The “archive ready” email arrives, and it is tempting to tick backup off the list. There is still a handover to complete: the files must reach your storage, open successfully and contain the material you intended to keep. Treat the email as a prompt to check, not as the checked result.
Make a small acceptance list
Before downloading, write down the account, selected services and a few items you expect to find. For example, choose a known document, an older photo and a recent photo. These are sample checks, not proof that the whole collection is complete.
Takeout can split large archives. Check the expected parts and the download deadline shown for your request. Save the complete set in a clearly named folder and allow room for both the downloads and their extracted contents. One successfully downloaded file does not account for a second part you never fetched.
Open representative files from the saved export with suitable software. If a file will not open, record its name, extension and the error. Do not rename its extension just to make it resemble a familiar format. Resolve the problem while you still have access to the original service.
Keep the scope of the copy clear
Recent changes may be absent, and requesting an export does not delete the originals. Record when you requested the export and what you checked afterwards. Keep associated metadata files with the material they describe instead of discarding unfamiliar files during tidying.
A readable export also does not demonstrate that every account feature can be restored from it. Keep the live account intact while evaluating the copy. Store the archive privately, make an additional independent copy for important material, and decide separately whether any temporary downloads should be removed.