Open and read MBOX files
right in your browser.
Drop in a .mbox file from Google Takeout, Thunderbird or Apple Mail
and read it immediately — no software to install and nothing to upload.
Search your messages, filter them by sender, subject or date, and export what you
need to CSV, Excel, PDF or EML. And Most Importantly - Always Private, Done in the Browser and Never Sent to Any Server.
Keep going with the full version
- Any file size, no cap
- Search the whole mailbox
- Save messages as .eml
- Export the list as CSV
- Print or save as PDF
- Still nothing uploaded
What you can do with it
Read it in your browser, with filters
Browse your whole mailbox in a familiar two-pane layout — subjects, senders, dates, recipients and full message text. Search by sender or subject, then narrow to a date range: a single year, a specific month, or any window you set. Filters combine, so "everything from one company in 2023" is a couple of clicks.
Export to other formats
Export to CSV for Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets. Build a PDF archive for printing or filing. Save original .eml files that import into Thunderbird, Outlook or Apple Mail. Or split a huge mailbox into a smaller .mbox.
See and download attachments
Attachments are listed on every message and saveable in one click — or extract every attachment across thousands of messages into a single ZIP, filtered to images, PDFs or documents if you only want one kind. No clicking through messages one at a time.
Why this is private
Most "MBOX converter" sites ask you to upload your file. That means handing every email you have ever sent or received to a company you know nothing about, then trusting them to delete it.
This tool works the opposite way. There is no upload step because there is no server to upload to. Your browser opens the file directly from your own disk and does all the reading, searching and exporting on your own machine. Nothing is transmitted, nothing is stored, and no account is needed. You can confirm it yourself: open your browser's developer tools, watch the Network tab, and load a file — it stays silent.
Your entire email history is uploaded to a company you know nothing about, and you trust them to delete it.
Nothing leaves your machine. There is no second step, because there is no server to send it to.
How to open an MBOX file
- Get your .mbox file. From Google Takeout, choose Mail and download the archive, then unzip it. Thunderbird stores mbox files in its profile folder.
- Choose the file above. Your browser reads it in place. Large files are indexed once, which takes a few minutes for very big exports, then open instantly every time after that.
- Read, filter, export. Search and set a date range, then export the result in whichever format you need.
Formats you can export to
| Format | Best for |
|---|---|
| CSV | Opening in Excel, Google Sheets or Numbers. One row per message, with the message text included if you want it. |
| Printing, filing, or sending to a lawyer or accountant. Includes a cover sheet and page numbers. | |
| EML | Importing back into Thunderbird, Outlook or Apple Mail. The original messages, unchanged. |
| MBOX | Splitting a huge export into a smaller file that desktop mail software can actually handle. |
| ZIP | Every attachment from your selected messages, in one archive. |
Watched by 127,000+ people
We’ve helped thousands learn how to view, read, and export MBOX files using software. Now, you can do it instantly—right in your browser, privately, with no downloads required.
If you do want to DIY, check out the video below:
Common questions
What is an MBOX file?
MBOX is a plain-text format that stores many email messages one after another in a single file. It is what Google Takeout gives you when you export Gmail, and what Thunderbird and Apple Mail use internally. Because it is one enormous file rather than separate messages, ordinary software often struggles to open it.
Is my email really not uploaded?
Correct. The file is read by your own browser using standard local file APIs. No part of it is sent anywhere, and nothing is saved on any server. Open the Network tab in your browser's developer tools while you load a file and you will see no data leaving your machine.
How large a file can it open?
Very large ones — tens of gigabytes. The file is read in small pieces rather than loaded into memory all at once, so size is not the barrier it usually is. Big files need one indexing pass the first time, then open immediately afterwards.
Do I need to install anything?
No. There is nothing to download, no account to create and no extension to add. It runs in a normal desktop browser. Chrome and Edge work best.
Can I use this on a phone?
No. Mobile browsers cannot handle files of this size. Use a desktop or laptop.
How do I convert MBOX to Excel or Google Sheets?
Export to CSV, which both Excel and Google Sheets open directly. You can choose whether to include the full message text alongside the date, sender, recipient and subject of each message.
How do I convert MBOX to PDF?
Filter to the messages you want, then export as a PDF archive. Each message starts on its own page with its headers, and the document includes a cover sheet and page numbers.
What does it cost?
Reading your mailbox and exporting a single message are free. A one-time $29 unlock covers unlimited file size, bulk exports in every format and attachment extraction. There is no subscription.