Guide

How to open an Outlook .msg file on iPhone or iPad

A .msg file is how Outlook on Windows saves one message. Nothing built into iPhone or iPad reads it. Here is how to open it.

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What a .msg file is

A .msg file is one message saved from Outlook on Windows. Unlike .eml, it is not plain text. It is a Microsoft compound binary file that stores the message as a set of MAPI properties: subject, sender, recipients, the body in plain, HTML or RTF form, and each attachment as its own stream. People create them by dragging a message out of Outlook onto the desktop, using File, then Save As, or when a records system exports correspondence. An .oft file is the same container used for an Outlook template.

Why Mail and Files cannot show it

Nothing in iOS reads the .msg format. Mail shows the attachment as a generic document and cannot preview it. Files has no handler for it either; tapping the file gives a "no preview" screen or a bare share menu. The message is intact. The phone simply lacks a reader for it.

Three ways to open it

  1. Share sheet. In Mail, Messages, Teams, 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 recipients, headers and attachments.
  2. Files. Save the .msg to iCloud Drive or On My iPhone. In Files, tap it and it opens in EML & MSG Viewer. If it does not, 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

Confirm the extension is .msg or .oft. A .pst or .ost file is a whole Outlook data file, and .olm is the Mac equivalent; 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. Some .msg files are not email: a contact, task or note has no message body to show, and an encrypted or rights-protected message cannot be displayed. If a normal message still fails, email support with your iOS and app versions.

Questions

Do I need Outlook installed to open a .msg file?

No. The app reads the file itself, so no other app and no Microsoft account is needed.

Will I see the attachments inside the .msg?

Yes. Attachments are listed under the message and can be previewed with Quick Look, shared to another app, or saved to Files.

Can I turn the .msg into a PDF?

Yes. Open the message and choose PDF export. The result contains the message body, its metadata and an inventory of the attachments.