How to Convert MSG to PDF

You need to turn Outlook emails into PDF documents for archiving, legal compliance, or sharing with people who do not have Outlook. MSG is Microsoft Outlook's proprietary format — it stores the message body, headers, attachments, and metadata in a single binary file that requires Outlook or a specialized viewer to open. Total Mail Converter reads MSG files directly from disk, renders each email as a formatted PDF — with headers, body text, images, and optionally attachments — and processes thousands of files in a single batch.

MSG vs PDF: What Is the Difference?

MSG is the native format of Microsoft Outlook. Each MSG file contains a single email message: sender, recipients, subject, date, body (plain text or HTML), embedded images, and file attachments. MSG uses Microsoft's Compound File Binary Format (CFBF). Opening an MSG file requires Outlook, or a third-party MSG viewer — it cannot be read in a standard text editor or web browser.

PDF (Portable Document Format) is the universal standard for fixed-layout documents. A PDF file looks the same on every screen, every printer, and every operating system. PDFs can be read by hundreds of free viewers (Adobe Reader, Foxit, browser built-in readers). They support text search, encryption, digital signatures, and PDF/A archival compliance.

Feature	MSG	PDF
Creator	Microsoft Outlook	Adobe / ISO 32000
Viewer required	Outlook or MSG viewer	Any PDF reader, web browser
Content	Email message + attachments	Fixed-layout document
Editable	Yes (in Outlook)	Read-only by default
Text search	Requires Outlook indexing	Built-in full-text search
Digital signatures	S/MIME (email-level)	PFX/X.509 (document-level)
Archival standard	None	PDF/A (ISO 19005)

Why Convert MSG to PDF?

Universal access without Outlook — PDF files open on any device, any operating system, and any browser. Recipients do not need Outlook or any email client to read the message.
Legal and compliance archiving — regulations like SEC Rule 17a-4, HIPAA, and Sarbanes-Oxley require email retention in tamper-resistant formats. PDF and PDF/A satisfy these requirements.
Bates stamping for litigation — legal professionals need Bates numbers on every page. Total Mail Converter adds customizable Bates stamps during conversion — no separate tool required.
Digital signatures — sign converted PDFs with a PFX certificate to prove document authenticity. Both PDF and PDF/A formats support document-level signatures.
Attachment handling — embed attachments as clickable links inside the PDF, append them as additional pages (Pro version), or save them to a separate folder.

How to Convert MSG to PDF — Step by Step

Step 1. Open the MSG Folder

Launch Total Mail Converter. The folder tree on the left shows your local drives and network folders. Navigate to the directory containing your MSG files. The file list displays each email with its sender, subject, date, and file size.

Step 2. Select MSG Files

Tick individual files or click Check All to select the entire folder. Total Mail Converter handles batch conversion — one file or ten thousand in the same run.

Step 3. Choose PDF Format

Click the PDF button on the toolbar. The settings wizard opens with all PDF output options.

Step 4. Configure PDF Settings

Set the output folder and file naming pattern. Configure the following:

PDF type — standard PDF, searchable PDF, non-searchable (image-based) PDF, or PDF/A for long-term archival
Attachments — embed as clickable links, save to a subfolder, or skip
Bates stamps — add customizable Bates numbers with configurable font, size, and position
Digital signature — sign PDFs with a PFX certificate file
Page numbers — sequential across all files or restart per folder
Headers and footers — add custom text, date, filename, or page count
Security — set password protection and user permissions (allow/forbid printing, editing, copying)

Step 5. Convert

Click Start. Each MSG file is rendered as a PDF document: the email header (From, To, Subject, Date) appears at the top, followed by the message body with full HTML formatting, images, and links. The conversion log shows the status of every file.

Total Mail Converter — convert MSG to PDF

Command-Line Conversion

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

MailConverter.exe "C:\Emails\*.msg" -oPDF -d "C:\Archive\pdf\" -bates "DOC-{N6}" -sign "C:\cert.pfx" -pwd MyPass

Parameters: source files (wildcards supported), -oPDF sets the output format, -d specifies the destination folder, -bates enables Bates stamping with a pattern, -sign attaches a digital signature. Schedule the command with Windows Task Scheduler for nightly archiving.

The GUI generates ready-to-use command lines automatically: configure settings in the wizard, and the program outputs the exact command you can paste into a .bat file.

PDF Output Options

Option	Description	Use Case
Standard PDF	Searchable text with formatted layout	General-purpose email archiving and sharing
Non-searchable PDF	Image-based pages, text not selectable	Tamper-evident records, legal evidence
PDF/A	ISO 19005 archival format, self-contained	Long-term compliance archives (SEC, HIPAA)
Password protection	Encrypt PDF with owner/user passwords	Confidential emails, restricted distribution
Digital signature	PFX/X.509 certificate-based signing	Proof of authenticity, legal submissions
Bates stamps	Sequential numbering on every page	Litigation, e-discovery, regulatory filings
Merge into one PDF	Combine multiple MSG files into a single PDF	Case files, project correspondence bundles

Online Converters vs Desktop Converter

Feature	Online MSG-to-PDF 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 files.
Bates stamps	Not available.	Customizable Bates numbering on every page.
Digital signatures	Not available.	PFX certificate signing during conversion.
PDF/A	Rarely supported.	Full PDF/A output for archival compliance.
Attachments	Usually stripped or ignored.	Embed, save separately, or convert (Pro).
Automation	Not available.	Command-line with Task Scheduler.
Cost	Free for small files, paid subscriptions.	One-time purchase: $59.90. Free 30-day trial.

Why Use Total Mail Converter?

No Outlook installation required

Total Mail Converter reads MSG files directly from disk using its own parser. It does not call Outlook, does not need MAPI, and does not require any Microsoft Office component on the machine. Install the converter on a clean Windows server and run it.

Bates stamping built in

Legal professionals add Bates numbers to email evidence for court filings and e-discovery productions. Total Mail Converter stamps each page during conversion — configurable font, size, position, prefix, and numbering format. No separate PDF editing tool needed.

PDF/A for long-term archival

PDF/A (ISO 19005) is the standard for documents that must remain readable for decades. Total Mail Converter produces PDF/A output directly — all fonts are embedded, no external dependencies, compliant with archival regulations.

Merge or split as needed

Convert each MSG to a separate PDF, or combine an entire folder of emails into one multi-page PDF. Both modes are available in the GUI and on the command line.

Security and digital signatures

Protect output PDFs with passwords and user permissions: allow or forbid printing, editing, and text copying. Sign PDFs with a PFX certificate to guarantee document authenticity.

20+ additional output formats

PDF is one option among many. Total Mail Converter also exports MSG files to DOC, DOCX, HTML, TXT, RTF, TIFF, JPEG, XPS, and more. One tool covers all email conversion needs.

When Do You Need MSG to PDF Conversion?

Legal e-discovery — produce email evidence as Bates-stamped PDFs for court filings and regulatory responses. PDF is universally accepted by courts and opposing counsel.
Corporate email archiving — migrate MSG files from Outlook PST exports into a PDF-based document management system for long-term retention.
Sharing with non-Outlook users — forward email correspondence as PDF attachments to clients, partners, or auditors who do not have Microsoft Outlook.
Compliance reporting — convert email communications to PDF/A for SEC, HIPAA, or SOX compliance archives where non-alterable formats are required.
Insurance claims — include email correspondence in claims files as PDF documents alongside scanned forms, photos, and other evidence.

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 convert custodian MSG files to PDF for e-discovery productions. Total Mail Converter adds Bates stamps during conversion — no need for a separate PDF editor. The batch mode handles 50,000+ emails per case. Courts accept the output without objection. The command-line mode runs on our evidence processing server unattended."

5 Star Robert Harmon Litigation Support Manager, Baker & Cole LLP

"Regulatory auditors require email archives in PDF/A format. Total Mail Converter produces compliant PDF/A output directly from MSG files exported from Outlook. We process quarterly archives of 15,000 emails. The digital signature option adds our compliance certificate to every document automatically."

5 Star Ingrid Svensson Compliance Analyst, Nordic Banking Group

"When employees leave, we archive their Outlook MSG files as PDFs for the company records. Total Mail Converter processes entire mailbox exports in one batch without needing Outlook on the server. The merge option combines related emails into single PDF files. Only suggestion: add an option to sort emails by date before merging."

4 Star David Chen IT Administrator, Pacific Rim Consulting

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