Import your mbox and EML files into your mailbox
Google Takeout export or .eml files: your messages find their way back into your mailbox, folders and labels included. 2GB maximum, files erased after the import.
How it works
- Get your .mbox or .eml file — from a Google Takeout export ("Mail" section), an .eml archive produced by MailSync's backup tool, or an export from another email client.
- Drop the file or files — you can select several .eml files at once, or a single .mbox file.
- Enter the credentials for the destination mailbox — address, password (or app password) and the IMAP server settings.
- Start the import — MailSync connects to the destination mailbox and recreates the messages one by one.
- Find your messages sorted — the original labels or folders are rebuilt on the destination side; messages with no folder go into the one you specified, and a completion email is sent if you provide one.
Use cases
- Bringing a Google Takeout export into a new mailbox — you're leaving Gmail or changing address and want to keep the history of your messages, folders and labels included, in your new IMAP mailbox.
- Restoring an .eml archive — you backed up a mailbox with MailSync's backup tool and want to restore those messages into a mailbox (the same one or another).
- Migrating from a legacy client — a mail program that only exports in mbox format (some Unix/Linux clients, old Thunderbird exports): you grab that file and import it straight into an IMAP mailbox.
- Consolidating old archive files — you find old .mbox or .eml files on a drive and want to make them searchable from a mailbox again, rather than from a local file.
What this tool doesn't do
- Only .mbox and .eml formats are accepted. Proprietary formats such as Outlook's .pst are not supported: you need to convert it to .mbox or .eml with a third-party tool first.
- The target limit is 2GB total per import, but the server currently caps uploads at around 8MB while a hosting setting is finalized: beyond that, the import fails with a clear message.
- The import only works into a destination IMAP mailbox: it doesn't create an email account or set up a new provider on your behalf.
- This size limit is technical, not commercial: it isn't lifted by the Premium plan, which instead moves you to a priority queue for faster processing.
Frequently asked questions
What file formats are accepted? +
.mbox files (the format used by Google Takeout exports) and .eml files (one message per file, produced by most email clients or by MailSync's backup tool). Proprietary formats such as Outlook's .pst are not supported: you'll need to convert them to .mbox or .eml with a third-party tool before importing them here.
How do I get my Gmail emails in mbox format? +
Go to takeout.google.com, select only "Mail" and start the export. Google sends you an archive containing one or more .mbox files: those are the ones you upload here.
Are my Gmail labels kept? +
Yes. Google Takeout exports remember each message's labels: we recreate one folder per label in the destination mailbox. Messages with no label go into the folder of your choice.
Is there a file size limit? +
The target limit for this tool is 2GB total per import. In practice, the server currently caps uploads at around 8MB while a hosting setting is being applied: beyond that, the import fails with a clear message instead of silently blocking. In the meantime, split your export into several smaller .mbox or .eml files and import them one after another. Unlike transfer or backup, this limit is technical and temporary: it isn't tied to the Premium plan, which instead moves you to a priority queue.
Are duplicates handled? +
No: the import adds every message from the file to the destination mailbox, without checking whether it's already there. Re-importing the same file, or re-running an import you already did, will therefore create duplicates. To avoid this, import into a dedicated or empty folder, and don't re-run an import into a folder that's already populated. (Unlike the transfer tool, which detects and skips messages already present.)
Which providers can I import into? +
Any provider offering standard IMAP access: Gmail, Outlook/Microsoft 365, Yahoo, iCloud, OVH, o2switch, and the vast majority of professional hosts. You simply need the credentials and the IMAP server settings (address, port, SSL) for the destination mailbox.
What happens to my files after the import? +
They're deleted from our servers as soon as the import finishes, whether it succeeded or not. Your credentials are encrypted during the operation and erased as soon as it ends.