How to Open and Convert MSG Files to Excel Spreadsheet

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  • Updated on
    December 29th, 2025
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    5 minutes
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Summary: The HR teams have to manage recruitment-related MSG emails throughout the recruitment cycle. Now, to track the progress, they need to capture the candidate’s details. To do that, they have to convert MSG to Excel spreadsheet. In this blog, we will explain different methods to convert the MSG files to an Excel format. Both manual method and the automated method using MCD MSG Converter are explained below. Read the blog carefully to understand the methods in more detail. 

Why Convert MSG File to Excel Spreadsheet?

Organizations convert their MSG files into an Excel Spreadsheet to structure their email data for easy analysis. Given below are the reasons users consider this conversion:

  • Users convert their MSG file data to Excel format to transform it into a well-structured format. By doing this, it becomes easy to manage the emails.
  • After storing the data in MS Excel, users can easily filter, sort, and search for specific email messages based on the criteria.
  • It is easy to share an Excel spreadsheet across departments, even if they do not have Outlook installed.
  • While cleaning up the data, Excel helps users identify the duplicates, ensuring data accuracy.
  • The MSG to Excel conversion simplifies auditing by review-friendly email log for compliance verifications and legal investigations. 

How to Open and Convert MSG to Excel Spreadsheet?

Open MSG File in Excel 

Users have to use Outlook’s built-in “Import/Export” feature to convert the MSG files into an Excel spreadsheet format. 

Use the following instructions to start the conversion process:

  1. First, open Outlook and create a new folder to store MSG file emails.
  2. Now, drag and drop the MSG files to this new folder.
  3. After that, navigate to File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
  4. Then, select Export to a file and click Next to continue.
  5. Next, choose the saving format as Comma Separated Value (CSV) and click Next.
  6. Browse and select the desired MSG files and manually map the fields.
  7. Furthermore, specify the destination folder and click on the Finish button. 

You can now open the exported CSV file in MS Excel spreadsheet. 

Drawbacks: This method is not suitable for converting bulk or large MSG files. The attachments are not imported; only the emails are imported. Manual steps increase the chances of human errors. 

Insert MSG File into Excel 

In this method, we will first save the MSG file in a TXT format and then save it as an Excel spreadsheet. We’ll be using Outlook to save the MSG files in TXT format.

The following are the steps to begin the conversion:

  1. In Outlook, open the desired MSG file you want to convert.
  2. Now, click on File > Save As and choose the saving format as Text Only (.txt).
  3. Pick a destination path to save the file and click on the Save button.
  4. Open the Microsoft Excel application and navigate to Data > From Text/CSV.
  5. Next, browse and select the saved TXT file and complete the import process.
  6. Once imported, save the file as an Excel spreadsheet.

Drawbacks: During the TXT conversion, the formatting and the original folder structure might not be preserved. Also, after the conversion, users need to manually map the fields in Excel. 

Advanced Solution to Convert MSG to Excel Spreadsheet

For the enterprise-level MSG to Excel spreadsheet conversion, the manual methods fall short. To resolve this, experts recommend a professional MSG Converter that effortlessly converts bulk MSG files into an Excel format. In addition to this, it preserves the original folder hierarchy and ensures 100% data integrity. Moreover, this advanced utility provides features such as exporting to multiple formats, duplicate email removal, and enhanced filtering capabilities. 

Simple steps to convert MSG to XLS:

  1. Install and run the converter on your computer.
  2. After that, choose the required input mode: Single File, Multiple Files, or Folder.
  3. Then, click on Select File and load the desired MSG file.
  4. Once loaded, preview the files and click Next to continue.
  5. Select the XLS saving format from the available options of File Formats.
  6. If necessary, add the advanced options, choose the destination folder, and hit the Convert button. 

Conclusion

The MSG to Excel spreadsheet conversion is important for easy search and to transform it into a well-structured format. Doing the conversion manually can be risky and is inefficient to convert MSG to Excel. Hence, for accurate and error-free results, using a professional MSG Converter is recommended. This professional tool converts the MSG files to Excel format in bulk, fulfilling business requirements.

You May Also Read: Convert MSG to EML

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Does converting MSG to Excel keep email metadata intact?

Ans- Yes, converting MSG files to Excel typically preserves essential email metadata such as sender, recipient, subject, date, and time. However, advanced metadata and attachments may not be retained, especially when using manual conversion methods.

Q2. What is the best way to convert MSG to Excel?

Ans- The best way to convert MSG to Excel is via a professional converter tool. Professional tools ensure complete data integrity and maintain the original folder structure as well.

Q3. Is it possible to convert MSG to Excel without Outlook?

Ans- The manual methods do require Outlook to convert the MSG files into an Excel spreadsheet. Whereas with a professional converter tool, the Outlook dependency is eliminated. It converts the MSG files into Excel directly.

Q4. Can MSG files from all Outlook versions be converted to Excel?

Ans- Yes, MSG files created in different Outlook versions can generally be converted to Excel without compatibility issues. Most modern conversion tools support MSG files from all major Outlook releases.

About The Author

Rohit Singh is an Email Backup, Recovery, and Migration Expert with over 6 years of experience in the software industry. He specializes in data migration solutions for Microsoft Outlook, Office 365, Google Workspace, and other popular email clients. Rohit regularly shares practical insights and technical guides to help users simplify complex email management tasks.

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