Guide · Convert
How to convert a .msg file to .eml
Outlook saves emails as .msg files, a proprietary format that only Microsoft software really understands. The .eml format is the opposite: a plain, standards-based file that opens almost everywhere. MSGView converts .msg to .eml right in your browser tab — no Outlook, no sign-up, and nothing uploaded — so you get a portable copy you can drop into Apple Mail, Thunderbird, or a Gmail import.
Convert .msg to .eml in 3 steps
- Open MSGViewGo to msgview.app in any modern browser on Windows, Mac, Linux, ChromeOS, iOS, or Android. There is nothing to install.
- Drop your .msg fileDrag the .msg onto the page (or click to browse). It is parsed inside your browser tab and never leaves your device. Files up to 100 MB work fine.
- Click EMLIn the Convert panel, click EML. Your browser saves a standard .eml file — body and attachments included — to your downloads.
.msg vs .eml: why the format matters
A .msg file is Outlook's native format. It stores the message in a Microsoft compound-document structure that is tightly bound to Outlook and Microsoft 365, which is why double-clicking a .msg on a Mac or in Thunderbird often does nothing useful.
An .eml file is the universal alternative. It is essentially the raw email in the same MIME format that mail servers use to move messages around, so it is recognized by Apple Mail, Mozilla Thunderbird, Windows Mail, and countless other clients, and Gmail can import it. Converting .msg to .eml turns an Outlook-only file into one you can open, archive, or move anywhere — without keeping Outlook around. MSGView preserves the sender, recipients (including Bcc), date, body, and attachments as it rewrites the message into the .eml container.
Private by design
Converting an email should not mean handing it to a stranger's server. MSGView reads your .msg into your browser's memory and builds the .eml entirely on your device — there is no upload step at all. You can open your browser's Network panel while you convert and watch: no request carries your email off the machine. That makes it safe for confidential, legal, and internal messages, and it is free with no account, no watermark, and no size trap up to 100 MB.
FAQ
What can open an .eml file?
Almost any email client. Apple Mail, Mozilla Thunderbird, Windows Mail, and many others open .eml files directly, and Gmail can import them. That universality is the whole point of converting to .eml.
Does the .eml keep attachments?
Yes. MSGView writes a complete .eml with the message body and its attachments embedded, so the downloaded file is self-contained. If you only need the files, you can also extract every attachment as a single .zip.
Is converting .msg to .eml private?
Yes. The .msg is read into your browser's memory and converted on your device. Nothing is uploaded to any server, which you can confirm yourself in the Network panel.