{"id":1442,"date":"2025-08-08T15:58:40","date_gmt":"2025-08-08T15:58:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.coolutils.com\/blog\/?p=1442"},"modified":"2026-05-27T08:37:55","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T08:37:55","slug":"what-is-eml-file","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.coolutils.com\/blog\/what-is-eml-file\/","title":{"rendered":"What is an EML file? The complete guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"bsf_rt_marker\"><\/div><p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.coolutils.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/what-is-eml-file-3.png\"\nstyle=\"width:6.26772in;height:4.20833in\" \/><\/p>\n<p>EML stands for Electronic Mail. An EML file is a plain-text format<br \/>\nthat stores a single email message, including headers, body content, and<br \/>\nattachments, in one portable file. Email clients such as Microsoft<br \/>\nOutlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, and Apple Mail use EML files to archive,<br \/>\nexport, and transfer messages between platforms. The EML format follows<br \/>\nthe RFC 5322 standard, which governs how electronic mail messages are<br \/>\nstructured across internet-connected systems.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Key characteristics of EML files:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Plain-text format readable by any standard text editor<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>RFC 822\/5322 compliance, covering header syntax and body<br \/>\nencoding<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Full email data storage: sender, recipient, date, subject, and<br \/>\nbody<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>MIME-encoded attachments, stored inline or appended as separate<br \/>\nparts<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Cross-client compatibility with Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla<br \/>\nThunderbird, Apple Mail, and Windows Live Mail<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"eml-files-definition-and-purpose\">EML files: definition and<br \/>\npurpose<\/h2>\n<p>EML files preserve complete email records in a portable,<br \/>\nopen-standard format compatible with all major email clients.<\/p>\n<p>The .eml extension identifies email messages exported or saved from<br \/>\nan email client. EML files store every component of a message: routing<br \/>\nheaders, plain-text or HTML body content, and MIME-encoded attachments.<br \/>\nBecause EML files follow the RFC 5322 open standard, any RFC-compliant<br \/>\nemail client reads them without format conversion. Legal teams also use<br \/>\nEML files in e-discovery workflows, where RFC 5322 header metadata<br \/>\nserves as evidentiary records in court proceedings.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"the-origins-of-eml-files\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_origins_of_EML_files\"><\/span>The origins of EML files<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.coolutils.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/what-is-eml-file-1.png\"\nstyle=\"width:6.26772in;height:4.20833in\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Microsoft&#8217;s discontinued Windows Live Mail client established the<br \/>\n.eml extension as the standard save format on Windows. After Windows<br \/>\nLive Mail closed in 2017, users migrated to Microsoft Outlook as their<br \/>\nprimary EML-compatible desktop application.<\/p>\n<p>RFC 822, published in 1982, first defined the header syntax that all<br \/>\nEML files follow. The 2008 revision, RFC 5322, expanded coverage to<br \/>\ninclude modern encoding requirements. IETF, the Internet Engineering<br \/>\nTask Force, maintains <a\nhref=\"https:\/\/datatracker.ietf.org\/doc\/html\/rfc5322\"><u>RFC 5322<\/u><\/a><br \/>\nas the authoritative specification for internet message format.<br \/>\nMicrosoft Outlook now reads EML files natively on Windows 10 and Windows<br \/>\n11 without additional configuration.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"whats-inside-an-eml-file-structure-and-components\">What&#8217;s inside<br \/>\nan EML file: structure and components<\/h3>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.coolutils.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/what-is-eml-file-2.png\"\nstyle=\"width:6.26772in;height:4.20833in\" \/><\/p>\n<p>An EML file contains three main sections: the header block, the<br \/>\nmessage body, and encoded attachments.<\/p>\n<p>Email headers form the top section of every EML file as key-value<br \/>\npairs. Headers record the sender address, recipient addresses, message<br \/>\ndate, subject line, and routing path. The message body follows the<br \/>\nheader block in plain-text or HTML format. Email attachments are encoded<br \/>\nusing MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions), which stores binary<br \/>\nfiles such as PDFs, images, and spreadsheets inside a plain-text<br \/>\ncontainer.<\/p>\n<p>The table below compares EML with three other common email file<br \/>\nformats:<\/p>\n<table>\n<colgroup>\n<col style=\"width: 12%\" \/>\n<col style=\"width: 14%\" \/>\n<col style=\"width: 32%\" \/>\n<col style=\"width: 17%\" \/>\n<col style=\"width: 22%\" \/>\n<\/colgroup>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Format<\/strong><\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Stores<\/strong><\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Compatible clients<\/strong><\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Open standard<\/strong><\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Attachment encoding<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">EML<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Single email<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Yes (RFC 5322)<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">MIME<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">MSG<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Single email<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Microsoft Outlook only<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">No (MAPI)<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">MAPI<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">PST<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Multiple emails<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Microsoft Outlook only<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">No (proprietary)<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">MAPI<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">MBOX<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Multiple emails<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Thunderbird, Apple Mail<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Yes<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">MIME<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2 id=\"how-to-open-and-view-eml-files\">How to open and view EML<br \/>\nfiles<\/h2>\n<p>EML files open through four methods: a desktop email client, a web<br \/>\nbrowser, a plain-text editor, or a free online viewer.<\/p>\n<table>\n<colgroup>\n<col style=\"width: 25%\" \/>\n<col style=\"width: 20%\" \/>\n<col style=\"width: 21%\" \/>\n<col style=\"width: 32%\" \/>\n<\/colgroup>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Opening method<\/strong><\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Email client needed<\/strong><\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Attachment support<\/strong><\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Best for<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Desktop email client<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Yes<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Full<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Standard reading and archiving<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Web browser (.mht rename)<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">No<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">None<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Quick HTML preview<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Plain-text editor<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">No<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">None<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Header inspection<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Free online EML viewer<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">No<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Partial<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">One-off viewing without installation<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, and Apple Mail support EML<br \/>\nfiles directly with full formatting and attachment display. Users<br \/>\nwithout an installed email client can view EML files through a browser<br \/>\nor text editor. The right method depends on the goal: formatted email<br \/>\nreading, raw header inspection, or attachment extraction. Each approach<br \/>\nhas different requirements for installed software and level of<br \/>\nattachment access.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"opening-eml-files-with-email-clients\">Opening EML files with<br \/>\nemail clients<\/h3>\n<p>Mozilla Thunderbird opens EML files natively through drag-and-drop,<br \/>\nwith no plugin or configuration required.<\/p>\n<p>Compatible email clients for EML files:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Mozilla Thunderbird:<\/strong> drag-and-drop import<br \/>\ndirectly into the message list<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Microsoft Outlook:<\/strong> double-click opens the EML as<br \/>\na read-only message preview<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Apple Mail:<\/strong> import via File &gt; Import<br \/>\nMailboxes on macOS<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Windows Live Mail:<\/strong> native .eml support,<br \/>\ndouble-click to open (discontinued)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>eM Client:<\/strong> direct EML drag-and-drop support on<br \/>\nWindows<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Opening an EML file in Microsoft Outlook requires no special steps on<br \/>\nWindows 10 and 11. Read-only preview mode activates when the user<br \/>\ndouble-clicks the EML file in Windows Explorer. For long-term Outlook<br \/>\nstorage, converting EML to MSG is recommended because Microsoft Outlook<br \/>\nuses MSG as its native internal format.<\/p>\n<p><strong>To open an EML file in Microsoft Outlook:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol type=\"1\">\n<li>\n<p>Locate the .eml file in Windows Explorer.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Double-click the file. Windows opens Microsoft Outlook and<br \/>\ndisplays the message.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Use File &gt; Save As to save the message in MSG format for<br \/>\nlong-term Outlook storage.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 id=\"opening-eml-files-without-an-email-client\">Opening EML files<br \/>\nwithout an email client<\/h3>\n<p>EML files open without an email client through web browsers, text<br \/>\neditors, and free online viewers when desktop email software is<br \/>\nunavailable.<\/p>\n<p>Free online EML viewers allow instant access to EML file content<br \/>\nwithout any software installation:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>EML Viewer Online (emlviewer.net):<\/strong> renders the<br \/>\nmessage body and headers in a browser tab; attachment extraction is<br \/>\nlimited to common file types<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Free Viewer (freeviewer.org\/eml):<\/strong> displays<br \/>\nheaders, body text, and basic attachments; supports multiple EML file<br \/>\nuploads per session<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>Encryptomatic MessageViewer Free:<\/strong> a free Windows<br \/>\ndesktop application that opens EML, MSG, and PST files with full<br \/>\nattachment extraction support<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4 id=\"using-web-browsers-to-open-eml-files\">Using web browsers to open<br \/>\nEML files<\/h4>\n<p>A web browser such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox displays EML<br \/>\nfile content after a simple file extension rename. No email account or<br \/>\nadditional software is required for this method.<\/p>\n<p>Steps to open an EML file in a web browser:<\/p>\n<ol type=\"1\">\n<li>\n<p>Locate the EML file in Windows Explorer.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Rename the file extension from .eml to .mht.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Drag the renamed .mht file into an open browser window.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The browser renders the email body in formatted HTML. MIME-encoded<br \/>\nattachments do not extract automatically through this browser method.<br \/>\nUse a dedicated EML viewer or desktop email client when full attachment<br \/>\naccess is required.<\/p>\n<h4 id=\"using-text-editors-to-view-eml-content\">Using text editors to<br \/>\nview EML content<\/h4>\n<p>Notepad on Windows and TextEdit on macOS open any EML file to display<br \/>\nthe raw message source. No additional software or email account is<br \/>\nrequired.<\/p>\n<table>\n<colgroup>\n<col style=\"width: 100%\" \/>\n<\/colgroup>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<p>From: sender@example.com<\/p>\n<p>To: recipient@example.com<\/p>\n<p>Date: Mon, 17 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000<\/p>\n<p>Subject: Sample EML file<\/p>\n<p>MIME-Version: 1.0<\/p>\n<p>Content-Type: text\/plain; charset=&#8221;utf-8&#8243;<\/p>\n<p>This is the plain text message body.<\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Email headers appear at the top of every raw EML file. Headers record<br \/>\nthe routing path, sender IP address, and mail server timestamps. The<br \/>\nmessage body follows in plain text or Base64-encoded HTML content. Text<br \/>\neditor access suits troubleshooting delivery failures and inspecting<br \/>\nheader metadata for e-discovery purposes. For e-discovery workflows,<br \/>\nheader timestamps establish the original send time and server routing<br \/>\npath.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"converting-eml-files-to-other-formats\">Converting EML files to<br \/>\nother formats<\/h2>\n<p>EML files convert to PDF, MSG, HTML, and other formats using<br \/>\ndedicated desktop conversion tools that preserve headers, body content,<br \/>\nand attachments.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.coolutils.com\/TotalMailConverter\"><u>CoolUtils<br \/>\nTotal Mail Converter<\/u><\/a> converts EML files to PDF, DOC, HTML, TXT,<br \/>\nand MSG in batch mode. Total Mail Converter processes entire folders of<br \/>\nEML files in a single operation and runs entirely offline on Windows, so<br \/>\nno files leave the local device. The conversion preserves email headers,<br \/>\nbody formatting, and MIME-encoded attachments in every output file.<\/p>\n<table>\n<colgroup>\n<col style=\"width: 26%\" \/>\n<col style=\"width: 40%\" \/>\n<col style=\"width: 32%\" \/>\n<\/colgroup>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Conversion target<\/strong><\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Use case<\/strong><\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Preserves<br \/>\nattachments<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">PDF<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Long-term archiving, printing<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Yes (embedded)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">MSG<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Outlook-native storage<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Yes<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">HTML<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Web display, browser viewing<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Yes (linked)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">TXT<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Plain-text extraction, forensics<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">No<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">DOC<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Editable document format<\/th>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">No<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Steps to convert EML files to PDF using CoolUtils Total Mail<br \/>\nConverter:<\/p>\n<ol type=\"1\">\n<li>\n<p>Download and install CoolUtils Total Mail Converter on<br \/>\nWindows.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Open Total Mail Converter and click &#8220;Add folder&#8221; to select the<br \/>\nsource EML folder.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Choose PDF as the output format in the format selector<br \/>\npanel.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Select the destination folder for the converted PDF<br \/>\nfiles.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Click Convert. Total Mail Converter processes all EML files and<br \/>\nsaves each message as a separate PDF.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3 id=\"best-practices-for-converting-eml-without-losing-data\">Best<br \/>\npractices for converting EML without losing data<\/h3>\n<p>Email headers and email attachments are the two components most often<br \/>\nlost during EML conversion when an incompatible tool is used.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Common EML conversion pitfalls to avoid:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p>Selecting tools that do not preserve MIME-encoded attachments in<br \/>\nthe output file<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Converting EML archives in place rather than writing output to a<br \/>\nseparate destination folder<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Using tools that strip email header metadata when exporting to<br \/>\nplain-text formats<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Skipping a test batch before processing a full archive<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Before starting any batch job, verify that the selected tool<br \/>\npreserves MIME-encoded attachments and copies header metadata into the<br \/>\noutput format. File conversion tools that output to PDF or MSG retain<br \/>\nthe most complete email records.<\/p>\n<p>Test the conversion on a sample of five to 10 EML files before<br \/>\nprocessing a full archive. Run a post-conversion check on attachment<br \/>\ncounts to confirm no files were dropped during Base64 re-encoding. <a\nhref=\"https:\/\/www.coolutils.com\/TotalMailConverter\"><u>CoolUtils Total<br \/>\nMail Converter<\/u><\/a> supports manual MIME part extraction from<br \/>\nnon-standard EML files when attachment preservation is critical.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"common-issues-with-eml-files-and-how-to-solve-them\">Common<br \/>\nissues with EML files and how to solve them<\/h2>\n<p>EML files fail to open for three main reasons: a missing file<br \/>\nassociation, no compatible email client installed, or corrupted MIME<br \/>\nencoding in the file itself.<\/p>\n<p>Common EML error messages and solutions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<p><strong>&#8220;Windows cannot open this file&#8221;:<\/strong> Windows has no<br \/>\napplication associated with the .eml extension. Right-click the file,<br \/>\nselect &#8220;Open with,&#8221; and choose Mozilla Thunderbird or Microsoft<br \/>\nOutlook.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>&#8220;The messaging interface has returned an unknown<br \/>\nerror&#8221;:<\/strong> Microsoft Outlook encountered a MAPI conflict. Restart<br \/>\nOutlook, then re-open the EML file.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p><strong>&#8220;Could not import: file is corrupt or<br \/>\nunreadable&#8221;:<\/strong> The EML file contains malformed MIME headers. Open<br \/>\nthe file in Notepad to inspect and correct the Content-Type declaration<br \/>\nat the top of the file.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Troubleshooting steps for EML files that will not open:<\/p>\n<ol type=\"1\">\n<li>\n<p>Right-click the EML file and select &#8220;Open with.&#8221; Choose Mozilla<br \/>\nThunderbird or Microsoft Outlook from the application list.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Open the EML file in a text editor and check the Content-Type<br \/>\nheader. A missing or malformed Content-Type value causes most rendering<br \/>\nfailures in email clients.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Use CoolUtils Total Mail Converter for attachment extraction when<br \/>\nstandard email clients fail. Total Mail Converter supports manual MIME<br \/>\npart extraction from corrupted or non-standard EML files.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<p>Convert the EML file to MSG format using CoolUtils Total Mail<br \/>\nConverter before importing into Microsoft Outlook when compatibility<br \/>\nproblems persist.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2 id=\"frequently-asked-questions\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_asked_questions\"><\/span>Frequently asked questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 id=\"how-do-i-convert-an-eml-file-to-pdf\">How do I convert an EML<br \/>\nfile to PDF?<\/h3>\n<p>CoolUtils Total Mail Converter converts EML files to PDF in batch<br \/>\nmode on Windows. The converter processes entire folders and preserves<br \/>\nheaders, body text, and attachments in the output PDF. Download the<br \/>\n30-day trial at coolutils.com and test the conversion on your own files<br \/>\nbefore purchasing.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"what-is-eml-used-for\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_EML_used_for\"><\/span>What is EML used for?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>An EML file stores a single exported email message for archiving,<br \/>\ntransfer, or legal review. IT administrators use EML files to migrate<br \/>\nemail archives between clients. Legal teams use EML files in e-discovery<br \/>\nworkflows because the format preserves original RFC 5322 header metadata<br \/>\nrequired for evidentiary purposes.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"can-i-open-eml-files-in-gmail\">Can I open EML files in<br \/>\nGmail?<\/h3>\n<p>Gmail does not support direct EML file import. To view an EML file<br \/>\nthrough Gmail, open the EML file in Mozilla Thunderbird first, then<br \/>\nforward the message to your Gmail address. Gmail receives the forwarded<br \/>\nmessage as a standard email with attachments intact.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"whats-the-difference-between-eml-and-msg-files\">What&#8217;s the<br \/>\ndifference between EML and MSG files?<\/h3>\n<p>EML files follow the open RFC 5322 standard and open in any<br \/>\nRFC-compliant email client. MSG files use Microsoft&#8217;s proprietary MAPI<br \/>\nformat and open natively only in Microsoft Outlook. EML offers broader<br \/>\ncross-platform compatibility, while MSG preserves Outlook-specific<br \/>\nmetadata such as categories and follow-up flags.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"how-do-i-save-an-email-as-an-eml-file\">How do I save an email as<br \/>\nan EML file?<\/h3>\n<p>Mozilla Thunderbird saves any email as an EML file through File &gt;<br \/>\nSave As. Select a destination folder and Thunderbird writes the complete<br \/>\nmessage, including headers and attachments, to a .eml file. Microsoft<br \/>\nOutlook does not save directly to EML format. Use CoolUtils Total Mail<br \/>\nConverter to export MSG files to EML.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"are-eml-files-secure\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_EML_files_secure\"><\/span>Are EML files secure?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>EML files provide no built-in encryption. Security depends on the<br \/>\nstorage location and access controls applied to the folder containing<br \/>\nthe file. EML files processed with CoolUtils Total Mail Converter stay<br \/>\non the local Windows device and are never uploaded to any server, which<br \/>\nprotects sensitive message content from third-party access.<\/p>\n<table>\n<colgroup>\n<col style=\"width: 100%\" \/>\n<\/colgroup>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th style=\"text-align: left;\">Download the 30-day trial of CoolUtils<br \/>\nTotal Mail Converter and convert your EML files on your own device. No<br \/>\ncard is required. The full trial runs on Windows 10 and Windows 11<br \/>\nwithout feature restrictions.<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn everything about EML files: how to create, open and edit EML file format and more information about this file extension.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[210],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1442","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-email-converters"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.coolutils.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1442","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.coolutils.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.coolutils.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.coolutils.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.coolutils.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1442"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.coolutils.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1442\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1650,"href":"https:\/\/www.coolutils.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1442\/revisions\/1650"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.coolutils.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1442"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.coolutils.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1442"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.coolutils.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1442"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}