Guide

How to open an .eml file on iPhone or iPad

Your phone shows a file ending in .eml as a blank icon or "cannot preview". Here is what it is and how to read it.

Get EML & MSG Viewer on the App Store

What an .eml file is

An .eml file is a single email message saved to disk, in the standard email format (RFC 822 with MIME): headers, body and any attachments encoded inside one plain-text file. Apple Mail, Thunderbird, Gmail and Outlook can all export a message as .eml, which is why it turns up in ticket exports, shared drives and forwarded records. .emlx is Apple Mail's on-disk variant, and an .mbox file is a stack of these messages in one file.

Why Mail and Files may not show it

Mail on iPhone can display an .eml attachment inline in some cases, usually when the sender's mail program attached it as a proper message part. When it cannot, Mail shows a generic document icon. The Files app has no built-in preview for .eml; tapping the file offers only a share menu unless an app that handles the format is installed. The message is intact; the phone has nothing to render it with.

Three ways to open it

  1. Share sheet. In Mail, Messages, WhatsApp, Slack or any other app, tap the attachment, tap the Share button, and choose EML & MSG Viewer from the app row. The message opens with its attachments listed.
  2. Files. Save the .eml to iCloud Drive or On My iPhone. In Files, tap it and it opens in EML & MSG Viewer. If another app has claimed the type, long-press the file, choose Share, then pick EML & MSG Viewer.
  3. AirDrop. Send the file from a Mac or another iPhone or iPad. When it arrives, iOS asks which app should open it; choose EML & MSG Viewer.

Opening, reading, saving attachments, headers and folder scan are free; PDF export is the one paid feature.

If it still will not open

Check the extension. A .pst, .ost or .olm file is a whole Outlook mailbox, not a single message, and this app does not open those, nor .mht or .xps. Export the single message instead: in Outlook for Windows, drag it to the desktop or use File, then Save As, to get a .msg; in Outlook for Mac, drag it to the Finder for an .eml; in Gmail, open it, tap the three-dot menu and choose Download message. If a real .eml still fails, email support with your iOS and app versions.

Questions

Does the app upload my email to a server?

No. The file is parsed on the device; the developer does not receive the message, attachments or headers. Remote images in HTML email are the one exception, and Remote Content can be switched off in the app.

Can I save the attachments out of an .eml file?

Yes. Each attachment is listed under the message. Tap one to preview it with Quick Look, or share it to Files, Mail or any other app.

Does it open .emlx and .mbox files too?

Yes. An .emlx file from Apple Mail is unwrapped and shown like a normal .eml, and an .mbox file is split into its individual messages.