How to export Gmail emails to PDF with attachments
Your emails never leave your computer.
Short answer: Gmail can print one conversation at a time to PDF, and the attachments are not included. To export many emails with their attachments: download your mail from Google Takeout as an .mbox file, then open it in Emails2PDF, which turns every email into a searchable PDF, saves the attachments in matching folders and lists everything in a spreadsheet.
One conversation: Print to PDF
- Open the conversation in Gmail and click the Print all icon (top right of the conversation).
- Choose Save as PDF as the destination and save.
Many emails: Google Takeout, then Emails2PDF
- Go to
takeout.google.com, click Deselect all and tick only Mail. Choose all mail or particular labels. - Create the export and download it when Google's email arrives. Inside
Takeout/Mailthere is a file ending in.mbox; the attachments are inside it. - Open emails2pdf.com/app, sign in, and choose Upload a mailbox file. Pick a label and a date range if you only need part of it, then click Export.
The file is read in your browser and never uploaded. The free run converts the whole file, shows the full index and lets you download 5 PDFs; the full download is in Starter and Pro. A direct Connect Gmail sign-in is in Google's review and will replace the Takeout step when it is approved.
Questions
Can Gmail export emails to PDF directly?
Only one conversation at a time, with Print and Save as PDF, and without the attachments. There is no built-in bulk export to PDF.
Does Google Takeout include the attachments?
Yes. The .mbox file from Takeout contains every message with its attachments; Emails2PDF saves them as the original files next to each email's PDF.
How long does Google Takeout take?
From minutes for a small mailbox to hours or more for a large one. Google emails you a download link when it is ready.
Is my Gmail uploaded anywhere?
No. The .mbox file is read and converted inside your browser; the PDFs and attachments are written to your own computer.