What an EML file is and why you have one

An EML file is a plain-text email message saved as a single file. It contains the email's headers (sender, recipient, subject, date), the message body, and sometimes attachments. Email programs like Outlook, Thunderbird, and Apple Mail create EML files when you export or save individual emails, or when an email client crashes and leaves behind recovery files.

You might have an EML file because you exported an email from your inbox, received one as an attachment, or found it in a backup folder. Unlike a PDF or Word document, an EML file is designed to be opened by email software, not a web browser or text editor — though it will open in both, just not always in a readable way.

Key Takeaways

  • EML files open in any email program (Outlook, Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Gmail) by dragging the file into your inbox or using the import function.
  • On Windows, right-click the EML file, select "Open with", and choose your email program from the list.
  • If no email program is installed, you can open an EML file in Notepad or any text editor to read the plain text, though formatting and attachments may not display correctly.
  • Gmail and other web-based email services do not have a direct "open EML" button, but you can forward the file to yourself or use a converter tool to import it.

Opening an EML file on Windows

The simplest way is to use the email program you already have. If you use Outlook, Thunderbird, or Windows Mail, right-click the EML file, hover over "Open with", and select your email program from the menu. The file will open as a readable email in that program's window.

If you do not see your email program in the "Open with" list, click "Choose another app" at the bottom. Scroll down to find Outlook, Thunderbird, or Mail, select it, and check the box that says "Always use this app to open .eml files". The next EML file you open will use the same program automatically.

If you have no email program installed, you can open the EML file in Notepad (right-click, select "Open with", choose Notepad). You will see the raw email code, including headers and message text, but attachments will appear as encoded text rather than downloadable files. This method works for reading the message itself, but not for accessing attachments.

Opening an EML file on Mac

Apple Mail is the default email program on Mac and will open EML files directly. Double-click the EML file, and it will open in Mail. If Mail does not open automatically, right-click the file, select "Open With", and choose Mail from the list.

If you use a different email program like Thunderbird, right-click the EML file, select "Open With", and choose Thunderbird. You can also drag and drop the EML file directly into your Thunderbird inbox folder, and it will import as a new message.

If you want to read the file without an email program, open it in TextEdit (right-click, "Open With", select TextEdit). You will see the email headers and body text, but attachments will not display as files you can save.

Opening an EML file on Linux

Thunderbird is the most common email program on Linux and handles EML files without extra steps. Open Thunderbird, go to File > Import, select "Import a file", navigate to your EML file, and click Open. The email will import into your inbox.

You can also open an EML file in any text editor (gedit, Kate, or nano from the command line) to read the plain text. Right-click the file, select "Open With", and choose your text editor. Again, you will see the message and headers but not formatted attachments.

Using Gmail or web-based email to open an EML file

Gmail does not have a built-in "open EML" feature, but you can import the file by forwarding it to yourself. Download a free converter tool like CloudConvert or Zamzar, upload your EML file, convert it to MBOX format (which Gmail accepts), and then import it into Gmail through Settings > Labels > Import mail.

Alternatively, if you have Thunderbird installed on your computer, import the EML file into Thunderbird first, then sync Thunderbird with your Gmail account using an IMAP connection. This moves the email into Gmail without needing a separate converter.

What to do if the EML file will not open

The most common reason an EML file will not open is that no email program is set as the default for that file type. Right-click the file, select "Open with", and manually choose an email program. If you see only text editors in the list, you need to install an email program like Thunderbird (free, works on Windows, Mac, and Linux) or use your operating system's built-in mail app.

If the file is corrupted or incomplete, opening it in a text editor will show you whether the message content is readable. A corrupted EML file may have missing headers or broken encoding, but the plain text usually survives. If the file is very small (under 1 KB), it may be an empty or damaged export.

If you received the EML file from someone else and it will not open, ask them to re-export it from their email program. Sometimes EML files created by older versions of Outlook or custom email clients do not import cleanly into newer programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I open an EML file in my web browser?

No. Web browsers do not recognize EML files and will either download them or show an error. You need an email program or text editor. If you want to view the email in a browser, convert it to PDF using a tool like CloudConvert, or import it into a web-based email service like Gmail or Outlook.com.

Will opening an EML file in Notepad show me the attachments?

No. Attachments in EML files are encoded as Base64 text, which looks like random characters. A text editor will display this code but not let you save the attachment as a file. Use an email program instead to extract attachments properly.

What is the difference between EML and MSG files?

EML is a plain-text format used by most email programs. MSG is a Microsoft format used only by Outlook. Both store email messages, but MSG files are proprietary and do not open in non-Outlook programs as easily. If you have an MSG file, open it in Outlook or convert it to EML using a free tool.

Can I batch-open multiple EML files at once?

Most email programs do not have a batch import button, but you can drag multiple EML files into your inbox folder at once in Thunderbird or Apple Mail. Outlook requires importing through File > Import one file at a time, or you can use a third-party tool to convert multiple EML files to MBOX and import them together.