MSG to PDF Converter - No Outlook Needed
This tool opens Outlook .msg email files in your browser, shows the header, body and attachments, and saves each email as a PDF with selectable text.
Convert MSG to PDF
or drag them here
Free, no limit on emails, no sign-up. Files are read on your device and never uploaded.
Save as PDF
Every email as its own PDF is free with the button on each email. All at once:
Unlocked in this browser. Download all as PDFs, merge into one PDF and attachments ZIP are on.
Several emails? Unlock all of them as one ZIP of PDFs, one merged PDF sorted by date, and all attachments as a ZIP. One payment, yours for good.
Unlock bulk export – coming soon.
The free version stays free. See pricing.
Why Outlook MSG Files Won't Open Without Outlook
A .msg file is a single email saved in Outlook's own binary format. You get one when someone saves a message out of Outlook. Colleagues, clients and legal teams pass these files around as "the original email." They arrive as Gmail attachments, in shared drives or on USB sticks.
Problems start on any device without desktop Outlook:
- On a Mac or a Windows PC without Outlook, double-clicking the file may not show the email.
- On iPhone and Android, the file may appear as a generic attachment with no preview.
- In a text editor, you see mostly binary noise with scattered fragments of text.
People in this situation usually need to read the email now, keep it in a format anyone can open later, or both. A PDF handles both cases.
What You Need: .msg Files, and How They Differ From .eml
The tool needs one or more .msg files. You can mix .eml files into the same batch, and the tool treats both types the same way. A .pst file is an entire mailbox archive rather than a single email, so the tool does not accept it.
| Feature | .msg | .eml |
|---|---|---|
| Usually created by | Outlook | Mail apps and webmail services that save a message as a file |
| File structure | Binary container | Plain-text internet message plus MIME |
| Readable in a text editor | No | Yes, headers and text parts are readable |
| How the body is stored | In Outlook's own structure, not as MIME parts | MIME parts such as text/plain and text/html |
Usually created by: if a sender does not use Outlook, you are more likely to receive an .eml file.
File structure: the containers are completely different. This is why renaming invoice.msg to invoice.eml does not make it open.
File size: files larger than 50 MB are rejected, and files of tens of MB load slowly on phones.
How to Convert an Outlook MSG File to PDF
- Open this page in a desktop or mobile browser. You do not need Outlook or any installed software.
- Drop your .msg files onto the box, or click it to pick files. There is no limit on how many you open.
- Check the preview of each email: the header (From, To, Cc, Date and Subject), the body, inline images, and the attachment list with file sizes.
- Remote images are blocked by default. Opening an email with tracking pixels therefore does not tell the sender you read it. If logos or pictures are missing and you trust the email, click Load remote images. This contacts the sender's image servers.
- Click Download PDF on an email. You get one PDF for it, free, with the header block at the top and text you can select and search.
- With the paid version (one payment of $9.90, no subscription), you can also download all emails as a ZIP of PDFs in one click, merge them into one PDF sorted by date, or download every attachment together as a ZIP.
What an Outlook MSG to PDF Export Is Good For
- Sharing with people who don't use Outlook. A PDF opens in any browser or PDF reader. Mac users, phone users and clients can read the email without installing anything.
- Keeping records. Contracts, complaints, approvals and HR correspondence get a fixed copy. The header block shows who sent the email to whom, and when.
- Finding and quoting text. The text in the PDF is selectable, so you can search it with Ctrl+F or Cmd+F and copy exact sentences into a report.
- Printing. A single file per email prints the same way on any machine.
- Rebuilding a thread (paid). If you saved 15 replies as separate .msg files, the merge option puts them into one chronological PDF.
- Collecting attachments (paid). Invoices or scans spread across many emails come out in one ZIP. You do not have to save them one by one.
Limits of This MSG to PDF Converter
- Chinese, Japanese and Korean text may not render fully in the PDF yet. Check the PDF before you send or file it.
- Heavily designed marketing emails won't look identical to how they appear in Outlook. Multi-column layouts, background images and custom fonts can shift or simplify.
- S/MIME encrypted emails cannot be opened. The tool has no access to the private key needed to decrypt them.
- Very large files of tens of MB are slow on phones. Use a laptop or desktop browser for big messages or large batches.
- Free use has no email limit, with one PDF per email, one click each. Downloading all PDFs at once, merging and attachment ZIP downloads are paid features.
- The PDF is a readable copy, not the original. Its header block lists From, To, Cc, Date and Subject. If an email may become evidence, keep the original .msg file alongside the PDF.
MSG to PDF Here vs Outlook, Renaming and Upload Converters
| Method | Needs Outlook | Works on Mac / phone | Email leaves your device | Several emails at once |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open in Outlook and use its print options | Yes | Only with Outlook installed | No | One at a time |
| Rename .msg to .eml | No | Doesn't work | No | Doesn't work |
| Upload-based online converters | No | Yes | Yes, the file goes to a server | Varies |
| This page | No | Yes, in the browser | No | Unlimited free, one PDF at a time; bulk and merge paid |
Outlook's own print options: these need Outlook installed. Most people who land on this page do not have it.
Renaming: this fails for the container reasons explained in the format table above.
Upload-based converters: these send the whole message, including attachments, to a server. That matters for contracts, medical or HR email.
This page: the file is read locally in your browser.
If your file ends in .eml rather than .msg, the EML to PDF converter covers that format. If you only want to read an email without saving a PDF, use the EML viewer.
emltopdf.net is not affiliated with Microsoft or Outlook. "Outlook" is used here only to describe the file format.
FAQ
How do I convert MSG to PDF without Outlook?
Drop the .msg file onto the box at the top of this page, check the preview, and click Download PDF. Everything runs in your browser, so you don't need Outlook or any installed software.
How can I open a .msg file on a Mac?
If your Mac cannot open the .msg file, open it on this page in Safari or Chrome to read it, then save it as a PDF if you want a copy that opens anywhere.
Is it safe to convert MSG to PDF online?
On this page, the email is processed inside your browser and is never uploaded. Remote images stay blocked unless you choose to load them, so tracking pixels do not fire when you open the file.
Can I just rename a .msg file to .eml?
No. A .msg file is a binary Outlook container and an .eml file is plain-text MIME, so renaming does not change the contents. You need a tool that reads the .msg format. For files that really are .eml, use the eml to pdf converter.
Can I convert multiple MSG files into one PDF?
The free version has no limit on emails: each one gets its own Download PDF button. The paid version ($9.90, one-time) saves all of them in one click as a ZIP of PDFs, or merges them into one PDF sorted by date.
Are attachments included when I convert MSG to PDF?
The preview lists every attachment with its size, and inline images appear in the body. The attachment files themselves are not placed inside the PDF. The paid version lets you download them together as a ZIP.
Why is Chinese or Japanese text missing in my PDF?
Chinese, Japanese and Korean characters may not render fully in the PDF yet. This is a known limitation of the current version.