Where to Find MSG Files in New Outlook After Leaving Classic Outlook

When you switch from Classic Outlook to the new Outlook for Windows, your email messages, contacts, and calendar items appear to move automatically. But MSG files—single email messages saved as individual files on your local drive—do not move with the rest of your data. This leaves many users unable to locate their old MSG files after the switch. The new Outlook does not display a direct folder tree for local MSG files the way Classic Outlook does. This article explains where MSG files are stored, how to access them from the new Outlook, and what to do if you cannot find them.

Why MSG Files Do Not Appear in New Outlook Automatically

The new Outlook for Windows is a completely rebuilt application that uses a different data storage model than Classic Outlook. Classic Outlook stores your mail, calendar, and contacts in PST or OST files on your local machine. MSG files are individual copies of single messages that you saved manually by using File > Save As or by dragging an email to a folder. These MSG files are not part of the Outlook data file. They are standalone files stored in a location you chose at the time of saving.

When you switch to the new Outlook, the application connects to your Microsoft 365 mailbox or Exchange account and syncs data from the server. It does not scan your local hard drive for MSG files. The new Outlook also lacks a built-in file explorer pane that shows local folders. Therefore, MSG files remain in their original Windows folders and must be accessed separately.

Where Classic Outlook Saves MSG Files by Default

Classic Outlook defaults to the Documents folder when you choose File > Save As. The exact path is:

C:\Users\[YourUsername]\Documents\Outlook Files

If you saved MSG files to a different folder, they will be there instead. The new Outlook does not change or delete these files. They remain in place on your hard drive.

Steps to Locate and Open MSG Files in New Outlook

Follow these steps to find your MSG files and open them in the new Outlook.

1. Open File Explorer
   Press Windows key + E on your keyboard. This opens File Explorer.
2. Navigate to the Documents folder
   In the left pane, click This PC, then double-click Documents. If you see a subfolder named Outlook Files, open it. Most MSG files saved from Classic Outlook are stored here.
3. Search for MSG files if not in the default folder
   If you do not see the MSG files in Documents, click inside the search box in the upper-right corner of File Explorer. Type msg and press Enter. File Explorer will scan your entire user folder for any files with the .msg extension. This search may take a few minutes.
4. Double-click an MSG file to open it
   Once you locate an MSG file, double-click it. The new Outlook will open the message in a separate window. You can then reply, forward, or move the message to a folder in your new Outlook mailbox.
5. Move the MSG file to a new Outlook folder (optional)
   With the message open, click the Move button on the ribbon. Select a destination folder in your mailbox. The message is copied to that folder and remains as an MSG file on your drive.

If You Exported a PST File Before Leaving Classic Outlook

If you exported your entire Classic Outlook mailbox to a PST file before switching, you can import that PST file into the new Outlook. This brings all messages, including those that were originally MSG files if they were saved inside the mailbox, into the new Outlook.

1. Open the new Outlook
   Launch the application from your Start menu or taskbar.
2. Go to File > Open & Export > Import/Export
   Click File in the top-left corner, then click Open & Export. Select Import/Export from the menu.
3. Choose Import from another program or file
   In the Import and Export wizard, select Import from another program or file and click Next.
4. Select Outlook Data File (.pst)
   Choose Outlook Data File (.pst) and click Next.
5. Browse to your PST file
   Click Browse, locate the PST file you exported from Classic Outlook, and select it. Choose how you want to handle duplicates and click Finish.

If You Still Cannot Find Your MSG Files

MSG files were saved to a removable drive or network location

If you saved MSG files to a USB drive, external hard drive, or network folder, they will not appear in the Documents folder. Connect the drive or map the network location, then use File Explorer to browse to that path. Double-click the MSG file to open it in the new Outlook.

MSG files were deleted during the switch

Switching from Classic Outlook to the new Outlook does not delete any files from your hard drive. If you cannot find MSG files, they may have been deleted manually before the switch, or they may have been saved to a location you no longer remember. Use the msg search method described above to scan your entire user profile. If the files are not found, check your Recycle Bin. If they were deleted more than 30 days ago, they may be permanently gone.

MSG files are in a subfolder of a different user account

If you used multiple Windows user accounts on the same computer, MSG files saved under one account will not be visible when you are logged into another account. Sign out of your current account and sign into the account where the MSG files were originally saved. Then follow the steps to locate and open them.

Classic Outlook MSG File Location vs New Outlook Access Method

Item	Classic Outlook	New Outlook
Default MSG save location	Documents\Outlook Files	No default location; files remain where saved
How to open MSG files	Double-click or File > Open	Double-click in File Explorer; opens in new Outlook
Built-in file explorer for local files	Folder pane shows local folders	No local folder pane
Import PST files	File > Open & Export > Import/Export	File > Open & Export > Import/Export
Search for MSG files	Instant Search in Outlook	File Explorer search for msg

You can now locate and open MSG files from your Classic Outlook days using File Explorer. The new Outlook opens them when you double-click. If you need to keep these messages accessible inside your mailbox, move them to a folder after opening them. For future reference, always save MSG files to a folder you can easily find, such as Documents\Outlook Files, so you can locate them quickly after any Outlook migration.