MSG to PDF
Turn an Outlook email saved as a .msg file into a PDF: who sent it, to whom and when, the message with its formatting and pictures, and PDF or picture attachments added as pages. No Outlook needed, and the email never leaves your device.
- Files stay on your device. Nothing is uploaded.
- Free, no sign-up, no daily limit.
- Works with Wi-Fi off once the page has loaded. Check it yourself
Updated by Khokhar Sab
How do I convert an MSG file to PDF?
Press Choose a .msg file and pick the email. Check the sender and subject shown, choose the page size, and leave Add PDF and picture attachments as pages ticked to include them. Press Convert to PDF, then Download. The PDF opens with a header block of sender, recipients, date and subject, followed by the message.
- Save the email from Outlook as a .msg file, or drag it to a folder.
- Press Choose a .msg file.
- Pick the Page size and whether to Add attachments as pages.
- Press Convert to PDF, then Download.
How do I save an Outlook email as a .msg file?
In classic Outlook for Windows, open the email, choose File, then Save As, and pick the Outlook message type in the Save as type list. In new Outlook, choose More actions, then Save as. In Outlook on the web, choose More actions, then Download. Microsoft describes all three in its help page, listed below.
Have an .eml file instead? Use EML to PDF; this page also accepts .eml files.
What does the PDF keep from the email?
The header (from, to, cc, date and subject), the message with its formatting, links and inline pictures, and a list of every attachment. Attached PDFs are added page by page and PNG or JPG pictures get a page each. Pictures that would load from the internet, often used to track when an email is opened, are left out on purpose.
| Result | |
|---|---|
| Plain message (Simple.msg) | subject, date and text |
| HTML message with links (htmlLink.msg) | formatting and both links recovered from the RTF body |
| Inline picture plus an attached PNG (attachAndInline.msg) | picture in place, attachment added as a page, 2 pages |
| Chinese, Japanese and Korean text (Hello +CJK.msg) | all three greetings drawn in the PDF as real text |
Why does my MSG file lose its formatting in other converters?
Outlook often saves the formatted version of a message only inside a compressed RTF copy of the body, with the HTML wrapped in RTF commands. Converters that read only the plain text or HTML fields then show bare text. This tool unpacks that RTF copy and takes the HTML back out, following Microsoft's format, so links and layout come through.
The format is Microsoft's [MS-OXRTFEX] specification, listed below.
Limits and fixes
- Chinese, Japanese and Korean text is drawn with Noto Sans SC and KR. Japanese kanji use the Chinese letterforms, which differ slightly for some characters.
- Word, Excel and other attachments are listed but not converted; convert them with Word to PDF or Excel to PDF and join them with Merge PDF.
- Encrypted or signed emails (S/MIME) cannot be read without the key.
- Mailbox files (.pst, .ost) hold many emails; save the one you need as .msg first.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free?
Yes, with no sign-up, no watermark and no daily limit.
Is my email uploaded?
No. It is read and converted in your browser.
Do I need Outlook?
No. The .msg file is read by the tool itself, on any computer or phone.
Can I convert several emails into one PDF?
Convert each email, then join the PDFs with Merge PDF.
Does it work on a Mac?
Yes, in Safari, Chrome or Firefox.
Related PDF tools
How this tool was built and tested
- Microsoft: [MS-OXRTFEX] Rich Text Format (RTF) Extensions Algorithm: how HTML is stored inside the RTF body
- Microsoft Support: Save an Outlook message as a .eml file, a PDF file, or as a draft: saving messages from each version of Outlook
- msgreader (Apache-2.0), version 1.28.0: reads .msg files; its test files were used above
- decompressrtf (BSD-2-Clause), version 0.1.4: unpacks the compressed RTF body