Save an Email as .eml or .msg File

ContactMonkey Support may request an .eml or .msg file of your email to troubleshoot formatting or delivery issues. This must be the original email received by the recipient—not a forwarded copy.

What You Need to Know

• MSG files: Microsoft-proprietary format used by Outlook that stores rich message data
• EML files: Standardized, widely compatible format based on the MIME standard
• Both formats preserve the complete email structure, including headers, attachments, and formatting

New Outlook/OWA

Method 1: Drag and Drop

1. Drag the email you wish to save from your inbox to your desktop
2. The file automatically saves as an .eml file

Method 2: Save As

1. Double-click your desired email to open it in a new window
2. Click the three-dot icon (...) at the top right
3. Select Save as → Save as EML
   • In OWA: Download → Download as EML
4. Browse and select your save location
5. Click Save

Classic Outlook

Method 1: Drag and Drop

1. Drag the email you wish to save from your inbox to your desktop
2. The file automatically saves as a .msg file

Method 2: Save As

1. Double-click your desired email to open it in a new window
2. Click File → Save As
3. Browse and select your save location
4. 5. Enter a file name
5. In the Save as type drop-down, select Outlook Message Format - Unicode
6. Click Save

Outlook for Mac

Method 1: Drag and Drop

1. Drag the email you wish to save from your inbox to your desktop
2. The file automatically saves as an .eml file

Method 2: Save As

1. Select your desired email
2. Click File → Save As (or press Command + Shift + S)
3. Click the dropdown arrow in the Where field
4. Browse and select your save location
5. Leave the file type set to Email Message (default)
6. Click Save

Gmail

1. Select your desired email
2. On the right-hand side, click the vertical three-dot menu item
3. Click Download message

Troubleshooting

The file won't attach when I try to send it to Technical Support  
Some email clients block .msg or .eml attachments for security reasons. Compress the file into a .zip folder before attaching, or upload it to a cloud storage service and share the link.

I can't find the Save As/Download option  
Make sure you've opened the email in its own window (not just selected it in your inbox). The Save As/Download option only appears when viewing the email in a separate window.

The saved file is empty or won't open  
This typically happens if you forwarded the email before saving it. You must save the original email as received—forwarding changes the message structure.