MSG files can be simply explained as the files with the extension ‘.img’, which are used by Microsoft Outlook to store email messages, a contact, a task, an appointment, etc. in a file. When the e-mail message from Outlook is saved on a computer, they are stored in – msg file format.
The ‘msg file’ can be opened with Outlook or other Microsoft compatible software that uses Microsoft’s Messaging Applications Programming Interface (MAPI).
How to open .msg file (Microsoft Outlook)
- Save the file on the computer.
- Right-click the file with the .msg extension.
- Select the ‘Open’ option.
- Click on ‘ Choose the default program’ and select Outlook.
- Select ‘Always use the selected program to open this kind of file’ for ease of opening in the future.
- Click ‘Ok’.
It’s easy to access individual ‘msg’ files if you have Outlook but if you don’t then there are several other user-friendly options that would make your task as simple as possible!
Tools to Open .MSG Files
Here are some of the options that can be used to view files with the .msg extension without outlook for free.
1. CoolUtils Mail Viewer
This free solution allows users to view files of various formats such as – MSG, EML, EMLX, ICS, VCF.
The steps to use CoolUtils Mail Viewer to view .msg files are:
- Download the CoolUtils Mail Viewer.
- After successful launching, click the file you want to open.
- The file can be viewed, copied, or moved accordingly.
The user can generate an e-mail summary which can be stored in different formats like TXT, PDF, XLS, CSV, and HTML. This can be used to know the information about the sender, the number of files, etc.
2. FreeViewer
This is a secure and effective solution to view files only supported by Microsoft Outlook. It offers various features like:
- No file size restrictions
- Easy viewing and managing of ‘msg files’ is possible.
- The features can be accessed free of cost.
- Compatible with Windows 10 and earlier versions.
- Can perform an in-depth analysis of Outlook e-mails.
The steps involved in using this solution are:
- Download the FreeViewer tool for free from its official website.
- Complete installation and launch the application.
- Select the ‘Browse’ option to find and open the file.
- View the file and its attachments using the tool.
- Change the format of the file as required and examine it as normal mail, check properties, etc.
3. Msg Viewer Pro
This is a Windows software that enables viewing of e-mail messages in .msg, .pst, and .ost extension files without Outlook. The unique features of Msg Viewer Pro are:
- It can be set as the default Windows application to view the ‘msg’ files.
- Users can select specific attachments to be viewed in Windows.
- The file can be easily stored and opened.
- Online free .msg viewer can also be used if the user doesn’t want to download or run the software in Windows.
Note: This software is not free and a license can be purchased.
4. MailsDaddy
It is a free msg file viewer that has a pro-version with advanced features for which the user has to pay. This offers several features such as:
- Add multiple ‘msg’ files (about 10,000) to a folder.
- Preview the properties of e-mail such as CC, BCC, subject, date, etc.
- Easy search and arrangement of mails as per criteria like CC, Date, etc.
- View the number of loaded messages and the total number of items available.
Features in the upgraded version are:
- MSG file to EML conversion.
- Export MSG file to EMLX.
- Convert MSG files to HTML.
- Save attachments in their original format.
5. SysTools
Similar to the software mentioned already, SysTools provides free as well as paid upgraded versions with extra features.
- Download the free versioned tool from its official website.
- Browse the required file and view it using this tool.
- Features like – Auto locating the file, hierarchy arrangements, attributes and information about mail, etc can be accessed.
Few other viewers that offer free services are as listed below:
For Windows:
- EZ Freeware Free Opener
- eMclient
- Mozilla SeaMonkey
For Mac:
- Mozilla SeaMonkey
- Aryson Mac MSG converter
- eM client
For Linux:
- Mozilla SeaMonkey
For Android:
- File Viewer for Android
Conversion into other formats
Another technique to open and use files with .msg extension is by converting it to different formats like PDFs, PSTs, or DOCs.
- In Windows with Microsoft Outlook, the file can be stored in various formats by changing it in the ‘Save As’ dialog box while saving the file.
- In Linux, the command-line tool ‘MSG convert’ can be used to change it into EML file type.
- Contacts can be stored easily in an Excel spreadsheet by converting it into CSV format. The steps for this are:
- After conversion, drop the file to the Contact section.
- Open File.
- Select – Open and Export > Export/Import.
- Export to a file
- Contacts > Location to store the CSV file
6. Zamzar Tool
Zamzar is a free, online tool to convert a .msg extension file without Outlook to ‘PDF’, ‘DOC’, etc formats. Even though it doesn’t have a provision to analyze, print, etc. it can be used to easily convert and view the file.
Follow the steps to use this tool:
- Open the official website of the Zamzar tool.
- Add files (Upto 50 Mb) in the Add files space.
- Choose the PDF/DOC format to begin the conversion.
- Click on ‘Convert now’.
- Accept the terms and conditions to begin the process.
- Save the file on the computer.
7. PDFen Tool
PDFen is an online tool to especially to convert .msg files to PDF or PDF/A in a safe and secured way.
Use this tool by :
- Open the official website of the PDFen tool.
- Drag and drop or browse to select your e-mail (with or without attachment) in the dialog box provided.
- Select the required format.
- Save the converted file.
In these few simple steps, files with .msg extensions can be easily converted, viewed, or read.
On the whole, this article summarises – ‘how to open msg file’, how can ‘msg file’ be accessed with Microsoft Outlook and other Microsoft supporting software or different solutions as explained can be used to open msg file without Outlook.
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