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.EML file extension

To open .EML files on Windows, try opening the .eml file directly; if it opens in Outlook, review the sender and contents before opening any attachments.

To open an .eml file, use an email client or viewer that supports Internet Message Format email messages (MIME type: message/rfc822). On Windows, Microsoft Outlook can open .eml files; on other systems, use a mail client or transfer the file to a desktop app if your device can’t preview it.

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Last updated: April 30, 2026 · Reviewed by Julian Stricker

Open on your device

Choose your operating system for a dedicated step-by-step opening guide.

How to open .EML files

Use these platform-specific instructions to open .EML files safely.

Windows

  1. Try opening the .eml file directly; if it opens in Outlook, review the sender and contents before opening any attachments.
  2. If it doesn’t open correctly, right-click the file → Open with → choose Microsoft Outlook (or another installed email client/viewer).
  3. If you use the new Outlook and it won’t open, follow Microsoft’s guidance for opening .eml in Outlook (see Further reading).
Full Windows guide

Mac

  1. Double-click the .eml file; if it doesn’t open in your preferred mail app, Control-click → Open With and choose an email client/viewer.
  2. If the email appears as raw headers/text, open it with a mail client that understands Internet Message Format/MIME rather than a plain text editor.
Full Mac guide

Linux

  1. In your file manager, right-click the .eml file → Open With and pick an installed email client/viewer.
  2. If it opens in the wrong app, adjust the file association for message/rfc822 or for *.eml using your desktop environment’s “Default Applications” settings (based on shared MIME-info).
Full Linux guide

iOS

  1. Open the .eml from the Files app and use Share to send it to a mail app or transfer it to a desktop email client if your iOS apps only show raw source or can’t preview it.
Full iOS guide

Android

  1. Open the .eml from your Downloads/Files app; if it only shows raw text or won’t open, share/transfer it to a desktop email client or a dedicated mail viewer app you trust.
Full Android guide

Security notes

  • .EML files can contain links, HTML content, and attachments via MIME; treat them like opening an email—be cautious with unexpected senders and do not open attachments you don’t trust.
  • If you open an .eml in a text editor, you will see the raw headers and MIME parts; this can be safer for inspection, but it can also be confusing—avoid manually running any attachment content extracted from an untrusted message.
  • Be careful with nested messages (message/rfc822) and attachments that are executables or scripts; the .eml container itself is just the message format, but it can carry risky payloads as attachments.

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Can't open this file?

These are the most common causes and fixes when .EML files fail to open.

Common reasons

  • The .EML file opens as unreadable raw text
  • Double-click opens the .EML in the wrong program
  • Outlook won’t open the .EML as expected
  • Attachments are missing or won’t open

Fix steps

  1. Open the .eml with an email client/viewer instead of a text editor.
  2. If you must inspect it manually, use a text editor only to verify headers, and extract attachments using a mail client that understands MIME.

OS-specific troubleshooting

What is a .EML file?

.EML files usually store one complete email message in the Internet Message Format defined by RFC 5322 (headers plus body). They often also include MIME structure (for HTML email and attachments), where the encapsulated email message is commonly identified as message/rfc822. On many desktop systems, file associations are based on MIME databases that map patterns like *.eml to a MIME type.

Background

An .eml file is most commonly a saved email message that you might export from an email program or receive as an attachment. It preserves typical email components such as From/To/Subject/Date headers and the message body as plain text or HTML, and it can include attachments using MIME multipart encoding.

Technically, the message structure follows the Internet Message Format (RFC 5322). When email includes attachments or alternative body formats, MIME rules apply; message/rfc822 is a standard media type used to represent an encapsulated email message body.

On desktop environments (especially Linux), whether an .eml file opens in a specific app can depend on MIME type detection and file association rules (for example, mapping *.eml to message/rfc822). On Windows, Microsoft documents opening .eml files with Outlook and provides common methods for doing so.

Common MIME types: message/rfc822

Further reading

Authoritative resources for more details on the .EML format.

Common .EML issues

The .EML file opens as unreadable raw text

This typically happens when the file is opened in a plain text editor that does not interpret RFC 5322 headers and MIME parts (HTML body, attachments).

  1. Open the .eml with an email client/viewer instead of a text editor.
  2. If you must inspect it manually, use a text editor only to verify headers, and extract attachments using a mail client that understands MIME.

Double-click opens the .EML in the wrong program

File associations may be set incorrectly (for example, not associated with message/rfc822 or mapped to a generic editor).

  1. On Windows: right-click → Open with → choose Outlook (or another mail client), and set it as the default for .eml if offered.
  2. On Linux: change the default application for message/rfc822 or the *.eml association via your desktop environment settings (shared MIME-info).

Outlook won’t open the .EML as expected

Different Outlook versions and configurations (including the new Outlook) can behave differently when opening .eml files.

  1. Use Microsoft’s documented method for opening .eml in the new Outlook (see Further reading).
  2. If one method fails (e.g., double-click), try opening from within Outlook or using Open with from File Explorer.

Attachments are missing or won’t open

The .eml may be incomplete/corrupted, or the message’s MIME structure may not have been preserved during download/transfer.

  1. Re-download or re-export the .eml from the original source to ensure the full message is saved.
  2. Open the .eml in a mail client that supports MIME so attachments are recognized and extracted correctly.

FAQ

What is the MIME type for .eml files?

The most common MIME type associated with .eml email messages is message/rfc822 (registered with IANA).

Can I convert an email to .EML by renaming the file extension?

No. Renaming only changes the filename. A real .eml must contain a properly formatted Internet Message Format message (RFC 5322), often with MIME structure for HTML/attachments.

Why does my .EML show lots of headers and boundary lines?

That is the normal raw email source: RFC 5322 headers plus MIME boundaries/parts. Use a mail client/viewer to render it into a readable email with attachments.

Is .EML the same as Outlook .MSG?

They are different file formats. .eml is the Internet Message Format (RFC 5322/MIME). Microsoft Outlook can open .eml, but .msg is a separate Outlook message format.

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