Gmail Thread Exporter

WHAT IT DOES

Gmail Thread Exporter is a browser extension that automatically scans the current webpage for Gmail threads, email conversations, message lists, and individual emails. It detects email thread elements by examining class names, IDs, data attributes, and text patterns for keywords like "thread", "email", "message", "conversation", or "mail". The extension adds a floating "export thread" button (📧) next to each detected email element, allowing you to select individual email threads for bulk export, capture email subject, sender, recipients, timestamp, body text, and custom notes. Clicking the button toggles the selection state, and selected threads are added to a bulk collection. The main panel allows you to export all selected email threads in three formats: formatted text (with subject, sender, and body), CSV (with columns for subject, sender, recipients, timestamp, and body), or JSON (structured data). The panel also displays saved thread history with subject previews, senders, notes, and tags. The extension maintains an email thread database per conversation with export history, notes, and tags for each tracked thread. All data is stored locally in your browser using GM_setValue, ensuring your email thread collections persist across page reloads and browser sessions. This helps professionals, managers, auditors, and anyone who needs to extract and track email conversations for reporting, auditing, reference, or record-keeping purposes.

WHERE IT RUNS

This extension runs on any webpage that displays Gmail threads, email conversations, message lists, or individual emails – including Gmail inbox views, email detail views, conversation threads, and any page containing email data. The extension intelligently adapts to different page structures and supports a wide range of common email display patterns. No manual configuration is required per site; the extension automatically detects email thread elements using a flexible pattern matching system. This makes it ideal for professionals who need to export email conversations for documentation, compliance, or analysis.

HOW TO USE

Simply install the extension and navigate to any webpage displaying email threads or conversations. The extension automatically detects email elements and places a small "export thread" button (📧) next to each one. Click any of these buttons to select that thread for bulk export – the button highlights to show it's selected. Click it again to deselect. As you select threads, a counter at the bottom-right shows how many you've collected. When ready, click the floating button (✉️) to open the main panel. Choose your preferred output format (formatted text, CSV, or JSON), then click "Export Selected Threads" to copy all collected email data to your clipboard in the selected format. The panel also displays your saved thread history for reference. Add notes about thread importance, follow-up actions, categorization, or any other relevant detail when saving thread information. Use the settings section to enable or disable auto-detection and set your preferred default export format. The "Clear All Threads" button removes all tracking data when needed.

ONE TECHNICAL SECTION – WHY IT WORKS

The extension employs a multi-layered detection system that identifies Gmail threads with high accuracy. First, it scans the DOM using a comprehensive set of CSS selectors targeting common email-related class patterns, IDs, and data attributes like "thread", "email", "message", "conversation", and Gmail-specific class patterns (zA, yW, xW, y6, zF). Second, it uses a TreeWalker to examine text nodes for email-like patterns (subject lines, sender addresses, email formats), capturing thread information that may not be wrapped in typical thread elements. The subject extraction uses pattern matching with multiple strategies: detecting text following "subject:", "re:", or "fwd:", and using data attributes. The sender extraction identifies email senders from patterns like "from:", sender name formats, and email addresses. The recipients extraction identifies recipients from "to:", "cc:", and data attributes. The timestamp extraction identifies dates and times from text and data attributes. The body extraction captures the main message content. Each tracked thread is assigned a unique ID based on the subject and sender, ensuring that history stays correctly associated. A MutationObserver detects dynamic content updates and re-scans only when new email elements appear, balancing real-time accuracy with system performance.

THE PANEL – DRAG / PER-SITE POSITION / SNAP / COLLAPSE / RESIZE / ESCAPE

The email thread export panel includes a draggable title bar, allowing you to position it anywhere on screen for convenient access during email management. The extension remembers your preferred position per website, so the panel opens in the same location each time you return to that domain. The panel supports snap-to-edge behavior – when dragged near screen edges, it gently snaps into place for a tidy workspace layout. You can collapse the panel down to just its title bar by clicking the collapse button, keeping it accessible without taking up screen space. The thread list and history are contained within a scrollable body, ensuring all content remains accessible even on smaller screens. Pressing the Escape key closes the panel instantly, returning you to your email workflow.

PLEASE NOTE

This extension requires the free BotGentz extension to be installed and enabled, as it relies on BotGentz's userscript injection and GM_* API shims for cross-browser compatibility. Websites frequently update their HTML structures and class names, which may cause email detection to break temporarily – we actively maintain the matching patterns and release updates regularly. The extension stores all email thread data, export history, and notes exclusively in your local browser storage (GM_setValue); no data is ever transmitted to any external server or third party. This extension is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Google or Gmail. You are responsible for backing up your email thread data if you switch browsers or clear your storage. The extension does not read, modify, or interfere with any Gmail data, email content, or functionality – it operates solely on the static page content and stores only metadata (subjects, senders, recipients, timestamps, bodies, and notes) that you explicitly create. Use this tool responsibly and in accordance with your organization's data handling and email retention policies.