How to Convert Email to TIFF

You need to archive emails as images that cannot be edited, searched, or accidentally modified. TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) is the standard choice for document imaging, scanning archives, and legal evidence preservation. Total Mail Converter reads EML and MSG email files, renders each message as a multi-page TIFF image — header, body, and attachments on separate pages — and processes hundreds of emails in a single batch.

Email vs TIFF: Why Convert?

EML and MSG are the standard formats for individual email messages. EML (RFC 5322) is used by Thunderbird, Windows Mail, and most email clients. MSG is Microsoft Outlook's proprietary format. Both contain text, HTML body, headers, and attachments — but they require an email client or specialized viewer to read.

TIFF is a raster image format widely used for document scanning and archival. A multi-page TIFF file stores each page as a separate frame, similar to a multi-page PDF but as an image. TIFF files are read by every image viewer, document management system, and scanning workflow. They cannot be edited or altered without visible traces, making them suitable for legal and compliance use.

Feature	EML / MSG	TIFF
Content type	Structured email (headers, body, attachments)	Raster image (pixel-based pages)
Editable	Yes (text can be copied, forwarded, modified)	No (image-based, tamper-evident)
Viewer required	Email client (Outlook, Thunderbird, etc.)	Any image viewer, web browser, DMS
Multi-page support	Single message per file	Multiple pages per file (IFD chain)
Compression	MIME encoding	CCITT Group 4, LZW, ZIP, JPEG
Use case	Active email communication	Archival, legal evidence, document imaging

Why Convert Emails to TIFF?

Legal evidence preservation — TIFF images cannot be silently edited. Courts and legal departments accept TIFF as a tamper-evident format for email evidence.
Document management systems — many DMS and ECM platforms (OpenText, Laserfiche, FileNet) use TIFF as the native storage format for scanned documents. Converting emails to TIFF integrates them into existing imaging workflows.
Long-term archival — TIFF is a stable format with over 35 years of industry support. Email clients change; TIFF viewers do not.
Compliance requirements — regulations like SEC Rule 17a-4, HIPAA, and Sarbanes-Oxley require email retention in non-alterable formats. TIFF satisfies this requirement.
Printing and faxing — TIFF is the native format for fax machines and high-quality document printers. Convert emails to TIFF for direct fax transmission without intermediate steps.

How to Convert Email to TIFF — Step by Step

Step 1. Open the Email Folder

Launch Total Mail Converter. The folder tree on the left shows directories containing EML and MSG files. Navigate to the folder with your emails. The file list displays every message with sender, subject, date, and size.

Step 2. Select Emails

Tick individual emails or click Check All to select the entire folder. Total Mail Converter supports batch processing — convert one email or ten thousand in the same operation.

Step 3. Choose TIFF Format

Click the TIFF button on the toolbar. The settings wizard opens with TIFF-specific options.

Step 4. Configure TIFF Settings

Set the output folder and file naming pattern. Configure:

Compression — CCITT Group 4 (smallest files for black-and-white), LZW (lossless color), ZIP, or JPEG
Resolution — 150, 200, 300, or 600 DPI depending on quality requirements
Page size — A4, Letter, Legal, or auto-detect
Color depth — black-and-white (1-bit), grayscale, or full color
Attachments — embed as additional pages, save separately, or skip

Step 5. Convert

Click Start. Each email is rendered as a multi-page TIFF: the first page contains the email header (From, To, Subject, Date), followed by the message body, and then attachment pages if enabled. The log shows every converted file.

Total Mail Converter — convert email to TIFF

Email to TIFF conversion settings

Command-Line Conversion

Total Mail Converter includes a command-line interface for automated workflows:

MailConverter.exe "C:\Emails\*.eml" -oTIFF -d "C:\Archive\tiff\" -dpi 300 -comp CCITT4

Parameters: source files (wildcards supported), -oTIFF sets the output format, -d specifies the destination, -dpi sets resolution, -comp selects compression. Schedule with Task Scheduler for nightly email archiving.

Additional flags: -att embed includes attachments as extra TIFF pages, -color bw forces black-and-white output, -pages A4 sets page size.

TIFF Compression Options

Compression	Color Support	File Size	Best For
CCITT Group 4	Black-and-white only (1-bit)	Smallest	Text-only emails, fax-compatible output, maximum compression
LZW	Full color and grayscale	Medium	Emails with colored logos, images, or HTML formatting
ZIP (Deflate)	Full color and grayscale	Medium	General-purpose lossless compression
JPEG	Full color	Small	Photo-heavy emails where some quality loss is acceptable
None (uncompressed)	Any	Largest	Maximum quality, no compression artifacts

Online Converters vs Desktop Converter

Feature	Online Email-to-TIFF Services	Total Mail Converter
Privacy	You upload confidential emails to a third-party server.	Runs locally. No data leaves your computer.
Batch mode	One file at a time, manual upload each.	Entire folders in one batch, thousands of emails.
TIFF settings	No control over compression, DPI, or color depth.	Full control: compression, DPI, page size, color depth.
Attachment handling	Usually stripped or ignored.	Embed as pages, save separately, or skip.
Automation	Not available.	Command-line interface with scheduling.
Cost	Free for small files, paid subscriptions.	One-time purchase: $59.90. Free 30-day trial.

Why Use Total Mail Converter?

Reads EML and MSG from any email client

Total Mail Converter processes EML files (Thunderbird, Windows Mail, Apple Mail) and MSG files (Microsoft Outlook). No email client installation required — the converter reads files directly from disk.

Multi-page TIFF output

Each email becomes a single multi-page TIFF file. Page 1: email header. Page 2+: message body. Additional pages: attached documents. One file per email, easy to index and archive.

Full control over image quality

Choose compression (CCITT, LZW, ZIP, JPEG), resolution (150–600 DPI), color depth (1-bit, grayscale, color), and page size. Match the exact requirements of your DMS, fax system, or archival standard.

Batch processing at local speed

Select an entire folder of emails and convert them all in one operation. No file-by-file uploads, no internet dependency. Thousands of emails convert in minutes.

Command-line automation

Schedule nightly email-to-TIFF conversions with a .bat script. Integrate into compliance workflows, backup systems, or document management pipelines.

20+ additional output formats

TIFF is one of many options. Total Mail Converter also exports to PDF, DOC, HTML, TXT, RTF, JPEG, XPS, and more. One tool for all email conversion tasks.

When Do You Need Email-to-TIFF Conversion?

Legal hold and e-discovery — preserve email evidence as TIFF images that cannot be altered. Submit to courts or regulatory bodies in a universally accepted format.
Document imaging integration — feed converted emails into an existing TIFF-based document management system alongside scanned paper documents.
Insurance claims — convert claim-related email correspondence to TIFF for inclusion in the claims file alongside scanned forms and photos.
Healthcare compliance (HIPAA) — archive patient-related emails as non-editable TIFF images to meet retention and privacy requirements.
Fax gateway replacement — convert outgoing emails to TIFF for transmission through a TIFF-based fax server without print-to-fax workarounds.

Download the free 30-day trial — no email or credit card required. A personal license costs $59.90 and includes one year of free upgrades. Works on Windows 7/8/10/11.

Download Free Trial Buy License — $59.90

Total Mail Converter Customer Reviews 2026

Rate ItRated 4.7/5 based on customer reviews

"We archive claims correspondence as multi-page TIFF alongside scanned paper documents in our Laserfiche system. Total Mail Converter processes EML files from our Thunderbird server and produces CCITT Group 4 TIFF at 300 DPI — exactly what Laserfiche expects. The command-line mode runs nightly and archives everything automatically. We process about 5,000 emails per month this way."

5 Star Sandra Brewer Records Manager, Pacific Coast Insurance

"Regulatory requirements mandate that we store email communications as non-editable images. Total Mail Converter produces multi-page TIFF files with the email header on the first page and attachments appended. The batch mode handles our quarterly archive of 20,000+ MSG files from Outlook. Auditors receive TIFF files they can verify without needing an email client."

5 Star Daniel Kraus Compliance Analyst, Deutsche Finanzgruppe

"We convert custodian emails to TIFF for e-discovery productions. Courts require image-based formats, and TIFF is universally accepted. Total Mail Converter preserves the email layout cleanly — headers, body, and embedded images all render correctly. Only improvement I would suggest: an option to stamp Bates numbers on each TIFF page automatically."

4 Star Lisa Park Litigation Support Specialist

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