Many users need to save some messages a folder on their computer or a file server. While you can just drag and drop messages from Outlook to the file system, this method creates *.MSG files - these are Outlook message files and only Outlook can open them.
If you need to open the message on a computer without Outlook, you will need to save the messages in a universal format, such as Text, HTML, or PDF.
If you are using OWA, see OWA: Save Messages to My Documents
You can use the Save as command to save individual messages in Text or HTML format. To save multiple messages, you'll need to use VBA or a utility. See Tools for a list of utilities that can automate the process and save messages in a variety of formats. Several replicate your Outlook folder structure, which is handy if you are archiving the messages.
| File type | Options to Save |
|---|---|
| Msg | To save messages in native Outlook message format (.msg), you can drag the message to a folder on your hard drive or use the File, Save as menu. The macro at Save selected email message as .msg file automates this. |
| Text | You can save individual messages in Text format (.txt). When you select several messages, the only option is to save as text. This creates one long text file containing the selected messages. Macro to save as text |
| HTML | File, Save as will allow you to save HTML formatted messages as HTML pages. Outlook 2007/2010 include "support files" for HTML messages. See Save Message as HTML (and delete the folder) for the steps needed to delete the support files.MHT file type will save a single file that is viewed in a browser. |
| RTF | When the message is in RTF format, you can save it as a Word document. If it is not in RTF format, you can convert it to RTF format. We have a VBA macro at Save Messages as *.DOC File Type that (temporarily) converts all messages to RTF format and save them as doc files. |
| Adobe Acrobat can save messages in a "PDF package". The selected messages (and attachments, if any) are saved in one PDF. Each message is a separate page (or pages) and indexed in the PDF table of contents. It's pretty cool, but you need to own Acrobat.If you have a PDF printer installed, you can print to PDF. The result is not as nice as the PDF package, but it works. See Save Outlook email as a PDF for a macro to saved selected messages as PDF files. | |
| Print to Electronic Image | You can print to any electronic format printer you have installed. In general, text in images is not searchable unless you have an OCR program installed that can search image documents. |
More Information
- Import Messages from File System into Outlook Folders
- OWA: Save Messages to My Documents
- Save a Message as HTML and Delete the (Annoying) Folder
- Save email message as text file
- Save Outlook Email as a PDF
- Save Selected Email Message as .msg File
- Saving All Messages to the Hard Drive Using VBA
Housekeeping and Message Management - Outlook
Attachment Management Tools
SaveAs Method (MSDN)
This new AOL Desktop Gold stinks!!! How do I save my emails on my PC? And how do I write an email offline? These features are very important to me! Thanks for any help you can give.
You'd need to use an email client such as Outlook - mail would be downloaded into the mail client for offline access. Configurations are listed here: https://help.aol.com/articles/how-do-i-use-other-email-applications-to-send-and-receive-my-aol-mail or here https://www.slipstick.com/outlook/config/online-services-in-outlook/#aol
I started using MessageExport from Encryptomatic a while back and like itâs functionality.
Then also got a licensed copy of Save As PDF 6.0 from Sperry Software to compare with it, since I already use the Power Rules Manager from Sperry.
Sadly, Save As PDF has a huge deficiency: When opening several PDFâs for viewing it is essential to be able to see a label in the tabs to be able to see which is which. For some reason, Save As PDF does _NOT_ populate whatever metadata field is used for that label. For that reason I have to label the product as unusable. Surprising that something as mature as this (version 5.1 came out in 2015) would have an issue with that.
Time to uninstall Save As PDF and stick with MessageExport.
I have used Sperry Attachment Save & Save as PDF. I am dissatisfied with Sperry. I had to reinstall these add-ins every few months because they started to crash Outlook. This is not why I am dissatisfied. At one point, I received a message that I exceeded the maximum # of installs and I had to contact Sperry's tech support, who did reset my id. Sperry sends a super fast automated email response to tech support questions. The subsequent human email response is relatively prompt, but (aside from the 1 id reset) not satisfactory. On one occasion, the tech support indicated that it needed to remotely connect to my PC, which I was not willing to have done. The tech support would not respond to emails after I indicated that remote connection was not ok (and, actually remote connection wasn't necessary to solve the problem). This is not why I am dissatisfied. I recently upgraded from Windows 7 to Windows 8.1, which required the reinstallation of a number of software applications, including Outlook and the Sperry add-ins. Unfortunately, I received a message that stated "in order to activate this software you must pay for upgrade". I contact tech support and… Read more Âğ
Thanks for sharing your experience.
>> I had to reinstall these add-ins every few months because they started to crash Outlook.
This is definately a problem and should not be necessary. I'm surprised reinstalling them stopped the crashes.
Hi Diane,
I would like to save my Outlook emails (MSG) in my Windows File Explorer. I want to be able to sort the emails in the Windows Explorer according the when the emails are received/sent. However, the metadata (date sent/recieved, author, etc) does not get saved with the file. If I save an old email, its "Date modified" is the current date, and I am unable to see when it was actually received. Is there any solution to this other than buying software?
I am having this exact issue and can't find the answer anywhere! Any help would be greatly appreciated!
There is no fix, but if you use a macro to save the messages, you can add the date to the subject or set file properties with the information you need.
Any insight on how to to about doing this?
i have a sample macro at https://www.slipstick.com/developer/code-samples/save-selected-message-file/
Hi,
I'm looking for a plug-in for Outlook to add a WIndows Explorer folder list to the Outlook left navigation, so that emails can be dragged from the main window to the relavant file system folder in the left navigation pane. Does such a plug-in/application exist?
Thanks in advance,
Kevin
Hi Kevin, if you didn't find a solution to this take a look at FileChimp sync folders as it will do exactly this.
When dragging and dropping several email messages with the same subject lines, the email are numbered once they are copied into the windows directory. What governs this numbering system? Why does it number them the way it does?
For example, email with the same subject of XXXXXXXX were numbered XXXXXXXX (47) through XXXXXXXX (53). Why 47? This could make other think there are 1 to 46 missing emails of the same subject. Any ideas?
it should have started with #1... unless you opened a file by the same name 46 times, then #1 - 46 are in the secure temp folder, and it would start with 47.
I have saved my html format email to my computer. However, when i go back to the email i have saved, it is now a rich text email and i am not able to open attachments. How can i fix this?
What is the file extension? What exactly happens when you try to open it - do you get any error messages?
I need help in saving pictures in my outlook email to my new computer with windows 10 please!
Are they embedded in email messages or listed as attachments?
I clicked "file -> save" before a forced reboot in the fond belief that it would save the message I was writing in drafts, but when the reboot was complete, my message was nowhere to be found. Diane, you're way ahead of me. I need a simple answer to a simple question -- where did Outlook stash my message?
What type of email account do you use?
Did you look for more Draft folder on the Folder list? (Ctrl+6)
I had the same problem but I checked all the option on Options/Email/Saving messages and it seems now it is working... The only difference with this guy is that I open different windows to make drafts of emails, and I normally just hibernate my computer, but once my computer freak out and shutdown and when I wanted to go back I didn't found my draft.
Thank you Diane, we are just trying to be more efficient with outlook and you make it true. Big thanks for that
josemazcorro