MBOX Viewer by Read Mbox
dsar · legal · ediscovery · nothing is uploaded

Export emails for a DSAR, a lawyer or eDiscovery

Open the mailbox export at readmbox.com, filter by person, subject and date, then export only the matching messages: a CSV log, a paginated PDF, or the original .eml files. The mailbox never leaves your computer, so no third party ever processes the personal data in it.

Open your .mbox file
Free to read · runs in your browser · nothing is uploaded

Who this is for

  • Privacy and HR teams answering a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) from a current or former employee or a customer.
  • Small firms and in-house counsel pulling the relevant correspondence out of a mailbox export for a dispute.
  • Accountants and auditors who need every email with a supplier or client for a period.
  • Individuals gathering their own emails for a lawyer, a tribunal or an insurance claim.

How to do it

  1. Get the mailbox as MBOX. Google Workspace and Gmail export MBOX through Takeout, or your admin can export it. Thunderbird and Apple Mail can export MBOX too.
  2. Open it at readmbox.com in desktop Chrome or Edge. Files of tens of gigabytes are fine.
  3. Find the relevant messages. Search by the person's name or address, or by subject, and set the date range the request covers. Turn on conversation view to keep threads together.
  4. Export what you need:
    · CSV as your log: date, from, to, subject and attachment names for every message found.
    · PDF for disclosure: a cover sheet, one message per page, page numbers.
    · EML files or a smaller MBOX when the originals have to be handed over, as byte-exact copies.
    · Attachments ZIP for the files themselves.

Why not upload it to a converter?

A mailbox export is full of other people's personal data. Uploading it to an online converter means a third party processes that data, which is exactly what data-protection rules ask you to justify, document and contract for. Here the file is read by your own browser and never sent anywhere, so there's no extra processor to account for.

What this tool is not

This is a fast, private reader and exporter, not a full eDiscovery platform. There is no redaction, legal hold, Bates numbering or chain-of-custody logging. Keep the original MBOX file unchanged as your master copy, and redact the exported PDFs in a PDF editor if you need to. This page is not legal advice. Check the rules that apply to your request.

Practical limits

  • PDF exports hold up to 500 messages each. Export in batches by date if you need more.
  • CSV message text is capped at 32,000 characters per message, to fit one spreadsheet cell.
  • Bulk export is part of the one-time $29 unlock, with no subscription. Reading and searching are free up to 50 GB.

Common questions

Can I use this to answer a DSAR?

Yes, for finding and pulling out the messages. Filter by the person and date range, then export a CSV log, a paginated PDF, or the original EML files. Redaction has to be done separately.

Is the personal data uploaded anywhere?

No. The mailbox is read by your browser on your own computer and is never sent to a server, so no third-party processor is involved.

Does it keep the original emails intact?

EML and MBOX exports are byte-exact copies of the original messages, with all headers and attachments. Keep the original MBOX as your master copy.

Is it a certified eDiscovery tool?

No. There is no redaction, legal hold or chain-of-custody logging. It's a private reader and exporter for finding and handing over messages.

Convert MBOX to PDF

A printable archive with a cover sheet, one message per page and page numbers.

Convert MBOX to Excel or CSV

One row per email: date, from, to, subject, attachments and optionally the message text.

Leaving a job or closing Workspace

Export the mailbox before the account goes, and read it any time later, privately.

Extract every attachment at once

Every attachment across thousands of emails in one ZIP, filtered by type if you like.

Ready? Your file stays on your computer.

Open your .mbox file