To minimize confusion, try and create a Hotmail account with the same address prefix as your Gmail account. One of the main reasons to pick Hotmail as your Gmail backup source is the ability to store a large number of messages in the Inbox, while also having access to another good, free email address. Once you have finished entering your information, Thunderbird will begin synchronizing your information with the info stored on Google’s servers.
#Gmail backup account password#
Type your name into the “Name” field, then fill in your Gmail address and password in their appropriate fields. Thunderbird will launch automatically once the installation has completed.Ħ. Double-click the downloaded file, then follow the prompts to complete your installation.
#Gmail backup account download#
Navigate to the Thunderbird download page, then save the download file to your computer.ĥ. Check the “Enable IMAP” option, then click the “Save Changes” button at the bottom of the window.Ĥ. Click “Settings,” then click “Forwarding and POP/IMAP.”ģ. Log into your Gmail account, then click the “Settings” icon at the top-right corner of the window.Ģ. This one is a little involved, but it is going to give you a local copy of all of your Gmail messages that you can access without needing to sign into your Gmail account online.ġ. Note that you can also use a backup assistant program, like CrashPlan, to backup all of your local files. For any of these potential scenarios, keeping a Gmail backup on your computer or in a second email account Inbox could theoretically prove to be a very valuable commodity.
You might even lose Internet access at some point and desperately need to access a message that cannot wait until your online access returns. However, the information contained in your Gmail Inbox is not entirely invulnerable, as you could inadvertently delete messages, someone could obtain your Gmail login information and lock you out of your account or, in some unlikely scenario, Google could make a mistake and lose your messages. This means they aren’t subject to the same risks as data that is stored locally on your computer, so you aren’t going to lose your Gmail messages if your computer gets a virus, if your laptop gets stolen, or if some disaster breaks your computer beyond a recoverable state. Google is incredibly skilled at protecting and managing data, and the email messages stored in your Gmail Inbox are already stored in the cloud. Worrying about a Gmail backup probably isn’t high on your list of priorities.