Summary: Emails hold vital business decisions and contracts. While Outlook manages them well, users often save Outlook email as EML as a backup. So, how does the user save their Outlook emails as .eml format? This blog explains everything. Go through this blog completely to know the solution. Users can save Outlook emails in .eml format either manually or by an automated PST Converter. The converter tool guarantees data integrity and preserves the structure after the conversion. Now, let’s move ahead and first understand the benefits of saving Outlook emails as EML.
Benefits of Exporting Emails from Office 365 to EML
Take a look at why users export emails from Office 365 to EML:
- EML format ensures that users can easily view the saved emails in many email programs apart from Outlook.
- Users can archive essential Outlook emails in EML format as convenient offline copies.
- Since every email is stored as a single .eml file, users can quickly locate or transfer specific emails.
- By saving the email as .eml, it retains the structure of the email. Such as the formatting, attachments, and metadata.
- The portability of EML files makes them perfect for sharing through email, USB, or cloud storage.
Learn How to Save Outlook Email as EML Format
In the following section, we will execute the methods to save your Outlook email as an EML file. Both manual and automated methods are highlighted below. Take a look at each of the methods one by one.
Manually Save Outlook 365 Emails as EML via Windows Mail App
This method works only on the Windows 10 or Windows 11 Mail App. Also, make sure that your Windows Mail application is configured with your Outlook account.
Step-by-step instructions to perform the process:
- First, launch the Windows Mail application on your machine.
- Then, head to Settings > Manage Accounts > Add Account.
- After that, choose Outlook.com and log in with your account credentials.
- Now, after the emails get synced, open the email you wish to save as .eml.
- Next, click on the More (three-dot icon) and choose the Save As option.
- Specify a destination folder and choose EML as the saving format.
Convert Outlook Email to EML Using Outlook Web Access (OWA)
There is no need to install the Outlook application. Simply, in your browser, log in to your Outlook web account.
The following are the steps to begin the conversion:
- In your web browser, log in to your Outlook Web App.
- Now, head to the mailbox containing the emails you want to save.
- Then, select the email and click on the More (three-dot icon).
- From the available list, choose Download message.
- The selected email will be saved as an .eml file in the Downloads folder.
Challenges with the Manual Methods
- The manual procedure does not bulk export the emails simultaneously.
- Folder structure will not be preserved. Only the attachments and rich formatting are preserved.
- Ensure that your internet connection is stable.
The Easiest Way to Save Outlook Email as EML Format
To convert your Outlook emails to EML format easily and quickly, use the PST Converter. This reliable tool converts the Outlook data file into EML and various other file formats such as convert PST to MSG, PDF, MBOX, DOC, CSV, etc. Moreover, it supports direct migration to multiple email clients like Gmail, Thunderbird, Office 365, etc. Also, during the entire conversion, it makes sure that no data is lost. Additionally, it perfectly retains the original folder structure of the emails.
Steps to export Office 365 to EML:
- First, download and execute the conversion tool on your PC.
- Then, choose the Single File option and click Next.
- After that, use the Select File(s) option to browse and load your desired Outlook data file.
- Expand the folder tree, choose the folders, and preview them.
- Now, click Next to continue. Select EML from the available File Formats list.
- You can also opt for the additional filters to refine the process.
- In the end, choose the destination location and hit the Convert button.
Conclusion
The Outlook email to EML format conversion is done to create a backup of essential email messages. While the manual conversion methods are available, they require technical know-how to save Outlook email as EML. They do not ensure complete migration or data integrity. Hence, for this reason, we have introduced a professional PST Converter. This secure tool provides error-free, reliable, and quick results.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q- Does Outlook natively support saving emails in EML format? Ans- Older versions of Outlook (like Outlook Express or Windows Live Mail) supported EML natively, but modern Outlook versions (like Outlook 2016, 2019, or Microsoft 365) typically save emails as MSG files. To get EML files, you may need to use a converter tool or a compatible mail client.
Q- Is it possible to convert a PST file to EML format directly? Ans- Yes. You can use specialized software like or similar utilities, to convert entire PST files (Outlook data files) into EML format in bulk.
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.