How to Open MSG Files on Mac: 6 Quick and Easy Ways

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There’s no set app to open .msg on a Mac, frustratingly. This article will show you how to open .msg files on Mac. We will look at other easy ways to open the .msg files too.

If you have an Outlook account, send the .msg file to your Outlook mail. Outlook has a viewer for those .msg files, which are also known as message files. Double-click the .msg file, and it will open. Opening an Outlook account is straightforward and can be done via the website.

How to Open Msg Files on Mac?

If you already have Outlook on your Mac, here’s what you need to do:

1. Right-click on the .msg file.
2. Point to ‘Open with,’ and click ‘Choose default program.‘
3. Next, wait for a dialogue box to pop up.
4. In the dialogue box, click ‘Always use the selected program to open this kind of file,’ select ‘Outlook,’ then click ‘OK.’

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More Ways to Open MSG Files on Mac

There are many more ways to open .msg files on Mac, which we’ll look at below:

1. Use the Mac TextEdit app.

If you want to see the text within the .msg file, use the TextEdit app on your Mac. Please remember that It will be difficult to view if the file has images, calendars, or other attachments.

Some of the things you’ll see when you open the .msg file using TextEdit might not make sense, but you should be able to decipher basic information. Follow this simple procedure to view your file with TextEdit.

• Find your .msg file in Finder.
• Right-click the file and select Open with > TextEdit.app.
• If TextEdit does not appear on the list, select Other and click on TextEdit on the list.
• Once your file is opened in TextEdit, scroll through the content.
• Ignore all the characters until you find the text that makes sense.

2. Use an MSG converter.

Some converters come at a price from official websites and the Mac App Store. Here are a couple of converters that will open .msg files quickly.

• MailRaider – it extracts the plain text from the .msg file. It is available from the official website for under $2 on the Mac App Store.
• ZOOK MSG to EML – this software converts any .msg file to a readable version on Mac Mail. It’s important to note that ZOOK will set you back $49!
• MSG-Extractor – If you’re a more advanced computer user, you can use this free python tool that can extract the contents of a .msg file.
• Sysinfo MSG Converter – this software converts .msg files to more than 15 different file formats and allows for bulk conversion. It costs around $29 on the Sysinfo website.

3. Use an MSG Viewer.

Mac has several small utilities written for it that allow the viewing of a .msg file. Some of these viewers cost money, while the free ones have limitations. Once the viewer is installed, you either double-click on the .msg file or right-click to open it using the selected viewer.

• Klammer is available on the Mac App Store, with in-app purchases allowing for bulk conversions. Klammer enables you to use .msg files with your preferred email app.
• Sysinfo MSG Viewer – is available on the Sysinfo official site for under $30. A free version allows you to see 25 files only online.
• MessageViewerOnline – is a free online tool that allows you to view your .msg file with a couple of clicks.

4. Use SeaMonkey from Mozilla.

SeaMonkey is an all-in-one internet application suite with browsing, email, and several other features. There are a couple of steps to follow when using SeaMonkey to view a .msg file:

• Step 1 – Install SeaMonkey software onto your Mac
• Step 2 – On the menu, go to Window > Mail & Newsgroups
• Step 3 – Click cancel when asked to set up a new account and exit
• Step 4 – Select File > Open File from the menu
• Step 5 – Click on your .msg file and view the contents

5. Change the MSG file extension.

Changing the extension on your .msg file can also make it readable. Change the extension to .txt and then open it with the TextEdit app.

Use the .eml file extension and let your email application try and open the file. Right-click on the file and click on Rename. The computer will warn you about changing the extension; ignore it and continue. Double-click on the .eml file, and you should be able to see the sender, recipients, and other information.

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Changing the extension does not always work, but it is worth trying because it doesn’t take long to do.