How to Open MSG File without Outlook? Tested Solution

Overview: If you have received a MSG file, but don’t have Outlook installed and subscribed, don’t worry, you are not alone. This is an issue users struggle with daily. In this informative guide, we will be learning to open MSG file without Outlook on both Windows and Mac OS.

Trying to open MSG without Outlook is the most common issue faced by users, as .msg is an Outlook-based file format that stores Outlook items like emails, calendars, contacts, etc.

It is easy to access MSGs from Windows, but when it comes to Mac, email clients like Gmail, Webmail, etc., the process becomes nearly impossible, as MSG is a proprietary format of Outlook and Windows. 

Not everyone uses Outlook or has it subscribed. Some users simply do not have Outlook installed, some want to shift to another email platform, or some want to open old msg files without Outlook. Users look forward to open MSG files without Outlook and converting them to a format that is universally accessible.

Manual Ways to Open msg file without Outlook Account

We will see multiple manual ways to view and open MSG files without Outlook. Here are the brief steps:

#1 Convert MSG to EML, HTML, or TXT

1.   Right-click on the MSG file.
2.   Rename the .msg file extension to .eml. .html, or .txt to open and view.
3.   EML will be opened in Thunderbird, TXT in Notepad, and HTML in any browser.

Note: This method is not actually importing; you can just open and view the MSG without Outlook using these renaming approaches. It is not advisable, especially for professionals, as it results in broken formatting, missing attachments, metadata, and other important data elements

#2 Drag & Drop into Text Editors

1.   Open both the local file explorer and any text editor like Notepad++, Hex editor, Sublime Text, etc. on one side.
2.   One by one, drag & drop your MSG files into the text editor.

Note: This way is only suitable for developers as it only shows the binary structure of the MSG file and not the actual visual with attachments, fonts, etc.

#3 Using SeaMonkey for Mac Users

Apart from Outlook, SeaMonkey is another way to access old .msg files, and the Mozilla company created it.

1. Install SeaMonkey on a Mac machine.
2. Choose Window >> Mail & Newsgroups from the Menu.

   

3. Press the Cancel when asked to set up a new account >> Exit icon.
4. Choose File tab >> Open File option.
5. Select the needed MSG and open it here.

   

Automated Solution to Open msg file without Outlook on Mac & Windows

Manual approaches are only a temporary solution that help to view just a few small MSG files. For a temporary solution, instead of just viewing the MSG files, you can convert MSG to PDF to directly open and access MSGs in bulk without losing data.

Converting MSGs instead of just opening them is a much better approach if you have crucial data files and want to access MSG data effectively. The professional utility shows the entire metadata and its properties, like MIME headers, and a hex view to help users to analyze data briefly. You can first try the free demo version.

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Guide to Open MSG files without Outlook with Screenshots & Video

1. Install the RecoveryTools migration tool and run it.
2. Choose the select files or select folders option to browse and add MSG data.
   
   
3. Now, you can choose the required files and folders to further convert.
4. Select the file saving option as PDF> destination path> file naming options.
   
   
5. You can select the advanced settings like date range, from, subject, exclude folders, and many more for a specified MSG conversion.
   
   
6. Lastly, click on Next, and the process is completed.

Bonus Point: You can directly use the automated MSG file converter software, using which you can open and convert MSG files without Outlook into any file format or email platform in bulk

Plus Points of Using the Automated Way to Convert and Open MSG

• This smart solution is a complete standalone and fully desktop application. Firstly, it does not need Outlook or any other email platform’s installation. Also, it is a desktop-based software as it works without using any external resources.
• It allows you to view and open all the attachments, metadata, emails, properties, etc., easily.
• Using the converter, you can export thousands of MSG files and folders into a universal format in bulk without size limitations.
• It keeps the data the same as before after the conversion. Does not disturb the original folder hierarchy and data structure.
• By selecting only the main top-level folder, it automatically selects and loads only the MSG data from the scattered and deeply nested data files.
• You can find a particular email in the file viewer and also convert certain MSG files using the advanced settings option.
• The software panel provides an easy-to-use interface that technical or non-technical users can use easily without any hassle or training.

Which Method to Use? Final Thoughts

As we conclude, we can say that you can open MSG files without Outlook account by two broad approaches. Either you choose the manual way, which is not advisable and a risky method to perform, or you directly use the free msg file viewer and the professional MSG converter tool. This automated approach provides a permanent and secure solution. It is helpful if you are a professional, an IT admin handling enterprises, or an individual user with crucial data files.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q1: Can I open a .msg file with Chrome?

  Ans: You can change the extension from .msg to .html to access your data file in the Chrome browser.

• Q2: How do I open a .msg file in Gmail?

  Ans: You can open an MSG file in Gmail by connecting your Gmail account to your Outlook desktop.

• Q3: What program opens .msg files?

  Ans: Only MS Outlook can open .msg file.