How to open MSG file on computer
As for computer operating systems, like Windows, MacOS e Linux, there are several methods to open and manage MSG files: such files, as I explained to you, can be safely managed through Microsoft Outlook but, if you don't intend to shell out money for a license or prefer to rely on more specific solutions, know that there are some excellent alternatives. Below I am going to show you the best solutions of the case.
Microsoft Outlook (Windows / macOS)
As I already explained to you, MSG files are generated through Microsoft Outlook: this means, in simple terms, that this program is able to open them without problems! So, if you have this software (included in Microsoft's 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 start the program, the wizard will ask you to configure an e-mail account: if you intend to proceed, select the appropriate item and enter the required information in the fields proposed, then following the on-screen instructions to bring at the end of the procedure. If, on the other hand, you want to use Outlook simply as a MSG file viewer and not as an email client, put the check mark next to the item Use Outlook without an email account in the first configuration screen and presses the buttons NEXT e OK to confirm everything.
Outlook already installed on your computer, but you're up Windows and you really can't open the MSG file of your interest with the method described above? You can make a click right on it, click on the item Open with resident in the proposed context menu and choose the program from the proposed list Microsoft Outlook.
If you think this is the ideal solution for you but you don't have the Outlook program, then I recommend you take a look at my handy tutorial where I teach you how to download Microsoft Office for free on your computer or Mac.
WordPad (Windows)
If you have an urgent need to read the content of an email contained in a MSG file, you can use the program WordPad, which is already included in Windows: before going ahead and explaining 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 the MSG files contain all the information relating to the mail message, in a format that WordPad is not always able to interpret correctly.
With this important aspect clear, it's time to get to work: first, identify the MSG file you want to open inside your computer, perform a click destroy his di esso e seleciona la voce Open with from the proposed context menu.
Once this is done, remove the check mark from the box Always use this program to open .msg files / Always use the selected program to open this type of fileclick sulla voce Other apps / Other applicationsclicca sull'icona WordPad in the list of proposed solutions and presses the button OK.
Don't be scared if the file that opens contains strange or unreadable characters: as I explained a few lines ago, this is perfectly normal! By carefully examining the contents of the file, however, it is easy to recognize the data relating to the sender (e.g. e-mail address), the subject of the message and the body of the email: I'm sure that, after a few seconds, you will be perfectly capable of extracting the information you need.
MSG File Viewer (Windows)
One of the most useful solutions to view MSG files is definitely MSG File Viewer: it is a multifunctional software, available both in free version and upon purchase of a license, able to open e-mail messages saved from Outlook without problems. The Pro version (with prices starting from dollars 69), in particular, allows you to convert MSG files into 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 am about to talk to you about, allows to view MSG files without any problem.
To begin with, connected to the download page of the program, presses the button Download Now and wait for the file (eg. free-msg-viewer.exe) is downloaded to your computer. Then start the program you just downloaded, press the button Next, put the check mark next to the item I accept the agreement and click the button four more times Next, by pressing the button install.
At this point, if necessary, the setup program will automatically download the Windows component . NET Framework 3.5: in this case, you have to press the button Download and install this Windows feature from the warning window that opens on the screen, and then click on the button Close and wait for the end of the program setup procedure, which you must finalize by pressing the button Finish.
The game is practically done! All you have to do is put a check mark next to the folder that contains the MSG file of your interest (eg. Documents) using the left panel of the program, and then select it with a click: the MSG file will be acquired by the software and shown in the form of a preview in the upper panel. To open the message, all you have to do is click on the preview and view it using the tab Normal Mail View.
TextEdit (macOS)
If you have a Mac, do not have Outlook available and do not 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, do a click destroy (o ctrl+clic) on the MSG file you want to open, select the entries Open with> More ... from the proposed context menu, click on the program TextEdit inside the panel that opens on the screen, then remove the check mark from the item Always open with this application e pulsing sul pulsating apri to finalize the process.
Also in this case, exactly as I explained to you in the section dedicated to WordPad for Windows, the reading of the message is not immediate: you have to look for the information that interests you among misinterpreted characters and apparently meaningless strings. But don't worry: take care to scroll slowly through the document and I'm sure you will find what you are looking for in a matter of seconds!
MailRaider Pro (macOS)
Are you looking for a more specific solution that allows you to correctly view the emails generated by Outlook on your Mac? Then you might give a chance to MailRaider Pro: this application allows you to open MSG file and correctly view the e-mail messages contained within them, with the possibility of obtaining information relating to the attachments and to the entire communication thread (ie to view the "place" of the message within the complete conversation).
You can download MailRaider Pro directly from the Mac App Store for the price of 5.49€ (or by clicking on this link, if you are reading the guide directly from your Mac). Once the setup process is complete, start the program by calling it from the folder Applications of the 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 on the button Open.
At this point, the program opens the e-mail message contained in the file in a convenient window, including - if present - the formatting: if there are any attachments, you can click on the icon in the shape of clip located at the top right to access it. Also, if you wish, you can convert the email to PDF format by clicking on the menu Fillet of the program and choosing the option Export as PDF….
How to open MSG files on smartphones and tablets
Have you read carefully what has been said so far but have not found the most suitable solution for your case, as you urgently need to open the MSG file received from your smartphone or tablet? Then this is the most suitable section for you: there are in fact some specific software designed for the purpose and compatible with operating systems Android e iOS, of which I am going to talk to you in the following lines.
.msg Files Reader (Android)
One of the apps Android most suitable for the purpose is certainly .msg Files Reader, downloadable for free from Google Play (or through this link, if you are reading my guide from your mobile device): in fact, it is an app designed exclusively for opening MSG files and for the correct display of texts and of the information saved within them.
After downloading and installing the application, start it by pressing on its icon located in the drawer of the device (i.e. the area where all the apps installed in the system reside), press the button in the shape of a folder located at the bottom and, helping you with the proposed panels, select the MSG file from the device memory or from the microSD, placing a check mark next to its name and then pressing the button Select.
The game is done: you just have to touch the preview of the message shown on the screen to open it and read it entirely in its parts. The free version of the app, however, has limitations: it allows you to import 5 MSG files at a time and only access the first attachment in the list. Should you need to bypass these limits, you can purchase a PRO license for the price of 1.69€, directly from within the app itself.
MSG File Viewer (iOS)
As for viewing MSG files on iPhone e iPad, MSG File Viewer it is certainly the most functional choice! This app, in fact, allows you to manage without problems the MSG files natively generated by Outlook. MSG File Viewer is priced at 4.49€.
All you have to do, once you have installed the app from the App Store (or by pressing this link, if you are viewing my guide from your Apple terminal), is to access the MSG file you are interested in opening, call up the sharing menu of system (by pressing the icon in the shape of blank sheet with upward arrow) and choose, in the proposed panel, the option Copy to MSG Viewer: in this way, the message (with its attachments, if available) is automatically opened in the app installed just now.
Convert MSG files online
If you have made it this far, it means that you have mastered the techniques for open MSG file that I explained to you earlier, but that you are looking for an alternative solution that allows you to correctly read the message content without installing any type of app.
Did I guess? Perfect, then the best solution for your case is a online converter: using only the browser of your computer, smartphone or tablet, it is possible to transform an MSG file into another type of document (eg PDF) to make it readable through a program or app you already own.
How? Simple! First of all, connected to the Coolutils website, press the button Select files 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 box Set convert option and click on the button Download converted file to download the converted file. Easier than that ?!
How to open MSG
