Home » Blog » How To » How to Extract Attachments from EML Files? Best Easy Ways

How to Extract Attachments from EML Files? Best Easy Ways

  author
Published By Jamie Kaler 
Rollins Duke
Approved By Rollins Duke
Published On January 8th, 2026
Reading Time 5 Min Read

Struggling to access attachments from EML files? Don’t worry you have landed on the right page. In this article, you will learn the most safe and quick methods to extract attachments from EML files. You will discover a tested manual and automated solution with proper and clear step-by-step instructions. So, read the complete guide to manage your EML file attachments effortlessly without any data loss.

What is an EML File? A Quick Recap

EML is a standard file format which is used to store a single email message with metadata, header and attachments. It is a plain text file (also includes HTML content ) and is commonly used by email clients like Thunderbird, Outlook or Windows Mail.

EML files are widely used for transferring data as these are lightweight files, storing emails for backup, or archiving them for temporary use. In short, it is a convenient format for better email management and storage.

Why Extract Attachments from EML Files?

  • It allow users to organize or manage sensitive EML attachments separately for future use.
  • Gives users easy access to files without opening each EML file every time.
  • Some attachments include invoices, legal files etc., which a user may require for legal use.
  • Extracting attachments from EML files helps to reduce storage size.
  • Users can hassle free share EML attachments to another platform.

How to Get Attachment from EML File Manually?

Here in this section, we will discuss a tested manual method to extract attachments from EML files for free. For the extraction process, you’ll require Thunderbird installed on your system. So, let’s get started. Follow these steps carefully.

  1. Open Thunderbird and the folder where you want to view the EML file.
  2. Next, locate EML files saved on your device.
  3. Once done, drag and drop those EML files into Thunderbird.
  4. You will see attachments in the bottom, simply Click Save.
  5. Browse a destination path and Save EML attachments.

This manual way seems to be easy and effective, but it does hold some limitations that you should know before performing or continuing with this method. So, keep reading the article.

Limitations of the Manual Method

  • Thunderbird installation is a must to extract attachments from EML files.
  • It is a time-consuming process especially when you have multiple EML files with attachments.
  • Users need to process EML files one-by-one as it does not support bulk extraction.
  • Requires human effort and proper configuration knowledge.
  • Attachments may lose their originality and structure after download.

Expert-Trusted Software to Extract EML Attachments Safely

RecoveryTools EML Converter is a verified and reliable solution to extract attachments from EML files. It supports user-friendly interface and has easy steps to help users get attachments from EML files without putting much manual effort. The tool bulk extract EML attachments while maintaining full data accuracy and does not impose file size restrictions. This enables users to extract even large attachments in less time and using less system resources.

Moreover, this is a standalone solution that does not need any additional third-party application to perform the extraction process. So, download the tool now and try its free trial version.

Easy Steps to Download Attachments from EML File

  1. Download and install the above suggested software on your system.
  2. Select EML files or folders from which you want to extract attachments.
    select EML files
  3. Then, select CSV as a saving option.
    extract attachments from eml files
  4. Browse destination path and click Convert.
  5. After completion, you will see an Attachment folder in which you’ll find all the extracted EML attachments.

Prominent Features of the EML Attachment Extractor

  • It is a 100% safe and dedicated utility to extract attachments from EML files.
  • Support bulk attachment extraction without any data alteration.
  • Users can save attachments from both EML and EMLX files.
  • The tool preserves all email properties in their original form throughout the process.
  • Offer users a robust feature to set their preferred destination path to save resultant files at one place.
  • Fully compatible with all versions of Windows and macOS.
  • To make users fully satisfied, it supports a free trial version. Users can test tool functions and features by extracting a limited number of attachments.
  • The software has the ability to handle large attachments regardless of their size.
  • Support a wide range of saving options, so that users can choose any format that best suits their needs.

Conclusion

It is essential to extract attachments from EML files to access or share them on different devices. While there is a manual way using Thunderbird but it is only suitable for a small volume of data and consumes time. To overcome this, we have mentioned a tool in the article that will help users to download attachments from EML files securely in just a few clicks. Additionally the pro solution guarantees accurate and perfect results with complete data integrity.

Read all the methods properly and choose the one that simplifies the EML file attachment extraction process. If you have any query related to the software, feel-free to contact our support team. You can click on Live Chat to directly chat with our team or email on [email protected] if they are not available.