📧 Outlook MSG file won't open on Windows
MSG files are a proprietary Microsoft Outlook format, and Windows has no built-in handler for them — without Outlook installed, double-clicking an MSG file just produces an 'Open with' prompt with no useful options. You can convert the MSG to a PDF using OpenAny, which lets you read and share the email content without needing Outlook at all.
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About .msg to PDF conversion
Why does Windows say it can't open my MSG file?
MSG is a proprietary format created by Microsoft Outlook to store a single email message, including its headers, body, and attachments. Windows itself has no built-in reader for it — the only official way to open one natively is to have Outlook installed. Unlike PDF or DOCX, there is no free Microsoft viewer for MSG files.
Can I read the email content if I convert the MSG to PDF?
Yes. Converting MSG to PDF with OpenAny preserves the email body, subject line, sender, recipient, and date. Inline images in the email body are also typically rendered. Note that file attachments embedded inside the MSG will not be extracted into the PDF — you only get the email content itself.
What are my other options if I need to open MSG files regularly?
If you need full access including attachments, the most reliable free options are: installing the free Outlook on the web via a Microsoft account and dragging the MSG in, or using a desktop client like Thunderbird with the MsgViewer add-on. Mozilla Thunderbird with that plugin can open MSG files directly at no cost and preserves attachments.