The files “.msg” are regularly created to save Outlook related items to the Windows file system, but Outlook doesn't need to see them. Despite this, these files are focused on the composite file binary format and cannot be viewed with a normal editor.
In this post, we will talk about three different scenarios where you might want to see these files. The first method will talk about how to open the .msg files using a specialized file viewer application, the second one will talk about how to open .msg files with Outlook without any problem, while the third method is a complete guide for users who have no alternative to convert files to PDF formats for viewing.
Method 1: use a file viewer:
In our first method, we will talk about a third-party tool that enables readers to correctly view .msg files. Using simple text editors like Notepad will only show you the information in garbled characters because .msg files are ideally designed for use with Outlook. There are many different programs available, but the one we are going to use is called MsgViewer.
Go to this link and click the download button.
Once the .zip file is downloaded, you will need to extract it. To do this, you can use the default Windows compression tools or, if there aren't any, you can try third party ones like 7Zip.
Once extraction is complete, a file called »jar» should appear. This is our tool, which is simply a Java applet. Double click to start it. If you get any error opening it, you may need to install Java on your device. Ir this link to download and install it.
When the application starts, you should see a window with the text “Drag a message file to the window”.
Now all you have to do is drag a .msg file to the window. Once i do, you will be able to see all the content of the file, fully formatted.
Method 2: open files with Outlook
Msg files are ideally designed to open in Outlook, so regularly no additional steps should be necessary, But from time to time users have got the following error message when opening them in Outlook:
» Cannot open filename location ~ filename.msg. It is possible that the file does not exist, that you do not have permission to open it or that it is open in another program. Right-click on the folder that contains the file, and then click Properties to check the folder's permissions «.
We are going to provide two alternatives to fix this problem and be able to open files correctly in Outlook.
Submethod 1: actualice Outlook (if you are using the Outlook app 2016)
Most of the time, a simple update fixes the problem. Follow these steps:
Open your Microsoft Outlook application. You can do this by pressing the Windows key and searching for »Outlook».
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Click File in the upper left corner.
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Now click on Account
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Now go to »Update Options».
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To finish click “Update now”.
Let the update take its course and, once done, restart your device and you should be able to open the file easily.
Submethod 2: make files read-only
The update should be able to fix the problem for you, but if you don't, there is another solution you can try. This will involve setting the file to “read only”. This will be more applicable if you are saving the files to a shared folder accessed by more than one user. In that case, Outlook can lock files and make them inaccessible to other network users.
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Go to the archive “.msg” respective, right-click and select
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On the General tab, check the checkbox next to Read Only under Attributes
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Click File in the upper left corner.
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Now click on
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Now go to »Update Options».
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To finish click “Update now”.
If you have more than one file, you will need to repeat the above steps for all of them.
Method 3: convert .msg files to PDF
As third method, we will share a way to convert files to PDF; Since PDF files are easier to view, this is a great alternative for people who have trouble viewing .msg files in another way.
There are quite a few websites available online that enable you to convert .msg files to PDF. One such website is com. Click here to visit the converter.
You know that you must follow a few simple steps. First, load your.
Then choose the desired output format. In our case, PDF.
Enter your email address.
Click convert
The file must be converted to PDF format and an email will be sent to your inbox with a link to download it..
