What downloading an email actually means

Downloading an email means saving a copy of a message from your email account to a folder on your computer. The email stays in your inbox online, but you now also have your own copy stored locally — useful when you need to keep something permanently, share it outside your email, or work with it in another program.

Most people think of downloading as something that happens with files from the internet. Email works the same way: your email lives on a company's server (Gmail's servers, Outlook's servers, etc.), and downloading pulls a copy down to your machine. The original stays where it is.

How you read depends on which email service you use and what you want to do with the message afterward. The process takes less than a minute once you know where to look.

Key Takeaways

  • Downloading an email creates a copy on your computer while leaving the original in your inbox online.
  • Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo each have different read options — some built into the website, some requiring the desktop app.
  • The simplest method for most people is forwarding the email to yourself as an attachment, which creates a file you can save anywhere.
  • If you need to keep many emails long-term, exporting your entire mailbox is faster than downloading messages one at a time.

Downloading a single email from Gmail

Open the email you want to save. Click the three vertical dots (the menu icon) in the top right corner of the message. A dropdown menu appears — select read message. Your browser downloads the email as a .eml file, which is a standard email format that most programs recognize.

The file lands in your Downloads folder by default, named with the subject line and date. You can move it anywhere on your computer afterward. If you want to open it later, you can double-click it and it will open in your default email program, or you can attach it to another email to send it to someone else.

Downloading a single email from Outlook or Microsoft 365

Open the message. Look for the three dots menu (usually in the top right, next to the archive and delete buttons). Click it and look for Actions or More actions. Select read or Save as. The email downloads as a .msg file, which is Microsoft's email format.

If you do not see a read option in the web version, use the Outlook desktop app instead — it is more reliable for this task. Open the message, go to File in the top menu, then Save As, and choose where on your computer to store it.

Downloading a single email from Yahoo Mail

Yahoo's web interface does not have a built-in read button like Gmail does. The workaround is to forward the email to yourself. Open the message, click Forward, and send it to your own email address. When it arrives, you now have a copy you can read using Gmail's method above, or you can straightforward leave it in your inbox as a backup.

Alternatively, if you use the Yahoo Mail app on your phone or the Yahoo Mail desktop client, those programs may offer save or export options. Check your app's menu for Save or Export.

Downloading multiple emails at once

If you need to save many emails, downloading them one at a time is slow. Instead, export your entire mailbox. In Gmail, go to Google Takeout (takeout.google.com), select Mail, choose the format (MBOX is standard), and start the export. Google packages all your emails into a file and emails you a read link within hours.

In Outlook, open the desktop app, select the folder you want to export, go to File > Open & Export > Import/Export, and choose Export to a file. Select PST format (Outlook's native format) and pick a location on your computer. This creates one large file containing all messages in that folder.

Yahoo Mail users can use a third-party tool like Thunderbird (a free email client) to connect to their Yahoo account and then export from there. Set up your Yahoo account in Thunderbird, let it read all your messages, then export the folder as MBOX format.

What to do with downloaded emails

Once you have downloaded an email as a .eml, .msg, or MBOX file, you can open it in any email program — Gmail, Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail, or others. You can also attach it to a new email and send it to someone else, print it, or store it in a folder for your records.

If you downloaded a whole mailbox as MBOX or PST format, you can import it into another email account. This is useful if you are switching email providers or want to back up your entire history. Most email programs have an Import option in the File menu that walks you through uploading the file.

Why you might want to read emails

People read emails for different reasons. You might need a permanent record of a contract, receipt, or agreement that you want to keep even if your email account closes. You might want to share an email thread with someone outside your organization without forwarding it through email. You might be switching email providers and want to move your entire mailbox. Or you might straightforward want a backup in case something happens to your online account.

Downloading is also useful for legal or financial records — storing a copy on your computer means you have proof of the message even if the original gets deleted or your account is compromised.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does downloading an email delete it from my inbox?

No. Downloading creates a copy on your computer. The original message stays in your inbox online unless you manually delete it. You now have the message in two places.

What is the difference between .eml, .msg, and MBOX files?

.eml is a universal email format that works with almost any email program. .msg is Microsoft's format, best opened in Outlook. MBOX is a text-based format used for storing multiple emails in one file. All three are readable by most modern email clients, though .msg works best in Outlook.

Can I read an email attachment separately without downloading the whole message?

Yes. Open the email, find the attachment at the bottom, and click the read arrow next to it. This saves only the file, not the email itself. The attachment lands in your Downloads folder.

What if I read an email but cannot open it later?

Try opening it with a different program. Right-click the file, select Open with, and choose an email client like Thunderbird (free) or Outlook. If that does not work, the file may be corrupted — try downloading it again.

Is downloading emails the same as backing up my email account?

Downloading individual emails is a partial backup. To truly back up your entire account, export your whole mailbox using Google Takeout, Outlook's export tool, or a similar service. This saves everything — emails, contacts, calendar, and settings — in one file.