How to Open Google Takeout Files in 4 Easy Ways

• User Case
• How to Use Google Takeout to Download Files
• How to Open Google Takeout Files – Android, iPhone, Mac, and Windows
• Why Can’t I Open My Google Takeout Files?
• Bonus Tip: How to Directly Transfer Files/Emails from Google to Another Cloud via MultCloud
• Conclusion

User Case

How to Use Google Takeout to Download Files

Before going to the steps of how to open Google Takeout files, let’s quickly review the methods of exporting files or emails by Google Takeout.

Step 1. Go to Google Takeout.

Step 2. Click “Deselect all” in the upper-right corner and check applications that contain your desired files and emails. Then, click “Next step” at the bottom of this page.

Step 3. Choose a download destination like Google, Dropbox, or a local place. Then, select the downloading frequency, file type, and file size. Then, click “Create export” to start extracting the Google data.

How to Open Google Takeout Files – Android, iPhone, Mac, and Windows

Once you download the data by Google Takeout, it typically comes in a ZIP or TGZ archive file. Here's how you can open and view these files on different devices:

Basic Steps

Step 1. Download files by Google Takeout and extract the zip file on your desktop.

Step 2. View the extracted folders to check the file formats. There are some examples:

• Gmail: MBOX files
• Contacts: CSV or VCF files
• Photos: Various image formats (JPEG, PNG, etc.)
• Drive: Various file formats depending on the original files

Step 3. Open the files by different apps by the file formats.

How to Open MBOX File from Google Takeout

Windows/Mac: Use email clients like Mozilla Thunderbird, Outlook, or Apple Mail to import MBOX files.

Android/iPhone: There might be limitations on directly opening MBOX files on mobile devices. Consider using a cloud storage service like Google Drive to access them or transferring them to a computer for processing.

How to Open CSV or VCF Files from Google Takeout

Windows/Mac: Import into email clients, address book apps, or dedicated contact management software.

Android/iPhone: Use the built-in contacts app to import CSV or VCF files.

How to Open Google Takeout Photos

Windows/Mac/Android/iPhone: View directly using the default image viewer or photo gallery app.

How to Open Drive Files from Google Takeout

Windows/Mac/Android/iPhone: Open files using the appropriate app (e.g., Word for .docx, Excel for .xlsx, etc.). For large files or specific formats, consider using cloud storage services or dedicated software.

Other File Types

Use the appropriate software or app based on the file extension.

Additional Tips:

• Third-Party Tools: For complex data management or specific file formats, consider using dedicated tools or software designed for handling Google Takeout data.
• Cloud Storage: Upload the extracted files to cloud storage services like Google Drive for easy access across devices.
• Selective Export: When creating a Google Takeout, choose specific data types to avoid downloading unnecessary files.

Why Can’t I Open My Google Takeout Files?

You might have trouble when following the above steps of how to open Google Takeout files for a number of reasons. Here are some common issues and how to fix them:

Bonus Tip: How to Directly Transfer Files/Emails from Google to Another Cloud via MultCloud

Except for Google Takeout, there is another way to batch-export Gmail emails and batch-transfer Google Drive files or Google Photos images to another cloud – using MultCloud. With MultCloud, you can manage files on Google Drive, Google Photos, and Google Workspace as well as emails on Gmail altogether on one platform. It offers 2 functions, Cloud Transfer and Email Migration, that help transfer files and emails to another cloud automatically.

Let’s see the examples of using Cloud Transfer and Email Migration to transfer Google Photos to OneDrive and migrate Gmail emails to Dropbox.

Transfer Google Photos to OneDrive by Cloud Transfer

Step 1. Create a free MultCloud account on its website.

Step 2. Click “Add Cloud” and the OneDrive/Google Photos logo to add them to MultCloud.

Step 3. Select “Cloud Transfer” in the left sidebar and choose Google Photos as the source and OneDrive as the destination. Then, click “Transfer Now” to start the task.

Save Gmail to Dropbox by Email Migration

Step 1. Sign up for a MultCloud account and add Dropbox to MultCloud.

Step 2. Add Gmail to MultCloud by clicking “Add Email” and the Gmail logo.

Step 3. Select “Email Migration” in the left sidebar and choose Gmail as the source and Dropbox as the target. Then, tap “Migrate Now” to initiate the task.

MultCloud also has a function that allows you to download Gmail or Outlook emails as PDFs to a local place. With this function, emails and attachments will be saved to your computer as a zip file. However, you just need to unzip this file to access the emails and attachments. The operations are easy and direct.

Conclusion

In this post, you can learn solutions on how to open Google Takeout files whether on your Android, iPhone, Mac, or Windows. Follow the steps to access your downloaded files now! Besides, you can get to know a robust tool for Google data migration – MultCloud. It can help you directly save emails and files from Google services to another cloud without downloading. If you need to do the cloud-to-cloud or email-to-cloud transfer, don’t hesitate to use MultCloud.