How Do I Download a Copy of Backed-Up Data?
Export downloads a copy through your browser. It does not put the item back into Google Workspace. Use export when you need to inspect a document, provide an authorized copy, or read an email without restoring it to a mailbox.
Download an Item
- Open Restore from > Workspace Users and select the original user and app. For a Shared Drive, use Restore from > Shared Drives.
- Find the item. For apps with recovery points, select the appropriate backup date and version first.
- Use the matching download or export action below.
- Open your browser's downloads list and verify that the downloaded file opens correctly.
| Data | Console action | Download format |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail message | Open the conversation and use Export to EML on the required message | .eml, an email file |
| Gmail attachment | Open the message and click the attachment link | The attachment's file format |
| Drive or Shared Drive file | Click the file name; where version history is shown, choose the required version | The file's backed-up format |
| Contact | Open the contact and click Export as vCard | .vcf, a contact file |
| Calendar event | Open the event and use the export action | .ics, an iCalendar file |
| Task | Open the task and click Export as Json | .json, structured task data |
These actions export individual items. Do not assume that selecting a whole account creates a single downloadable archive.
Why Does a Google Document Download as an Office File?
Google-native documents are backed up using export formats. Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides use .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx respectively. Uploaded files such as PDFs and images retain their backed-up file formats.
Check the downloaded content before handing it over. A downloaded document is a copy of the captured content; do not assume it includes the complete Google editing history or the original sharing setup. Some Google item types have additional limits; see Missing backup data.
Where Is the File Saved?
The browser saves the file on the computer where you are using the console, according to that browser's download settings. This may be your work laptop even though the backup storage is on a different server.
If no file appears, check the browser's downloads list for a blocked or failed download, available space on your computer, and whether your console session has expired. Record any error shown by JitBackup before trying again.
What Access Is Still Required?
You need a JitBackup login with access to the source domain and readable backup storage. Exporting an existing user backup does not need to write to the original Google account. Cloud-hosted backup storage still needs a working connection and valid storage credentials.
Shared Drive browsing and export currently require an active paid license. See Recovery after a license expires.
Downloaded files contain company data. Save and share them only in locations approved by your organization.