Convert Outlook Emails from .Msg to .Eml Files

An illustration of an email viewer. On a laptop, an envelope and @ symbol appear over an illustration of the earth.

EML Viewer Pro (also known as PstViewer Pro or MailDex) is a  versatile Windows software app. You can use it to manage, search and view emails that are formatted in a variety of common formats, including .EML, .MSG, .MHT, .PST,  .OST and .OLM files.

One of the nice features of EML Viewer Pro is its ability to convert and export email messages from one format to another.  With the latest release, you can now export email message content to .EML format. .EML files are formatted according to the RFC-822 spec. As an open format, it is supported by most email clients, including Windows Mail and Mozilla Thunderbird.  Because it is an open, non-proprietary format it may be useful to convert emails into .EML files for purposes of email archiving, long term preservation or sharing.

Here’s how to convert Outlook .Msg files into .EML files using EML Viewer Pro.

First, open EML Viewer Pro, and find the folder containing your Outlook .msg files.   Click on the folder, and EML Viewer Pro will read in the msg files and display them in the main list.  Select any listed email message to view it in the reading pane. Double click on an email to open it in full screen view.

Select the emails you want to convert into .EML files.  To select a message, you click on it.  To select multiple messages, hold down the control key, and click on the messages you want.  To choose all of the emails in the list, type Control-A on your Windows keyboard.  Messages that are selected are shown in the list with a blue highlight.

Picture of EML Viewer Pro main menu with msg files selected.
Eml Viewer Pro main screen. Selected email messages are highlighted blue.

When you have selected the emails, you can export them in a single batch operation.  Choose “Export to EML” profile from the toolbar drop down list.

Picture shows how to select the "Export to EML" export profile in EML Viewer PRo
Choose the “Export to EML” profile

To begin the conversion process, click the Export button (the icon with the yellow paper and the green arrow).  EML Viewer Pro will go to work exporting your .msg files to .eml files.

Export process progress bar
Exporting msg files to eml

There is no limit to the number of messages you can export (note: if you are using EML Viewer Pro in trial mode, the limit is 50 emails per export operation. This is removed after the software is purchased).

If you need an flexible tool to help manage your email content, try EML Viewer Pro. It’s several tools in one: view, search, and export.  You can download a free trial and learn more about EML Viewer Pro from the product website.

Converting .EML Messages to PDF

It’s nearly impossible to do business these days without Adobe’s PDF viewer. The  PDF “Portable Document Format” has founds its way into nearly every computing device. Many corporations and libraries are archiving .eml email messages as .pdf files because it’s seen as a safe format that will be supported well into the foreseeable future and beyond, ensuring that emails will be.  There are very few software tools available today that can reliably batch convert .eml files to .pdf, and do so in a way that manages file attachments correctly.

EML Viewer Pro can read in your .eml and .msg files immediately, without the need for lengthy indexing. Just select the emails you want to export, click the export button and choose your mode of PDF export.  PST Viewer Pro also supports the PDF/A format which is perfect for long term .eml email file archiving.

Email manager. Select PDF format for .eml export.
Export Manager is where you choose your target eMail format.

When planning your eml-to-pdf export operation, ask yourself how you would like to deal with file attachments.  The tool you select should give you the flexibility to manage attachments in at least three ways:

  1. Extract file attachments. This capability will allow you to export your email to a PDF image, but will store any file attachments outside of the PDF in folder.
  2. Convert file attachments into the PDF image. This works well for document files like Word .DOC or Excel .xls files, but not so good for proprietary document formats and binary files.
  3. Embed file attachments. This option will take file attachments and store them as a separate file within the PDF. They can later be extracted to disk. This option has the advantage of keeping the file and the message together, preserving the context.

While exporting email to PDF, you’ll also want to have the capability to apply a specific name structure to your files.  EML Viewer provides this capability, allowing you to mix and match different parts of the email content into the PDF file name, including the title, date, sender or receiver. You can also apply a sequential number to the file.  Naming your exported .eml files in a logical manner will help you sort and identify the messages you need, right from the Windows files system.

While converting .eml files into .pdf files, use the file naming criteria to give your .pdf files a unique name.
.Eml file naming.

Long into the future, PDF format is bound to be supported because it is an open format, and because of its ubiquity. So future proof your .eml files by converting them to PDF with PST Viewer Pro.

Click here to purchase EML Viewer Pro.

See related article: Bulk conversion of EML to PDF