Leaving Proton? How to Export Your Emails, Passwords and Files Before You Cancel

Thinking of leaving Proton after the AI row? Export your emails, passwords, files and calendar first - here is how to take everything with you in about half an hour.

Cancelling a plan is easy - getting your data out is the part people forget.

Do the exports below before you downgrade, especially if you store more than the free plan allows.

You don't have to leave in a hurry, either: nothing has been found wrong with Proton's apps, as our explainer on Proton's AI row covers.

1. Export Your Emails

Proton's free Export Tool saves every email as a normal EML file, which Thunderbird, Outlook and most other mail apps can open. It works on all plans.

1. Download the Proton Mail Export Tool for Windows from Proton's support site and extract the zip to a folder.
2. Run proton-mail-export-cli and sign in with your username, password and 2FA code if you use one.
3. Type B for Backup and press Enter, then type yes to save to the default folder.
4. Wait for "Export finished". A big mailbox can take a while, and the export can't be paused, so leave the PC on.

2. Export Your Passwords From Proton Pass

Use the Windows app, the browser extension or the web app - the phone apps can't export.

1. Open Settings. Click the gear icon (in the menu on Windows and in the extension, bottom left on the web).
2. Go to the Export tab and pick a format.
3. For a new password manager, choose CSV. For a backup you keep, choose the encrypted option and set a strong passphrase.

3. Download Your Proton Drive Files

On the Proton Drive website, select your folders and click Download - several items come down as one zip. Unzip it with 7-Zip, which copes better than Windows with very large archives.

If you use the Proton Drive app for Windows, your synced files are already on your PC. Copy that folder somewhere outside the app before you uninstall it.

4. Save Your Calendar and Contacts

• Calendar: in Proton Calendar's settings, open each calendar and use Export to save an .ics file, which Google, Outlook and Apple calendars all import.
• Contacts: in Proton Mail's contacts, use the export option to save a .vcf file that any address book can read.
• Forwarding: before you go quiet, tell your contacts your new address, or set an auto-reply that points to it.

5. Cancel or Drop to the Free Plan

Once everything is saved, go to Settings and the Dashboard in your Proton account and cancel your subscription. You drop to the free plan rather than losing the account.

The free plan still includes Proton Mail, Pass, Drive and Proton VPN with no data limit. Check the storage limit, though - if you are over it, you may not be able to receive new mail or upload files until you clear space.

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