How to open an MSG file
To open an MSG file without Outlook, drop it onto this page: SaveMail parses the Outlook message in your browser and shows the headers, body, inline images and attachments. Nothing is uploaded and no account is needed. This page also explains what "save as MSG" means in Outlook, how to open MSG files on Windows, Mac and phones, and how to turn one into a PDF.
Save as PDF opens your browser's print dialog: choose "Save as PDF" as the destination. Text in the PDF stays selectable and searchable.
Open an MSG file in your browser
- Drop the
.msgfile in the box above or click to choose it. - The message renders with its header block (From, To, Cc, Date, Subject, Message-ID) and body; inline images from the message are shown in place.
- Attachments are listed with names and sizes; download each one or all of them as a ZIP.
- Press Save as PDF for a searchable copy, or Download HTML for the rendered page.
Parsing happens on your device: the OLE container is unpacked by JavaScript in this tab and nothing is sent to a server. There is no account and no file limit beyond browser memory, though MSG files with very large attachments take longer to unpack. Close the tab and the message is gone from the browser.
What does "save as MSG" mean in Outlook?
When Outlook says Save as MSG, it is offering to write the message to disk in its own format, Outlook Message Format, extension .msg. The file is a complete copy: headers, both body versions, attachments, and Outlook properties such as categories and flags. It is what you get from File, Save As in classic Outlook, and what Outlook creates when you drag a message to the desktop.
People choose Save as MSG to archive a message outside the mailbox, attach an email to another email, or hand a message to a records system. The catch is that the result only opens cleanly in Outlook for Windows, so the recipient often needs a viewer like this page. The format itself, an OLE compound file with property streams, is explained in what is an MSG file.
Open an MSG file on Windows with Outlook
- Double-click the file. If classic Outlook is installed, the message opens in its own window with attachments you can open or save.
- To keep it in the mailbox, drag the MSG into a folder in Outlook's folder pane.
- Use right-click, Open with, Outlook if the file association points elsewhere.
The new Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web are built around EML and do not reliably open MSG files from disk the way classic Outlook does; if an MSG arrives as an attachment there, download it and drop it here. For the other direction, from Outlook to a file on disk, see how to save Outlook emails to your computer.
Open an MSG file on a Mac, iPhone or Android
Apple Mail cannot read MSG, and Quick Look in Finder shows nothing useful. Three options:
- Browser, any device: open this page in Safari or Chrome, drop or pick the file, read it. On an iPhone, choose the file from Files; Save as PDF goes through the share or print sheet. Android works the same way in Chrome.
- Outlook for Mac: recent versions open MSG files by double-click when Outlook is installed and signed in.
- Ask for a different format: the sender can forward the message instead, or save it as EML, which every Mac and phone mail app opens.
Since MSG files are mostly received by people who do not have Outlook, the browser route is the one that needs nothing installed.
Convert the MSG to PDF and what the PDF includes
After the message opens, press Save as PDF. The browser's print dialog appears; set the destination to Save as PDF, pick paper size and margins there, and save. The PDF is made from the rendered page, so text stays selectable and searchable; it is not a screenshot. Tick Compact to hide quoted replies and signatures when you only need the latest message.
What stays outside the PDF: attachments, which you download separately and keep with the PDF; encrypted content, which is displayed as encrypted; and other MSG files, since one message is converted at a time. There is no direct Download PDF button that skips the print dialog, because the browser is what produces the PDF. More on the conversion: MSG to PDF.
MSG, EML or PDF: which to send?
| You need to | Best format | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Keep a message in Outlook's own format for re-import | MSG | Preserves Outlook properties, flags and categories |
| Send a message to someone on a Mac, Gmail or a phone | EML | Opens in almost every mail client |
| File a message as a record or attach it to a case | PDF plus the attachments | Readable anywhere, searchable, cannot be re-edited as a message |
If what landed in your inbox is a different Outlook file, a whole mailbox, that is a PST, and a browser cannot open it; see how to open a PST file. For the plain-text cousin of MSG, see how to open an EML file.
Frequently asked questions
What does save as MSG mean?
It is Outlook's option to write one message to disk as a .msg file, a complete copy with headers, body, attachments and Outlook properties, so it can be stored or attached elsewhere.
What is Save as MSG used for?
Archiving a message outside the mailbox, attaching an email to another email, or handing messages to a document or records system that expects Outlook files.
Can I open an MSG file without Outlook?
Yes. Drop it on this page; the message opens in your browser with attachments, and nothing is uploaded. No account, no install.
How do I open an MSG file on a Mac?
Open this page in Safari or Chrome and drop the file. Apple Mail does not read MSG; recent Outlook for Mac versions do, if you have Outlook.
Does an MSG file keep attachments?
Yes. Attachments are stored inside the MSG, and SaveMail lists them with names and sizes so you can download each one or all as a ZIP.
Can I convert an MSG file to PDF for free?
Yes. Open it here and press Save as PDF; the browser's print dialog produces a text-based PDF. The website tool is free with no limits.