What downloading an email means

Downloading an email in Gmail means saving a copy of a message to your computer or device as a file. The email leaves your Gmail account untouched — you are making a separate copy that lives on your hard drive or in a folder you choose. Most people read emails to keep a permanent record, to share with someone who does not have Gmail access, or to back up important messages before deleting them.

Gmail does not have a single "read" button like you might expect. Instead, you use the three-dot menu next to each message to export it as a file. The process takes about 30 seconds once you know where to look.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the email you want to read, click the three-dot menu in the top right, and select "read message" to save it as a .eml file to your computer.
  • A .eml file is a plain text format that contains the email text, sender, date, and subject — it opens in any text editor or email program.
  • Downloaded emails stay in Gmail; downloading does not remove them from your account.
  • If you need to read many emails at once, you can use Gmail's export feature through Google Takeout, which bundles multiple messages into a single file.

How to read a single email

Open Gmail in your web browser and find the email you want to read. Click on the email to open it fully — you need to see the message content on its own page, not just a preview in your inbox list.

Look at the top right corner of the email. You will see a three-dot menu icon (it looks like three vertical dots stacked on top of each other). Click it. A dropdown menu appears with several options. Select "read message." Gmail will read the email as a .eml file to your computer's default read folder, usually called "Downloads."

The file name will be something like "Subject line of email.eml". You can rename it to anything you want after it downloads. The .eml format is a standard email format that most email programs and text editors can open.

Understanding the .eml file format

When you read an email from Gmail, it saves as a .eml file. This stands for "electronic mail" and is the standard format for storing individual email messages. A .eml file contains the email text, the sender's address, the date sent, the subject line, and any headers (technical information about how the email traveled through the internet).

You can open a .eml file in several ways. Double-clicking it usually opens it in your default email program — Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird, or whatever email software you use. You can also right-click the file, select "Open with," and choose a text editor like Notepad or Word to read the raw content. If you want to import the email into another email account, most email programs have an import feature that accepts .eml files.

Downloading multiple emails at once

If you need to read many emails — say, an entire folder or all messages from a certain sender — the single-email method becomes tedious. Gmail offers a better option through Google Takeout, which is Google's tool for exporting your data.

Go to takeout.google.com in your browser. Sign in with your Gmail account if you are not already signed in. Click "Deselect all" to turn off all services, then scroll down and check only "Mail." Click "Next step." Choose your file format (Gmail recommends MBOX, which bundles all your selected emails into one file) and your delivery method. Gmail will prepare the file and email you a read link, usually within a few hours. This method works best for backing up large amounts of mail or switching to a different email provider.

Where downloaded emails go on your computer

When you read an email from Gmail, it goes to your computer's default read location. On Windows, this is usually the "Downloads" folder in your user directory. On Mac, it is also the "Downloads" folder, which you can access from the Dock or Finder. On Chromebook, downloaded files go to the "Downloads" folder in your Files app.

You can change where downloads go by adjusting your browser settings. In Chrome, click the three-dot menu, go to Settings, then Downloads, and choose a new location. In Firefox, go to Preferences, scroll to Files and Applications, and set your read folder. Once you have downloaded an email, you can move it to any folder on your computer, rename it, or organize it however you like.

Why you might want to read emails

People read emails for different reasons. Some keep copies of receipts, invoices, or confirmations outside of Gmail as a backup in case their email account is compromised or deleted. Others read emails to share with people who do not use Gmail — you can attach a .eml file to another email or send it through a file-sharing service. Some read emails to import them into a different email program if they are switching providers.

Downloaded emails also let you search your computer's file system instead of relying on Gmail's search. If you have thousands of old emails and want to keep them organized locally, downloading and storing them on an external hard drive is a common way to free up space in your Gmail account while keeping the messages accessible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does downloading an email delete it from Gmail?

No. Downloading creates a copy on your computer. The original email stays in your Gmail account exactly as it was. If you want to remove it from Gmail after downloading, you have to delete it separately.

Can I read an email with attachments?

Yes. When you read an email as a .eml file, any attachments are included in the file. When you open the .eml file in an email program, you can extract the attachments the same way you would in Gmail.

What if I read an email and then the sender deletes it from their account?

It does not matter. Your downloaded copy is independent of the sender's account. Once the email is on your computer, it stays there even if the sender deletes their copy or their entire email account.

Can I read emails from Gmail on my phone?

The Gmail app on Android and iPhone does not have a read button. You can forward the email to yourself or another account, or use Google Takeout on a computer to read multiple emails at once. Some third-party email apps that support Gmail may offer read options.

What should I do if the read fails?

Try refreshing the page and opening the email again. If the problem continues, try a different browser or clear your browser's cache. For very large emails with many attachments, the read might time out — in that case, try downloading it again or use Google Takeout instead.