“Exporting emails” means one of two different jobs, and the right method depends on which one you have:
- Export email data to a spreadsheet. You want the details inside many similar emails, such as order numbers, amounts, dates, senders or lead details, as rows and columns in Excel, a CSV file or Google Sheets.
- Export whole messages to an archive. You want a copy of your mailbox, or part of it, for backup, migration or record-keeping, in a mail format such as MBOX or PST.
This guide covers both, and links every detailed guide we have on exporting emails to Excel, CSV and Google Sheets.
Choose your export
| You want | Output | Method | Start here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail email data in Excel | .xlsx | Email parser add-on, then download from Google Sheets | How to Extract Data from Gmail to Excel |
| Gmail email data as CSV | .csv | Email parser add-on, then download from Google Sheets | How to Export Gmail Emails to CSV |
| Email data in Google Sheets, kept up to date | Live sheet | Scheduled import with an email parser add-on | Email to Google Sheets: How to Import Email Data Automatically |
| Outlook or shared-mailbox data in CSV | .csv | Outlook’s own export, Power Automate or PowerShell | Export Outlook (Including Shared Mailboxes) to CSV or Google Sheets |
| A full backup of your Gmail | MBOX | Google Takeout | Gmail Email Backup |
Exporting email data to Excel, CSV or Google Sheets
A mail archive keeps each email whole, which is no help if you need a column of order totals. For that you need to pull specific values out of each email’s text and put one email on each row. There are three ways to do it:
- Copy and paste. Workable for a few emails, slow and error-prone for hundreds.
- Write a script. Google Apps Script or code against the Gmail API can read emails and write rows, but you build and maintain the extraction logic, and it breaks when an email’s layout changes.
- Use an email parser. You describe once which emails to read and which text to extract, and the tool produces the rows, in bulk or on a schedule.
How xtractor.app exports Gmail data
xtractor.app is a Google Workspace add-on that runs inside Google Sheets and reads emails from your Gmail account.
- Select the emails. Search Gmail by subject, sender, date and content.
- Choose the fields. Custom filters, including text-before/text-after rules and regex filters, pick out each value. xtractor.app can also use AI to parse emails, alongside the filters you define. Multiple parsing contexts let one search handle emails whose format varies.
- Import. Import thousands of emails in one bulk import, or let imports run automatically on a schedule, daily or more often. Save searches and filters to reuse them.
- Download. The data lands in Google Sheets as rows and columns. To get Excel or CSV, download it from Google Sheets.
Extracted data stays in your own Google Sheet; xtractor.app does not store it in its own database.
What it does not do:
- Gmail only. It does not connect to Outlook, Microsoft 365, Exchange, shared mailboxes or IMAP accounts. For Outlook, see the Outlook guide in the table above.
- Email text, not attachments. It does not parse attachments such as PDFs; custom attachment parsing is available on request.
- No mailbox archive. It exports the values you choose into a spreadsheet, not whole messages in MBOX or PST format.
- No direct integrations. It has no Zapier or Make integration, public API or webhooks, and no integration with QuickBooks, Xero or other accounting software. Import the spreadsheet or the downloaded file into those tools yourself.
Excel guides
- How to Extract Data from Gmail to Excel
- How to Extract Email Data to Excel in 5 Easy Steps
- Master the Art of Extracting Email Information to Excel
- Email to Excel Export Google Workspace Addon
CSV guides
Spreadsheets in general
- How to Export Emails to a Spreadsheet: 5 Powerful Methods
- How to Connect Google Sheets to Gmail: Methods for Both Directions
Exporting from Outlook and shared mailboxes
Outlook users have different tools: classic Outlook for Windows can export a folder to a CSV file or a PST archive, and Power Automate or PowerShell with Microsoft Graph can export on a schedule. xtractor.app does not work with Outlook. Export Outlook (Including Shared Mailboxes) to CSV or Google Sheets: Native Export, Power Automate, Graph/PowerShell, and Parsers Compared compares the options.
Exporting whole emails for backup or migration
To keep complete messages rather than extracted fields, export to a mail format:
- Gmail: Google Takeout exports your mail as MBOX files, all of it or selected labels.
- Outlook: export to a PST file from classic Outlook for Windows.
- Any IMAP account: sync it to a desktop client such as Thunderbird and export from there.
Before a large export, narrow it by label or date range, check the export opens before you delete anything, and store copies with sensitive mail encrypted. For more, see Gmail Email Backup: Safeguarding Your Digital Communication.
Related guides
- Importing into Google Sheets automatically: Email to Google Sheets: How to Import Email Data Automatically
- Order and payment emails: Extract Order Numbers and Amounts From Emails Into Sheets
- Accounting imports: Inbox-to-Accounting: Convert Emails into QuickBooks/Xero-Ready CSVs with Google Sheets
- Choosing a tool: Free Email Parser: 6 Free Tools Compared and How to Choose
Frequently asked questions
Can I export Gmail emails to Excel?
Yes. Gmail has no built-in Excel export, but an email parser add-on such as xtractor.app imports the fields you choose into Google Sheets, and you download the sheet as an Excel file.
Can I export Gmail emails to CSV?
Yes, the same way: import the data into Google Sheets with xtractor.app, then download it from Google Sheets as CSV.
What is the difference between Google Takeout and an email parser?
Takeout exports whole messages as MBOX files for backup. An email parser extracts specific values, such as amounts or dates, into rows and columns you can analyse.
Can the export run automatically?
Yes. xtractor.app imports can run on a schedule, daily or more often, so the sheet stays current; download Excel or CSV from it whenever you need a file.
How many emails can I export at once?
xtractor.app imports thousands of emails in one bulk import.
Can I export Outlook emails with xtractor.app?
No. xtractor.app works with Gmail only. Outlook’s own export, Power Automate or PowerShell are the options for Outlook.
Does it export attachments?
No. It extracts from the email text. Custom attachment parsing is available on request.
How much does xtractor.app cost?
It is free to install and offers a free trial. Paid plans run from $5 to $40 a month billed annually, or $24 to $129 a month billed monthly, and custom plans and bulk pricing are available on request.
Export your Gmail data
Install xtractor.app free from the Google Workspace Marketplace, search your Gmail, and download the rows as Excel or CSV from Google Sheets.