Creating a Google Archive (using Google Takeout)

You can use Google Takeout to create a Google Apps archive. Creating a Google Archive does not remove any data from your Google Account; it simply makes a copy of your desired items.

Remember University email belongs to Stony Brook University and is subject to all policies and procedures currently in place. Please follow appropriate guidelines.

When To Create Your Archive

If you want to create an archive, you'll need to do so before your account is deactivated (find out more about account deactivation):

Students: 200 days after you leave Stony Brook University, your NetID will be deactivated. At that time, you will lose access to anything that requires your NetID, including Google Apps for Education. If you’d like to take your data (Mail, Drive, Calendar, etc.) with you, you can create an archive.

Faculty/Staff: Accounts are disabled one day after the last effective work date entered in the University's administrative system (PeopleSoft).

At any time you have access, you can also create a Google Archive for a one-time back up of all or some of your Google Mail, Drive, Calendar, etc. for your use or to transfer content to a new project owner, for example.

How To Create a Google Archive

1. Log into your Google Apps for Education account by going to Stony Brook's MyCloud page and sign in using your NetID and NetID password
2. In the same web browser window, go to Google Takeout
3. On this page, you'll see a list of all the Google Apps that you can create an archive from. Select which Google Apps you want to create your archive from
   Tip: Near the top, click Deselect all and then scroll down through the list only selecting the content you want in your export
   • You can choose what format to create your archive in
   • You can see what format your files will be downloaded as
   • You can customize settings for each Google App, including creating your Archive from only specific Gmail labels, Drive folders and Calendars.
      
4. Once you have made your selections, scroll down and select Next step
5. Select the destination (e.g., Send download link via email, Add to Drive, Add to Box, etc.), select the frequency (e.g., Export once), File type & size (e.g., .zip), and click Create export
   
6. Google will begin creating your archive right away; however, if you are archiving a large amount of data (emails, documents, calendars, etc.), this will take a long time (possibly hours or days). If you selected to send an email with the download link, you'll get an email when your archive is complete
   

How To Access Archive mbox (Email) Files

From Google Takeout, your email is archive as an mbox file, which can be accessed and even transfered to another email account, like a personal Gmail Account, through an email client (such as Thunderbird). Please ensure that the mbox file is readily available to you either on an external drive or saved to a personal email. If the mbox file is only saved to a machine or account that you do not have access to, then you will not be able to use any of the methods below to access the archive.

Mac

Use Apple Mail to access mbox files

Windows 

Use Thunderbird to access mbox files