How to Print MSG Files? Step By Step Guide

If you want to print msg files you can open each message in Outlook and then use its function to print as PDF. Also there is a major drawback that you can only print one file at a time. If you have  large For .msg files or have a multiple folders then it is good to use dedicated tool like Revove offer dedicated viewer to Open MSG File and upgraded version allow you to print your MSG file to PDF easily.

Why Do People Need to Print Multiple MSG Files to PDF?

• Submission of PDF documents as exhibits is easy for legal and compliance departments.
• Fixed and read-only copies are important in the audit and finance department for approval process, invoicing, and signing agreements.
• In case of HR documentations, a mail client should not be present to open the documents.
• Offline archiving purposes can be fulfilled by opening PDFs wherever you want, but MSG files need Outlook.

Understanding Attachments Inside MSG Files 

An MSG file is a container, and the attachments live inside it. “Printing the email” and “printing the email with its attachments” are two separate jobs.

1. Regular file attachments: It contains documents, spreadsheets, scans and images. The regular print only shows the file names without the actual content.
2. Inline images: It consists of logos, signatures and screenshots in the body. They usually print with the message but can fail in heavily formatted rich text.
3. Nested messages: It’s forwarded email attached as another .msg. A manual print covers only the outer layer, so the inner message is easy to miss.
4. Linked or cloud attachments: MSG file can store only link but If the link expires then content is gone whatever method you use.

Most Common Error: Assuming the PDF is complete because the attachment names appear in the header. Names prove the attachments existed, not that they were printed.

Method 1: Manual Method to Print MSG Files

If you have less than 20 emails and your computer has Outlook installed, you don’t need additional software to do that.

• Just double-click on the .msg file to open it in Outlook.
• Then click on File then Print.
• Choose the PDF printer from the drop-down menu.
• Click the button ‘Print’ and choose the destination folder.

Manual handling of attachments: opening the attachment from within the email, opening it in an application and printing it separately to a PDF. In an email with three attachments, you would create, name, and keep track of four 

PDFs are the one from the email body and three from the attachments. If the message is nested, you repeat the process, one layer deeper.

Limitations to Print MSG Files Manually

• Very Time Consuming: Total of 1,000 emails implies 1,000 repetitions of the same process.
• Orphaned Attachments: Printing of the body will not print out the attachments; thus, each one requires a separate round.
• Tiring Matching: Matching of standalone attachment PDFs with the correct parent email is difficult and prone to errors.
• Clashes in Naming: By default, the names are generated from the subject lines; thus, they clash if not renamed.
• No Filtering Options: No way to search based on attachment name, filter by date, or insert Bates numbers in batches.
• Text Layout Problems: Long Headers, Extensive Formatting and wide images may cause layout changes when printing from the preview window.
• Requires Outlook installation: Outlook application must be present and set up.

Why the Manual Method Fails on Large Collections

The first problem to deal with is time. The second issue is that of inconsistency: some people do not include an attachment while others use different margins. And the final version has no defense at all. In a legal context, an incomplete set of PDF files is worse than nothing.

Method 2: Professional Solution to Print MSG Files

With the need for massive archive, hold, or compliance review, Revove MSG Viewer Pro+ Software enables you to open MSG files without Microsoft Outlook, preview, and bulk export. The software operates on Windows 11 and previous versions and only works on your original files, which means nothing gets changed.

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Steps to Print MSG Files:

• Open the Software.

• Choose your MSG files or folders.

• Check your emails in the preview screen.

• Click Export.

• Pick PDF as the output format

• Choose your settings.

• Click Start to convert all your files.

Pro Tip: To Preview MSG Files before printing you can see our guide on how to open MSG files without Outlook.

Attachment Handling: Best Practices to Print MSG Files in Bulk

• Choose the output format first: An output of all files into one PDF per email is ideal for legal review, but separate outputs are useful if the team plans to edit or reuse the attachments.
• Search the attachments using the filename before exporting: In case the project involves only invoices, then search for invoices and ignore the others.
• Run one test using a complex email: Find a complicated email with a number of attachments and an embedded email, and export it to check whether all attachments will be exported before exporting everything.
• Mark any protected or damaged files: Any file that is protected with a password cannot be exported; therefore, note such and solve them with the holder of the password.
• Create an attachment report: Note the number of attachments contained within each email versus the number of attachments found within the output file.

Things That People Mostly Skip to Print MSG Files

• Search Prior to Printing: Printing 3,000 e-mails when only 120 are relevant is a waste of time.
• Think through your file naming conventions at the start: Filenames with date first allow for chronological sorting, which the reviewer will appreciate.
• Keep your folder structure to maintain your case structure.
• Include internet headers where you want authentication: Internet headers provide routing information not included in visible headers.
• Randomly check 5 to 10 PDFs prior to producing the whole set.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Can multiple MSG files be printed together?

Answer. No, not reliably in Outlook. Batch converter Revove Professional Tool is designed to handle entire directories of .msg files.

Q2. Will the attachments be part of the PDF output while doing a bulk conversion?

Answer. Yes, depending on how you set up the conversion. You have an option to include attachments to the email’s PDF content or create a separate attachment file stored in the folder. Perform a test conversion beforehand to be sure of the result.

Q3. What will happen with the attachments if I choose the manual approach?

Answer. Attachments will be ignored by the email’s print job. They need to be opened, printed and renamed manually.

Q4. Are the nested MSG files supported?

Answer. Nested messages are the most challenging scenario. The manual method captures only the top-level messages. Convert a nested MSG file in a test run to be sure.

Final Thoughts

Manual conversion works for a small number of emails, but does not work in bulk and does not convert attachments. To convert an archive of emails, you should search for emails to be converted, select what to do with attachments, and then export in one batch using Professional Tool. First test one complex email, and you will get a reliable PDF collection.