How to Convert MSG to EML Format in Bulk? Complete Guide

Summary: In this article, we are going to focus on converting MSG files to EML and the process involved in doing that by creating a configured email account in Microsoft Outlook so that you can save MSG files to EML format or we will directly use the converter to do the bulk conversion. In the following pages let’s see how both methods work.

Reasons Behind Converting MSG Files to EML

It is known that the MSG format is a special format, exclusive for Microsoft Outlook. It has a significant weakness for those who are not using the platform anymore or would like to change the e-mail service. The MSG format is firm and strict for the files of any types, containing emails headers, text and even attachments, whereas EML is an open format of data based on MIME structure, used by many email services like Thunderbird, Windows Mail, and Apple Mail.

Given that the format is not universal, the use of MSG makes sharing and receiving messages without problems almost impossible. Therefore, people are to convert MSG files to EML with the help of special software for the proper usage of their emails. However, the conversion must be done properly, as otherwise the process might be uneasy.

Manual Ways to Save MSG as EML

You can change MSG file to EML format by configuring the email account in your MS Outlook, installing Thunderbird add-ons, and using PowerShell. Let’s see the working steps of all three methods below:

Method 1: Configuring Gmail and Dragging & Dropping MSG:

1. Go to Outlook Classic and click on file> info> add account. Add your Gmail account credentials to configure and sync the data.
2. Then, drag & drop the MSG files one by one into your desired email folder and wait for the files to sync.
3. Now, open your Gmail> browse your dropped .msg files in the folder and open them.
4. After that, send the files one by one to your email address.
5. Then, open the sent file> click on three dots> download message. Like this you MSG files will be converted into .eml format.

Note: You will have to repeat the process of sending and saving each .msg file as .eml one by one.

Method 2: Export MSG to EML Using Thunderbird:

1. We will first configure the same email address in both Outlook and the Thunderbird application.
2. Now, simply drag & drop your MSG files one by one into the desired folder in Outlook.
3. Then, right-click on the same folder in Thunderbird and click on ImportExportTools NG> export all messages in folder> EML message format> messages and index with subfolders.

Method 3: The Technocrat Method: PowerShell

• To begin with, copy the code shown below and paste it in your preferred text editor.
• Modify the folder path of MSG.
• Store the file and access the location where the MSG has been saved.
• Right-click on MSG > run with Powershell and you will complete the procedure. You can see your EML files at the designated location.

# 1. Set the direct path to your folder
$folderPath = "C:\MSG"
# 2. Check if the folder exists before starting
if (!(Test-Path $folderPath)) {
Write-Error "The folder $folderPath was not found. Please check the path."
return}
# 3. Get all .msg files in C:\MSG
$msgFiles = Get-ChildItem -Path $folderPath -Filter *.msg
# 4. Open Outlook COM Object
$outlook = New-Object -ComObject Outlook.Application
try {foreach ($file in $msgFiles) {
# Create the .eml path in the same C:\MSG folder
$emlPath = [System.IO.Path]::ChangeExtension($file.FullName, ".eml")
Write-Host "Converting: $($file.Name)..." -NoNewline
# Load the MSG and Save as EML (Type 10 = olRFC822)
$mail = $outlook.CreateItemFromTemplate($file.FullName)
$mail.SaveAs($emlPath, 10)
# Close the mail item to free memory
$mail.Close(1)
Write-Host " Done!" -ForegroundColor Green
}
}
catch {
Write-Error "An error occurred: $_"
}
finally {
# Clean up the Outlook process
$outlook.Quit()
[System.Runtime.Interopservices.Marshal]::ReleaseComObject($outlook) | Out-Null
Remove-Variable outlook
Write-Host "`nFinished! Check C:\MSG for your new .eml files." -ForegroundColor Cyan
}


Note: PowerShell does not preserve the original hierarchy or preserve nested folders. Also, scripting and technical knowledge are required to understand .NET libraries and work with them.

Manual Approach has its Limitations

• It is very time-consuming and also prone to errors. It does not support batch conversion, as you will have to convert MSG file to EML one by one.
• You will have to install email clients or platforms like Outlook or Thunderbird to convert MSG to EML, but without any data security.
• Outlook and Thunderbird do not guarantee data security. While dragging & dropping or syncing the data, the original data structure, metadata, and other attributes get lost or changed.
• You may face the most common error, which is the “synchronization error”, in which, after dropping the MSGs into the desired email’s folder, it shows an error where it stops syncing or takes a lot of time. Due to this, the files added in the respective folder are not shown in the Gmail account.
• If you are a Mac user, you will not be able to access or convert MSGs as Outlook for Mac does not natively support MSG files.

Core Features of the Professional Tool

• The automated approach allows you to bulk convert MSG to EML without any size limitations. It can save MSG as EML despite the number of files/folders in one go, without consuming time.
• You don’t need to install any email client or application to export MSG to EML using the expert tool. It directly changes MSG to EML format in bulk without any errors or hassle.
• It has an automated data sync feature where you just have to select the main folder, and all of your MSG files, folders, and sub-folders will be automatically loaded from that scattered folder. It saves time and maintains the exact hierarchy.
• Convert MSG file to EML using the advanced filter settings like date range, exclude folders, organizer, and many more to specifically change MSG to EML format.
• The data is fully secured as it is a fully desktop-based application that uses only the device resources for the conversion process. Plus, it works offline without internet, which means the data is not uploaded to the cloud.
• All the important data elements like attachments, hyperlinks, metadata, and other properties are kept the same as before without any loss or changes.

FAQs

Q1. Can I batch convert MSG to EML directly using Outlook?

No, if you cannot save .msg as .eml directly in bulk using Outlook, but if you use the professional migrator, it is possible. As the expert tool allows direct bulk conversion.

Q2. Does manual conversion preserve attachments and formatting?

No. Outlook does not guarantee to preserve the attachments, metadata, or original data format.

Q3. What are the formats can I convert MSG to for compatibility?

Besides converting MSG into EML, you can also batch convert MSG to PDF with attachments or PST.

Q4. Is converting MSG to EML using email configuration safe?

No, it is not safe, as configuring means syncing or sending your data over the internet, which creates a risk of data exposure or data loss.

Q5. Are MSG and EML the same? Which one is more freely accessible? 

Yes, the MSG file is an Outlook-based file format in a binary structure, which is limited to Windows OS and the Outlook application. On the other hand, EML is accessible in multiple email platforms. It consists of a MIME structure, which is understandable and organized for many of the email clients.

Conclusion

At the end, we can clearly define that to convert MSG to EML, there are two ways: one manual and the other automated. Both methods work on their own end. Whereas the manual approach sometimes shows errors and works slowly, on the other hand automated approach is quick and secure. Basically, through this blog, you can decide whether you want to opt for the manual way or the automated way to save MSG as EML.