How To Save Email As Attachment In Outlook : Email Attachment Saving Steps

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Attaching an email to another message requires saving it as a file format Outlook can embed. If you’ve ever needed to forward multiple emails or share a conversation thread without copying text, you’ve probably wondered how to save email as attachment in outlook. This guide walks you through every method, from the classic drag-and-drop to using Outlook’s built-in “Save As” feature. You’ll learn to handle single messages, multiple emails, and even attachments within attachments. Let’s get started.

Outlook makes it simple to turn any email into an attachment. You don’t need third-party tools or advanced skills. The process works across Outlook 2016, 2019, 2021, and Microsoft 365. Whether you use the desktop app or web version, these steps apply.

How To Save Email As Attachment In Outlook

This heading covers the core method. You’ll use Outlook’s “Save As” function to convert an email into an .msg file. That file can then be attached to a new message. Here’s the step-by-step.

Method 1: Using The Save As Feature

Open Outlook and go to your inbox. Find the email you want to save. Double-click it to open it in its own window. This is important because the “Save As” option isn’t available from the reading pane.

  1. With the email open, click “File” in the top-left corner.
  2. Select “Save As” from the menu.
  3. Choose a folder on your computer where you want to save the file. The default format is Outlook Message Format (.msg).
  4. Give the file a name. You can keep the subject line or rename it.
  5. Click “Save.”

Now you have an .msg file. To attach it to another email, compose a new message. Click “Attach File,” browse to the saved .msg file, and select it. The original email appears as an attachment in the new message.

Method 2: Drag And Drop To Desktop

This method is faster. It saves the email directly to your desktop as an .msg file without opening the “Save As” dialog. Perfect for quick tasks.

  1. Open Outlook and locate the email in your inbox or folder.
  2. Click and hold the email. Drag it to your desktop or any folder on your computer.
  3. Release the mouse button. The email appears as an .msg file.

You can now attach this file to a new email. The drag-and-drop method works in all Outlook versions. It’s ideal when you need to save multiple emails quickly.

Method 3: Attach Email As Attachment Directly

Outlook lets you attach an email to a new message without saving it first. This is the most direct way to share a conversation.

  1. Click “New Email” to open a compose window.
  2. Go to the “Insert” tab in the ribbon.
  3. Click “Attach Item” in the Include group.
  4. Select “Outlook Item” from the dropdown.
  5. A dialog box opens. Choose the folder where the email is stored, then select the email you want to attach.
  6. Click “OK.” The email appears as an attachment in your new message.

This method doesn’t create a separate file on your computer. The email is attached directly from your mailbox. It’s convienient for one-off attachments.

Method 4: Saving Multiple Emails As Attachments

Need to save several emails at once? You can combine them into a single .msg file or attach multiple files. Here’s how.

Option A: Save Multiple Emails As One File

  1. Select the emails you want to save. Hold Ctrl and click each email, or hold Shift to select a range.
  2. Drag the selected emails to your desktop. Outlook creates a single .msg file containing all the emails as separate items.
  3. Attach this file to a new email.

Option B: Attach Multiple Emails To A New Message

  1. Open a new email.
  2. Go to the “Insert” tab and click “Attach Item.”
  3. Select “Outlook Item.”
  4. In the dialog box, hold Ctrl and click multiple emails. Click “OK.”
  5. Each email appears as a separate attachment.

This works well when you want to send a batch of emails. Recipients can open each attachment individually.

How To Save Email As Attachment In Outlook Web

The web version of Outlook (Outlook.com or Office 365) has a slightly different process. You can’t save emails as .msg files directly. Instead, you download them as .eml files. Here’s how.

Method 1: Download As .Eml File

  1. Open Outlook in your browser. Go to your inbox.
  2. Click the email you want to save to select it.
  3. Click the three dots (More actions) in the toolbar.
  4. Select “Download” from the menu.
  5. The email downloads as an .eml file to your computer.

To attach this file to another email, compose a new message and click the paperclip icon. Browse to the .eml file and attach it. Recipients can open it in Outlook or other email clients.

Method 2: Drag And Drop In Web

In Outlook Web, you can drag an email from your inbox to your desktop. This also creates an .eml file. The process is the same as the desktop drag-and-drop.

  1. Select the email in your inbox.
  2. Drag it to your desktop or a folder.
  3. Release to save as .eml.

Note that .eml files open in most email programs, but Outlook treats them as attachments when you attach them to a new message.

Common Issues And Fixes

Sometimes saving emails as attachments doesn’t work as expected. Here are frequent problems and solutions.

Issue 1: Save As Option Is Grayed Out

This happens when you try to save an email from the reading pane. You must open the email in its own window. Double-click the email first, then go to File > Save As.

Issue 2: Attached File Shows As Winmail.dat

This occurs when the recipient uses a non-Outlook email client. The .msg format is Outlook-specific. To avoid this, save the email as .txt or .html instead. In the Save As dialog, choose “Text Only” or “HTML” from the “Save as type” dropdown.

Issue 3: Can’t Find The Attached Email

If you attached an email using “Attach Item” but can’t see it, check the compose window. The attachment appears as a small icon with the email subject. If it’s missing, try the drag-and-drop method instead.

Best Practices For Saving Emails As Attachments

Follow these tips to keep your attachments organized and error-free.

  • Always name your files clearly. Use the subject line or a descriptive name.
  • Save emails to a dedicated folder, not your desktop. This prevents clutter.
  • If you’re sending to someone outside your organization, use .eml or .txt format.
  • Test the attachment before sending. Open it to ensure it contains the right content.
  • For sensitive emails, consider password-protecting the attachment or using encrypted email.

How To Save Email As Attachment In Outlook For Mac

Outlook for Mac works differently. The “Save As” option is available, but the steps vary slightly.

Method 1: Save As .Msg On Mac

  1. Open the email in its own window.
  2. Click “File” in the menu bar.
  3. Select “Save As.”
  4. Choose a location and name. The default format is .msg.
  5. Click “Save.”

Method 2: Drag And Drop On Mac

Drag the email from your inbox to the Finder or desktop. It saves as an .eml file. To attach it, compose a new email and drag the file into the message body.

How To Save Email As Attachment In Outlook Mobile

The Outlook mobile app doesn’t have a direct “Save As” option. You can forward the email to yourself or use a workaround.

Workaround: Forward With Attachment

  1. Open the email in the mobile app.
  2. Tap the three dots in the top-right corner.
  3. Select “Forward.”
  4. Enter your own email address and send.
  5. Open the forwarded email on your desktop. Then save it as an attachment using the methods above.

This isn’t ideal, but it’s the only way to save emails from mobile without third-party apps.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Save An Email As An Attachment In Outlook Without Opening It?

You can’t use the “Save As” feature without opening the email. However, you can drag the email from your inbox to your desktop. This saves it as an .msg or .eml file without opening it.

Can I Save Multiple Emails As One Attachment In Outlook?

Yes. Select multiple emails by holding Ctrl or Shift, then drag them to your desktop. Outlook combines them into a single .msg file. Alternatively, use the “Attach Item” feature in a new email to attach multiple emails.

What Is The Difference Between .Msg And .Eml Files?

.msg files are Outlook-specific and preserve all formatting, attachments, and metadata. .eml files are universal and open in most email clients. Use .msg for Outlook users and .eml for others.

How Do I Save An Email As A PDF Attachment In Outlook?

Open the email, go to File > Print, and choose “Microsoft Print to PDF” as the printer. Save the PDF to your computer. Then attach the PDF to a new email. This converts the email content into a PDF file.

Why Does My Attached Email Show As Winmail.dat?

This happens when you attach an .msg file to an email sent to a non-Outlook recipient. To fix it, save the email as .txt or .html before attaching. Or ask the recipient to use an email client that supports .msg files.

Advanced Tips For Power Users

If you frequently save emails as attachments, these tips will speed up your workflow.

Use Quick Steps To Automate

Outlook’s Quick Steps feature can automate the save process. Create a Quick Step that saves an email to a specific folder. Go to Home > Quick Steps > Create New. Choose “Save As” and set the folder path. Then apply it to any email with one click.

Save Emails As Attachments With VBA

For advanced users, VBA macros can save emails automatically. Here’s a simple macro that saves the selected email as an .msg file.

Sub SaveEmailAsAttachment()
    Dim objMail As Outlook.MailItem
    Set objMail = ActiveExplorer.Selection.Item(1)
    objMail.SaveAs "C:\Emails\" & objMail.Subject & ".msg", olMSG
End Sub

Run this macro after selecting an email. It saves the email to a predefined folder. Customize the path as needed.

Batch Save All Emails From A Folder

You can save all emails in a folder as attachments. Select all emails (Ctrl+A), then drag them to a folder on your desktop. Outlook creates individual .msg files for each email. This is useful for archiving.

Conclusion

Knowing how to save email as attachment in outlook is a valuable skill. It lets you share conversations, archive messages, and keep your inbox organized. The methods we covered work across desktop, web, and Mac versions. Start with the “Save As” feature for single emails. Use drag-and-drop for speed. Attach emails directly when you don’t need a saved copy. For multiple emails, combine them into one file or attach them individually. Avoid common issues like winmail.dat by choosing the right format. Practice these steps, and you’ll handle email attachments like a pro.