBOX to G Suite(Gmail) setting up an email client for each user and performing a manual upload is not feasible at all. Therefore, a better approach would be to first bulk convert MBOX to EML or convert MBOX to PST.

To overcome and eliminate such pitfalls created while using the Help for Manual techniques, use the automated and highly in-demand Systools Import Tool for easy accessibility and management. The software solution is designed to import MBOX files to Gmail directly and with complete safety, without hindering the file or folder formatting while transferring the files.

With the help of this tool, users can effortlessly eliminate the need to install any email client related to the native file and its technical steps. 

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Stage One: MBOX Conversion to Suitable File Format For Gmail Upload

1. Click “Add File” and select MBOX file(s)
2. Choose the file upload option: Default Profile or File(s)/Folder
3. Then, hit “Export” or “Export Selected”
4. Select EML/PST as the export format.
5. Configure Advanced Settings: Naming Convention (Splitting in case of PST) and Date Filter.
6. Browse and select the destination path.
7. Ensure that “Maintain Folder Hierarchy” is checked
8. Click “Export”
9. Check the now converted MBOX files in the destination folder.

Stage Two: Upload MBOX File to Gmail/GSuite/Google Workspace

1. Install the software on the machine where you have the MBOX in its new state.
2. Then, select the Source as (PST/EML) and the Destination as G Suite.
3. Scroll to the Workload area and mark the Checkbox Next to Email. You may also apply the Date filter if need be.
4. Perform the Source Validation by selecting the Path where the files are kept.
5. 
6. Likewise, while in Destination validation type the Admin details and press Next.
7. On the Mapping screen, pick any one option out of the 3 i.e. Fetch, Import, or Download.
8. Use the Preview Screen to select, add priority, validate, and begin the Import process.

Features of the Automated Tool to Upload MBOX File to Gmail

• Import Complete Data: This advanced utility allows beginners as well as business users to import various information into their preferred cloud platforms, such as Office 365, Google Workspace, Office 365 archive, and Microsoft Exchange, with complete information.
• Preserve Data Integrity: The software guarantees to preserve and protect all the information contained in the file during and after the import process is completed, making it one of the safest options to import MBOX files to Gmail.
• Batch Import: Not only does the automated import tool effortlessly process and open MBOX file in Gmail in one go, but it also has the capability of sharing them with numerous individual users and organizations without any crash or freeze in between.
• Import Monitoring: Users can easily keep track of the import process while handling a large number of MBOX files. With the help of the built-in dashboard, users can check the status of the files in the form of contacts, emails, and calendars while the migration process is in progress.
• Create an Organized Report: After the import process is completed, the automated solution generates a comprehensive report containing all the files in a systematic form. Keeping records is essential for users in technical firms like IT administrators, forensic experts, and many more, as records for certain operations.
• Multiple Import Options: The most reliable feature offered by this automated software is its re-run import option. This function enables users to re-run the three import options as Re-run the entire import process, Retry Failed items, and Delta import, in which users can add upcoming email files to the import process while it is running.

Conclusion

In conclusion, users can now import MBOX files to their Gmail account easily. Moreover, there are two routes through which that task can be done. First one is using Thunderbird. However, as many users don’t want to go through the lengthy process of setting up an email client for just a basic import we also include a couple of professional tools that can help you complete the process in no time.

Also, if by any chance you still retain access to the email account from where you got these MBOX files, using the inbuilt Gmail import mechanism can also be considered.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How much time does it take to import all MBOX files into the Gmail account?

If you take the manual route involving Thunderbird then it is quite a long ordeal, you have to spend many hours to set up, add and upload MBOX to the Google mail account. Whereas automated tools can help you cut down time significantly.

Q2. Is there any risk if I transfer MBOX to Gmail through the traditional method?
Yes. Using manual methods does not guarantee a safe transfer of MBOX files and could lead to data corruption, loss, and duplication during the process. Such methods are also not suitable for troubleshooting MBOX files large in size.

Q3. I have thousands of MBOX files that I need to migrate urgently. Does the automated tool transfer MBOX to Gmail in less time?
Absolutely! The automated tool has a feature to import MBOX to Gmail in bulk, enabling users to save an ample amount of time as compared to any manual method.