A few hours ago, you received an MSG file on your computer, with an invitation to read it and express your opinions about it. Despite the fact that you have every intention of following the instructions that have been assigned to you, you have never seen this type of document before, so you have no idea how to open it in order to view its contents, so you are looking for a solution that will allow you to do this in the easiest way possible.
Well, I’m happy to tell you that you’re in the right place, at a time that could not be better: below, in fact, I’m going to provide you with all the instructions on how to open MSG files using programs that are easy to use and, in most cases, free to download. Finally, I will explain how to manage this type of document from smartphones and tablets and how to convert it online into a more “accessible” document (eg PDF).
Before proceeding further, however, let me give you some more information about this type of data: MSG files actually contain e-mail messages, with all the information about the sender, recipient and reception details, and with references to attached attachments, if any. Generally, this type of file is generated through the Microsoft Outlook email client. Having said that, it’s time for you to get to work: take a few minutes of your free time, make yourself comfortable and read everything I have to say on this interesting subject: I’m sure you’ll be able to achieve your goal in no time. At this point, all that remains is for me to wish you good reading and good work!
How to open MSG files on your computer
Regarding computer operating systems, such as Windows, macOS and Linux, there are several methods to open and manage MSG files: these files, as I explained, can be easily managed through Microsoft Outlook but, if you don’t want to pay for a license or you prefer to rely on more specific solutions, know that there are some excellent alternatives. Below I’m going to show you the best solutions of the case.
Microsoft Outlook (Windows/MacOS)
As I explained earlier, MSG files are generated through Microsoft Outlook, which means, in simple terms, that this program can open them without any problems! So, if you have this software (included in the Microsoft Office suite), all you have to do is double-click on the MSG file you want to view to open it with this program.
If this is the first time you launch the program, the wizard will ask you to configure an e-mail account: if you want to proceed, select the appropriate item and enter the required information in the fields provided, then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the procedure. If you would like to use Outlook simply as an MSG file viewer and not as an email client, check the Use Outlook without an email account box on the first configuration screen and click Next and OK to confirm.
You already have Outlook installed on your computer, but you are on Windows and just can’t open the MSG file you are interested in using the method described above? You can right-click on it, click on the Open With item in the context menu and choose Microsoft Outlook from the list.
If you think this is the ideal solution for you but you don’t have the Outlook program, then I suggest you take a look at my handy tutorial in which I teach you how to download Microsoft Office for free to your computer or Mac.
WordPad (Windows)
If you urgently need to read the content of an email contained in an MSG file, you can use the WordPad program, which is already included in Windows: before going ahead and explain how to do it, however, I must warn you that the content of the message will be “searched” within the file that is going to open. This is because MSG files contain all the information related to the mail message, in a format that WordPad is not always able to interpret correctly.
Once this important aspect is clear, it’s time to get to work: first, identify the MSG file you want to open on your computer, right-click on it and select Open with from the context menu.
Once this is done, remove the checkmark from the Always use this program to open .msg files/ Always use the selected program to open this type of files box, click the Other apps/Other applications item, click the WordPad icon in the list of proposed solutions and click the OK button.
Don’t be scared if the file that opens contains strange or illegible characters: as I explained a few lines ago, this is perfectly normal! But if you look carefully at the content of the file, it’s easy to recognize the data related to the sender (e.g. the email address), the subject of the message and the body of the email: I’m sure that, after a few seconds, you’ll be perfectly able to extract the information you need.
MSG File Viewer (Windows)
One of the most useful solutions to view MSG files is definitely MSG File Viewer: it’s a multifunctional software, available both in free version and upon purchase of a license, able to open without problems the emails saved by Outlook. The Pro version (with prices starting from 69 dollars), in particular, allows you to convert MSG files to other types of documents (eg PDF), but if you do not intend to make any purchase you can rest assured: the free version of MSG File Viewer, which I’m going to talk about, allows you to view MSG files without any problem.
For starters, go to the download page of the program, click on the Download Now button and wait for the file (e.g. free-msg-viewer.exe) to be downloaded to your computer. Launch the downloaded program, click on the Next button, check the box next to I accept the agreement and click on the Next button four more times and then on the Install button.
At this point, if necessary, the setup program will automatically download the Windows .NET Framework 3.5 component: in this case, you should click on the Download and install this Windows feature button from the warning window that opens on the screen, then click on the Close button and wait for the end of the program’s setup procedure, which you should finalize by clicking on the Finish button.
The game is practically done! All you have to do is to place a check mark next to the folder that contains the MSG file you are interested in (e.g. My Documents) using the left panel of the program, and then select it with a click: the MSG file will then be scanned by the software and shown as a preview in the top pane. To open the message, all you have to do is click on the preview and view it using the Normal Mail View tab.
TextEdit (macOS)
If you own a Mac, don’t have Outlook and don’t intend to rely on third-party programs, you can open messages in MSG format using TextEdit, the basic text editor pre-installed in macOS.
To proceed, first of all, right-click (or ctrl+click) on the MSG file you wish to open, select Open with > Other… from the proposed context menu, click on the TextEdit program within the panel that opens on the screen, then remove the checkmark from the Always open with this application item and click on the Open button to finalize the process.
Even in this case, exactly as I explained in the section dedicated to WordPad for Windows, reading the message is not immediate: you have to look for the information you need among misinterpreted characters and apparently meaningless strings. Don’t worry, though: take care to scroll slowly through the document and I’m sure you’ll find what you’re looking for in a matter of seconds!
MailRaider Pro (macOS)
Are you looking for a more specific solution that will allow you to correctly view Outlook-generated emails on your Mac? Then you might want to give MailRaider Pro a chance: this application allows you to open MSG files and correctly view the email messages contained within them, with the ability to get information about attachments and the entire communication thread (i.e. view the “place” of the message within the complete conversation).
You can download MailRaider Pro directly from the Mac App Store at the price of €5.49 (or by clicking on this link, if you’re reading this guide directly from your Mac). Once the setup process is complete, launch the program by calling it from the Applications folder of your Mac and, using the Finder panel shown at startup, select the MSG file you want to open (you can preview it in the aforementioned panel) and click the Open button.
At this point, the program opens the email contained in the file in a convenient window, including – if present – the formatting: if there are any attachments, you can click on the paperclip icon in the upper right corner to access them. Moreover, if you wish, you can convert the email to PDF format by clicking on the File menu of the program and choosing the Export as PDF…. option.
How to open MSG files on smartphones and tablets
Have you read carefully what I’ve said so far but you haven’t found the best solution for your case, because you urgently need to open the MSG file received from your smartphone or tablet? Then this is the best section for you: there are some specific software designed for the purpose and compatible with Android and iOS operating systems, which I’m going to tell you in the following lines.
.msg Files Reader (Android)
One of the most suitable Android apps for this purpose is definitely .msg Files Reader, which you can download for free from Google Play (or through this link, if you’re reading my guide from your mobile device): in fact, this is an app designed exclusively for opening MSG files and correctly displaying the text and information saved within them.
After downloading and installing the application, launch it by clicking on its icon located in the device’s drawer (i.e. the area where all the apps installed on the system reside), click on the folder-shaped button located at the bottom and, using the proposed panels, select the MSG file from the device’s memory or microSD, placing a check mark next to its name and then clicking on the Select button.
That’s it: all you have to do is tap on the preview of the message shown on the screen to open it and read it in its entirety. The free version of the app, however, has limitations: it allows you to import 5 MSG files at a time and access only the first attachment in the list. Should you need to bypass those limitations, you can purchase a PRO license for €1.69, directly from within the app itself.
MSG File Viewer (iOS)
When it comes to viewing MSG files on iPhone and iPad, MSG File Viewer is definitely the most functional choice! This app, in fact, allows you to easily manage MSG files natively generated by Outlook. MSG File Viewer is priced at €4.49.
All you have to do, once you’ve installed the app from the App Store (or by clicking on this link, if you’re viewing my guide from your Apple terminal), is to access the MSG file you want to open, call up the system sharing menu (by clicking on the white sheet icon with an upward arrow) and choose, in the proposed panel, the Copy to MSG Viewer option: in this way, the message (with its attachments, if available) is automatically opened in the app you’ve just installed.
Convert MSG files online
If you have come this far, it means that you have perfectly learned the techniques to open MSG files that I have just explained to you, but that you are looking for an alternative solution that allows you to correctly read the contents of the message without installing any kind of app.
Did I guess right? Perfect, then the best solution in your case is an online converter: using only the browser of your computer, smartphone or tablet, you can transform an MSG file into another type of document (e.g. PDF) to make it readable through a program or app you already own.
How? Very simple! First of all, connect to Coolutils Internet page, click on the Select Files button to choose the MSG file to convert (if you wish, you can upload it directly from Google Drive or Dropbox), then choose the format in which to convert the message from the Set convert option box and click on the Download converted file button to download the converted file. Easier than that!