Note: This article refers to a feature that is still in beta and currently available only to Plus, Professional, Visionary, and Lifetime users.

This article explains how to use the Import-Export application to import emails to your ProtonMail account either from another email account or from a local MBOX or EML file on your device. When you import email files to using the Import-Export app, they are immediately encrypted using your public key.

Getting started

The first step is to download the Import-Export app. 

Windows users can download the app here.

MacOS users can download the app here.

Then log into the Import-Export app using your ProtonMail username and password.

Next, click on your username to reveal a list of your email addresses. Select the email address where you want to import the emails by clicking on the “Import” button to the right of the address.

Then you are given two choices: “Import from account” or “Import local files”. If you want to import emails from another cloud email service, such as Gmail or Yahoo!, click on “Import from account”. If you want to import emails from files stored locally on your device, including from an email client, such as Apple Mail, Outlook, or Thunderbird, then click on “Import local files”.

Below we explain the next steps depending upon which option you’ve chosen.

Import from account

1) To import emails from another email account, you may first need to adjust your settings on that account. Read our article about allowing IMAP access, which explains the process for some major email providers.

2) Then enter the email and password for the account you are importing from. If you have completed step one properly, the server address and port number will be filled in automatically.

3) Click on “Next”.

4) A new window will open where you can select which emails you would like to import and where you would like them to appear in your ProtonMail account.

The “From” column lists the folders in the email account you are importing from. Each has a set of corresponding options to the right of the arrow. These allow you to select:

• The folder in your ProtonMail account where you would like to import the emails (you may also select “Do not import” next to any folders from which you do not want to import emails);
• The label you would like to apply to these emails, if any;
• And the date range of the emails you want to import. (If you do not specify a date range, all emails will be imported.

There are also optional “Master import settings”. With these settings, you can apply a date range to all the folders you are importing from and a label to all the emails you are importing.

5) Click on “Import”.

Import local files

1) After clicking on “Import local files”, you will be prompted to select the folder on your device which contains files you want to import. The program recursively search folder structure for MBOX and EML files. (This article explains the difference)

2) Selected folder structure will appear in the “From” column on the left. To the right of the arrow, you will have the option to choose:

• The folder in your ProtonMail account where you would like to import the emails (you may also select “Do not import” next to any folders from which you do not want to import emails);
• The label you would like to apply to these emails, if any;
• And the date range of the emails you want to import. (If you do not specify a date range, all emails will be imported.

There are also optional “Master import settings”. With these settings, you can apply a date range to all the folders you are importing from and a label to all the emails you are importing.

3) Click on “Import”.