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How to Save an Email in Outlook: A Comprehensive Guide

So, you want to save an email in Outlook? You’ve come to the right place. As a seasoned veteran of the digital communication trenches, I’ve seen it all when it comes to email management. And I can tell you, understanding how to properly save emails in Outlook is a crucial skill, whether you’re archiving important business correspondence, preserving legal documentation, or simply wanting to keep a record of cherished personal messages.

Here’s the core answer, broken down simply: There are several ways to save an email in Outlook, including saving it as a file (like a .msg or .eml file), printing it to a PDF, or archiving it within Outlook itself. Each method has its pros and cons, and the best choice depends on your specific needs. Let’s dive deeper into each method and explore how to execute them effectively.

Saving Emails as Files: Your Options

This is probably the most direct approach, giving you a tangible file you can store, share, and even open in other email clients.

Saving as a .MSG File

The .MSG format is a proprietary Microsoft format specifically designed for Outlook. It’s a robust way to preserve the integrity of the email, including attachments, formatting, and metadata (like sender, recipient, and timestamps).

How to do it: Open the email you want to save. Then, go to File > Save As. Choose a location on your computer and select “Outlook Message Format (*.msg)” from the “Save as type” dropdown menu. Give your file a descriptive name and click Save.
Why choose .MSG? It’s the best option if you need to ensure complete fidelity to the original email and plan to primarily use it within Outlook or other compatible Microsoft applications. It also fully preserves attachments.

Saving as a .EML File

The .EML format is a more universal, standard email format supported by a wider range of email clients, including Outlook, Thunderbird, and Apple Mail.

How to do it: The process is almost identical to saving as a .MSG file. Open the email, go to File > Save As, choose a location, but this time select “EML Format (*.eml)” from the “Save as type” dropdown. Name your file and hit Save.
Why choose .EML? It offers greater compatibility if you need to share the email with someone who might not be using Outlook, or if you want to future-proof your archive against potential Outlook-specific issues. Be mindful that complex formatting might not be perfectly preserved across different email clients.

Drag and Drop Method (Sometimes!)

Believe it or not, in some versions of Outlook, you can simply drag an email directly from your inbox onto your desktop or into a folder. This will automatically save the email as a .MSG file. Test this to see if your version of Outlook supports it.

Saving Emails as PDFs: For Readability and Printing

Saving an email as a PDF is an excellent choice if your primary goal is to create a readable, printable document that preserves the email’s content and basic formatting.

How to do it: Open the email. Go to File > Print. In the printer selection dropdown, choose “Microsoft Print to PDF” (or another PDF printer you may have installed). Click Print. You’ll then be prompted to choose a location and name for your PDF file.
Why choose PDF? It’s ideal for archiving emails that you need to easily read, share with others who might not have email access, or print for hardcopy records. Note that attachments are typically not included directly within the PDF unless specifically embedded during the printing process (which can be cumbersome).

Archiving Emails within Outlook: Maintaining Order

Outlook’s built-in archiving feature allows you to move older emails from your inbox to a dedicated archive folder, keeping your primary inbox clean and organized. This doesn’t create external files, but it’s a crucial organizational tool.

How to do it: Select the email (or emails) you want to archive. Click the “Archive” button in the ribbon (it looks like a file box with a down arrow). The email will be moved to your archive folder. You can customize the archive settings (including auto-archiving) under File > Options > Advanced > AutoArchive Settings.
Why choose archiving? It’s perfect for maintaining a tidy inbox while still retaining access to older correspondence within Outlook itself. It keeps emails accessible and searchable within your Outlook environment.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some common questions that arise when saving emails in Outlook, along with detailed answers:

Where is the “File” menu in the new Outlook interface? The new Outlook interface (sometimes called “new Outlook for Windows”) replaces the traditional ribbon with a simplified command bar. The File menu is now accessed by clicking on the “Settings and more” button (three dots) in the upper-right corner of the window, then selecting “File”.
How do I save multiple emails at once? Select multiple emails by holding down the Ctrl key (or Command key on a Mac) and clicking on each email. Then, follow the same steps as saving a single email (File > Save As, or drag-and-drop if supported). If saving as .MSG or .EML, Outlook will save each email as a separate file. If printing to PDF, you might need to use a third-party PDF printer to combine multiple emails into a single PDF.
What’s the difference between archiving and deleting an email? Deleting an email permanently removes it from your mailbox (after it’s been cleared from the deleted items folder, of course!). Archiving moves the email to a separate archive folder, keeping it accessible but out of your main inbox. Archiving is a better option if you want to retain the email for future reference.
How do I find my archived emails? Your archive folder is usually located in your Outlook folder list, often at the bottom. If you don’t see it, check your folder settings to ensure it’s visible.
Can I save attachments separately from the email? Absolutely. Open the email. Right-click on the attachment you want to save and select “Save As” or “Save All Attachments”. Choose a location on your computer and click Save. This is especially useful for large files.
How do I save an email from Outlook Web App (OWA)? The process is similar to the desktop application. Open the email. Click the “More actions” button (three dots) in the email header. Select “Download”. This will typically download the email as a .EML file. You might also find a “Print” option, allowing you to print to PDF.
Why can’t I save an email as a .TXT file? Outlook doesn’t directly support saving emails as plain text (.TXT) files. The .TXT format strips out all formatting, images, and attachments. If you need the text content, you can copy and paste it into a text editor and save it as a .TXT file.
How do I prevent Outlook from automatically archiving my emails? Go to File > Options > Advanced > AutoArchive Settings. Uncheck the box that says “Run AutoArchive every [X] days”. You can also customize the settings to exclude specific folders from auto-archiving.
What’s the best way to save an email with embedded images? Saving as a .MSG file is generally the best way to preserve embedded images without alteration. Saving as a .EML file usually preserves them, but they might be displayed as attachments in some email clients. Saving as PDF should also work, but the image quality might be reduced depending on your PDF printer settings.
How do I save an email so I can easily search for it later? Use descriptive file names when saving your emails. Also, Outlook’s search functionality is quite powerful. Ensure that Outlook is indexing your archive folders so you can easily search for emails by sender, recipient, subject, or keywords in the body of the message.
Is there a size limit when saving an email as a file? There’s technically no hard limit imposed by Outlook itself. However, your operating system and file system might have limitations on the maximum file size. Also, large email files (especially .MSG files with numerous or large attachments) can be cumbersome to manage and share.
My “Save As” option is grayed out. What should I do? This can sometimes happen if the email is protected by Information Rights Management (IRM) or if you don’t have the necessary permissions to save the email. Contact your IT administrator or the sender of the email for assistance.

Saving emails effectively is a fundamental skill for anyone using Outlook. By mastering the different methods outlined above, you can confidently manage your email archive, preserve crucial information, and maintain a well-organized inbox. Remember to choose the method that best suits your needs and don’t be afraid to experiment with different options until you find what works best for you. Happy archiving!