You need to keep a permanent, offline copy of important emails from your Outlook mailbox. Saving an email as an MSG file creates a standalone copy that contains all the original message data. This article provides the steps to save individual emails and entire folders to your computer for archiving or transfer.
Key Takeaways: Saving Emails as MSG Files
- File > Save As: Use this menu path to save a single selected email as an MSG file to any location on your PC.
- Drag and drop to File Explorer: Drag an email from your Outlook list directly to a Windows folder to create an MSG file instantly.
- Export to a PST file: Use File > Open & Export > Import/Export to archive entire folders, which can be opened later in Outlook.
What an MSG File Is and Why You Need It
An MSG file is a single-file container for an Outlook item like an email, contact, or calendar appointment. It preserves the complete content including the sender, recipients, subject, body, attachments, and timestamps. This format is native to Outlook and can be double-clicked to open the email in a new window, even on a different computer without the original mailbox connection.
Saving emails as MSG files is ideal for creating legal records, transferring specific messages to colleagues, or keeping a local backup separate from your server mailbox. It is different from printing an email to PDF or forwarding it, as the MSG file remains a fully functional Outlook item. You need write access to a folder on your computer or a network drive to save the files.
Steps to Save Emails as Individual MSG Files
You can save one or several emails at a time using the Save As command. This method gives you control over the file name and save location for each message.
- Select the email in your mailbox
In your Outlook mail folder, click once on the email you want to save. To save multiple emails, hold down the Ctrl key and click each one. - Open the Save As dialog
Go to the File tab on the ribbon. In the menu that appears, click Save As. The keyboard shortcut Alt, F, A also opens this dialog. - Choose the save location and file type
In the Save As window, navigate to the folder on your computer where you want the backup. The Save as type field will already be set to Outlook Message Format (*.msg). Do not change this. - Name and save the file
Type a descriptive name for the file in the File name box. Click Save. Outlook will create an MSG file for each selected email in your chosen folder.
Using Drag and Drop for a Quick Save
For a faster method, you can drag emails directly from Outlook to a Windows folder.
- Open File Explorer
Open Windows File Explorer and navigate to the desktop or the folder where you want the MSG files. - Select and drag the email
In Outlook, click on the email you wish to save. Drag it from the message list and drop it onto the open File Explorer window. - Verify the created file
A new MSG file will appear in the folder. Its name will be the subject of the email. You can rename it like any other file.
Common Mistakes and Limitations to Avoid
Saving an MSG File Does Not Remove It from Your Mailbox
Saving an email as an MSG file only creates a copy. The original email remains in your Outlook mailbox. If you want to delete the server copy after saving, you must manually delete it from the folder. The two files are not linked.
MSG Files from Search Results May Not Save Correctly
If you perform a search in Outlook and try to save an email from the search results pane, the operation might fail. Always navigate to the actual folder containing the email, such as your Inbox or Sent Items, before using Save As. This ensures Outlook can access the full item properties.
Very Large Emails with Big Attachments
An MSG file includes all attachments. An email with a 100 MB video file will create a 100 MB MSG file. Be mindful of your storage space when saving many large emails. You cannot save an email without its attachments using the standard Save As method.
Backup Methods: MSG vs PST File Export
| Item | Individual MSG File | PST File Export |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Backing up a few specific emails | Archiving entire folders or years of mail |
| File Management | Many separate files to manage | One large container file |
| Opening the Backup | Double-click each MSG file | Open the PST in Outlook via File > Open & Export |
| Search Functionality | Must search using Windows | Can search within Outlook after opening the PST |
| Folder Structure | Lost; all emails are flat files | Preserves original folder hierarchy |
You now have a reliable local copy of your important emails. Use the Save As method for critical individual messages and consider the PST export feature in File > Open & Export for full folder backups. For advanced archiving, you can use VBA macros to automate saving batches of emails as MSG files based on rules like date or sender.