How to Open MSG File Without Outlook (Free Online Viewer)
An MSG file is a single Outlook email (or calendar item, contact or task) saved as a file, often received as an attachment or dragged out of Outlook. Outlook opens it with a double-click. Without Outlook, on a Mac, phone or Chromebook, the free viewer below shows the sender, recipients, date, message and attachments in your browser, and converts the MSG to .eml so Gmail, Apple Mail or Thunderbird can open it. Nothing is uploaded.
Choose what you need
Open MSG File Online: Read Outlook Emails & Attachments (Free)
Drop a .msg file below. The viewer shows the sender, recipients, date and subject, displays the message body (HTML, text or compressed RTF), lists the attachments for download, and converts the message to .eml or PDF. Meeting requests, contacts and tasks saved as MSG open too.
Good to know: HTML messages are shown in a sandbox with remote images and scripts blocked, so opening an email here doesn't notify the sender.
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What is an MSG file?
An MSG file is one Outlook item saved in Microsoft's Outlook Item format, a Compound File (the same container family as old .doc and .xls files) holding the item's properties, body and attachments. You get one when someone drags an email from Outlook to the desktop, saves it with File > Save As, or attaches an email to another email in Outlook.
Besides email, an MSG can hold a meeting request, appointment, contact, task or note. The viewer shows the item type.
| .msg | .eml | |
|---|---|---|
| Format | Outlook-specific (Compound File) | Internet standard (MIME text) |
| Opens in Outlook | Yes | Yes |
| Opens in Apple Mail, Thunderbird, Windows Mail | No | Yes |
| Can hold contacts, tasks, appointments | Yes | Email only |
| Full name | Outlook Item File (Outlook Message) |
|---|---|
| Specification | [MS-OXMSG], based on [MS-CFB] |
| Related | .eml, .oft (Outlook template), .pst (many items) |
How to open an MSG file: quick answer
| Device / app | How |
|---|---|
| Classic Outlook (Windows) | Double-click the file |
| New Outlook for Windows | Double-click, drag it onto the reading pane, or Open with > Outlook (new) |
| Mac, iPhone, Android, Chromebook | The viewer at the top of this page |
| Gmail, Apple Mail, Thunderbird | Convert to .eml with the viewer, then open the .eml |
Open MSG files in Outlook
In classic Outlook for Windows, double-clicking an .msg opens it in its own window. In new Outlook for Windows, Microsoft lists three ways: double-click the file, drag it onto the reading pane, or right-click > Open with > Outlook (new). Microsoft notes that opening .msg files in new Outlook requires a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription.
If double-clicking opens the wrong program, right-click the file > Open with > Choose another app, pick Outlook and tick Always use this app.
Open MSG files on Mac, iPhone and Android
Apple Mail, Gmail and the phone mail apps don't read the MSG format. Use the viewer on this page in Safari, Chrome or any browser:
- Tap or click Choose a .msg file above (on iPhone it opens the Files app).
- Read the message; attachments are listed with download links.
- Tap Save as .eml if you want to keep the message in your mail app.
Get the attachments out of an MSG
Open the file in the viewer above: every attachment appears as a link with its size. Click it to save the original file (PDF, Word, Excel, images…). Images embedded in the message body are shown inline. If an attachment is itself an Outlook item (an email forwarded "as attachment"), the viewer lists it as an embedded item.
Treat attachments in emails you didn't expect with care: an MSG can carry the same malicious files as any email. Don't open executable attachments (.exe, .js, .vbs, macros) from unknown senders.
Convert MSG to EML or PDF
- EML: click Save as .eml in the viewer. The .eml keeps the sender, recipients, subject, date, body and attachments, and opens in nearly every mail app.
- PDF: click Print / Save as PDF and choose "Save as PDF" (Mac, Chrome) or "Microsoft Print to PDF" (Windows) as the printer.
- In Outlook: open the MSG and use File > Print with Microsoft Print to PDF.
MSG problems and fixes
"Cannot open file" or the file seems damaged
The attachment may have been saved incompletely or renamed. The viewer tells you if the file is really an EML, a ZIP or another document with the .msg extension.
Strange characters in the text
Very old MSG files store text in a legacy code page. The viewer decodes Unicode and Western (Windows-1252) text; for other languages, open the file in Outlook.
Another app shows an empty body
Some Outlook messages store the body only as compressed RTF, which many tools can't read. The viewer decompresses it automatically and shows the text or HTML inside; saving as .eml then gives other apps a normal body.
It's an encrypted or protected message
Messages protected with Microsoft Purview / IRM arrive with an .rpmsg attachment and can only be read by the authorized recipient in Outlook.
Sources and technical references
- Open .eml, .msg and .oft files in new Outlook — Microsoft Support
- [MS-OXMSG]: Outlook Item (.msg) File Format — Microsoft Learn
- [MS-CFB]: Compound File Binary File Format — Microsoft Learn
- [MS-OXRTFCP]: Rich Text Format (RTF) Compression Algorithm — Microsoft Learn
- msg-extractor sample MSG files — GitHub
Frequently asked questions
How do I open an MSG file without Outlook?
Drop it into the free viewer on this page. It shows the sender, recipients, date, message and attachments in your browser, and can convert the email to .eml or PDF. Nothing is uploaded.
How do I open an MSG file on a Mac?
Apple Mail can't read MSG files. Open it with the browser viewer on this page in Safari or Chrome, then click Save as .eml to get a file Apple Mail opens with a double-click.
How do I get attachments out of an MSG file?
Open the MSG in the viewer on this page: each attachment is listed with its size and a download link. Images placed in the message body are shown inline.
How do I convert MSG to PDF?
Open the MSG in the viewer here and click Print / Save as PDF, then choose Save as PDF or Microsoft Print to PDF as the printer. In Outlook you can do the same with File > Print.
Can Gmail open MSG files?
No, Gmail doesn't preview MSG attachments. Download the file, convert it to .eml with the viewer on this page, or open it in Outlook.
What's the difference between MSG and EML?
MSG is Outlook's own format for a single item, based on the Compound File format. EML is the standard text format for email that almost every mail app opens. The viewer here converts MSG to EML.
Can new Outlook open MSG files?
Yes. In new Outlook for Windows you can double-click the file, drag it onto the reading pane, or use Open with > Outlook (new). Microsoft notes it requires a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription.
Is it safe to open an MSG file?
Viewing it is safe here: remote images and scripts in the message are blocked. Attachments can still be dangerous, so don't open executable files or macros from senders you don't trust.
Last updated .