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Historic Email Import

Before you trust an archive,
you should be able to verify it.

Email archiving is not just a download button. If you may later close an account, leave a provider, or rely on the archive for an important record, the import has to be observable and recoverable. AtArchive's Gmail and Microsoft 365 historic-import paths are built around provider authorization, background jobs, progress, checkpointing/resume behavior, and the ability to inspect what arrived before you make the source account someone else's problem.

Start an email archive arrow_forward I'm archiving before I close an account
check_circle Gmail + Microsoft 365 provider paths check_circle Background import jobs check_circle Progress + resumability
Archiving from Microsoft 365 12,847 records preserved
check_circle Inbox complete
check_circle Sent complete
sync Archive in progress
schedule Remaining folders queued
restart_alt Progress is tracked so long-running historic imports can resume

What makes an archive import trustworthy?

Not an absolute promise that nothing can ever go wrong. A process that lets you see what is happening, recover from interruption, and check the result yourself.

key

Provider authorization instead of handing over a password

Supported Gmail and Microsoft 365 connections use provider authorization flows. The provider consent screen shows the source-specific permissions requested for the archive workflow.

work_history

A real import job, not a fragile browser session

Historic import work is processed as background jobs with provider-specific workers and queue processing so a large account does not depend on one uninterrupted page load.

restart_alt

Checkpoint and resume behavior

Import progress is tracked so provider history can continue after an interruption instead of forcing a long-running import to restart from zero.

visibility

Progress you can inspect

AtArchive shows whether an import is queued, processing, complete, or failed, with enough coverage information to help you answer "did this actually finish?".

fact_check

Verification before the irreversible step

Open records you know, check the period that matters, and search for things you would be unhappy to lose before you close, downgrade, or otherwise change the source account.

report_problem

Limits are visible, not hidden

AtArchive describes provider support, date range, source coverage, file-format constraints, and failures directly instead of turning an unsupported edge case into a promise.

The safe order is simple: connect, preserve, verify, then decide

The provider-side decision comes last.

1

login Connect the source

Authorize the Gmail or Microsoft 365 account you still control. If this is employer/client data, make sure you are authorized to preserve the records before you begin.

2

cloud_download Let the historic job run

The provider worker processes the requested historical scope in the background. Do not treat a started import as a completed archive.

3

rule Inspect the result

Check status and coverage. Open messages from different years and folders. Search for known attachments or people. Make the archive prove itself with records you recognize.

4

verified Rely on it only after verification

Once you are satisfied with the material actually preserved, decide whether to keep, disconnect, downgrade, or close the source account. AtArchive does not make that provider decision for you.

Provider-native import is the primary live path today

AtArchive began with file-based email archives, but current large-account direction is provider-native ingestion where supported.

alternate_email

Gmail / Google Workspace

Use the current provider connection and historic-import workflow for supported Gmail accounts rather than first producing a giant export file simply because a backup product asked you to.

mail

Microsoft 365 / Outlook

Use the Microsoft provider path for supported live accounts. PST support remains available, while large files may need a tailored import path; provider-native import is the simplest route when the source account is still available.

Email archive import FAQ

Can I close my source account as soon as I click Start?expand_more
No. Wait for the import to complete, review the status/coverage available to you, open known records, and test search before making an irreversible provider decision.
What happens if a long import is interrupted?expand_more
Long-running historic imports use background jobs and checkpoints so work can continue rather than depending on one uninterrupted browser session. Failure and retry behavior depends on the provider.
Does AtArchive need my Gmail or Microsoft password?expand_more
Supported provider connections use Google or Microsoft authorization flows rather than turning your provider password into an AtArchive credential. Review the exact permissions on the provider consent screen before connecting.
Can I import a huge PST instead?expand_more
PST support exists, but the current browser upload path is constrained and is not the strongest route for arbitrary multi-gigabyte archives today. If you still control the Microsoft account, the provider-native import is the preferred live path until large-file PST ingestion is deliberately improved.
How do I know the archive contains what matters to me?expand_more
Test it like you would test any important backup: inspect import status and scope, sample records from different periods/folders, open attachments you recognize, and search for a few items you know must exist. Your verification matters more than a generic marketing claim.