niklasravnsborg / front-export

📭 Export Front email messages to .eml files for backup or to import them into any mail app

Export Front Emails

Front is awesome but it's locking your emails into their system.

If you want to keep your email messages backed up or you want to switch away from Front, this package helps you to export your messages.

The script exports all messages (including attachments) to a JSON file and to .eml files which you can import to apps like Outlook or Thunderbird.

Usage

Install dependencies for this package with NPM:

$ npm install

You need to set an environment variable by creating a .env text file in the root directory of this project. It contains your Front JSON Web Token which you have to copy from your Front API Preferences.

The .env file should look like this:

FRONT_JSON_WEB_TOKEN: pasteYourJsonWebTokenHere

With these environment variable in place, run the script:

$ npm start [email protected]

You have to replace [email protected] with an email address from your Front inboxes.

This will create a directory with a conversations.json file containing all conversations from the inbox. Per message a directory is created containing all attachments for the message.

It will also create a sent/ and received/ folder with the corresponding .eml files which you can import to other mail apps.

How do I export individual inboxes

The Front API only shows team inboxes. There is a workaround though:

1. In Front settings create a new folder
2. Go to your individual inbox settings and click Move channel at the bottom
3. Move it to the created folder inbox

Now you can export the inbox just like any other.

Disclaimer

Use this at your own risk. I'm not associated in any way with Front.

Thanks

Thanks to Leon de Rijke who provided an awesome basis for this package using the old Front API. I ported it to the new API version 2 and added the .eml export.