How to open MSG files on Mac

Mac and Windows compatibility has been significantly improved, especially on applications such as Microsoft's Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, which run seamlessly on both platforms. However, Outlook's .msg file format remains a compatibility issue because it cannot be opened on a Mac.

This article will show you how to open a .msg file on your Mac.

What is an MSG file?

MSG files are Microsoft Outlook projects that are created or saved in Microsoft Outlook and store information such as email and attachments, contacts, calendar appointments, and tasks. The information stored in an MSG file depends on the items contained in the file.

The MSG file format is mainly used by Outlook, but is also supported by other programs that use the Microsoft programming interface, so Macs are excluded. Although there is a Mac version of Outlook software, this does not solve the problem of opening MSG on Mac because macOS does not recognize the file format.

The best way to open Outlook MSG files on your Mac

Since even Mac versions of Outlook applications cannot be used as MSG viewers for Mac, users must come up with some workarounds to open these tricky files on their devices. From using various online services and changing file formats to running Windows on Apple devices, here are the verified methods to open MSG files on your Mac.

Method 1: Use Outlook web version

Let's start with the simplest solution, using the web version of Outlook as the MSG viewer for Mac. If you have an outlook.com account, log in and email the .msg file as an attachment to that address. Once the email is received, double-click the attachment to open the MSG file on your Mac.

If you want to set Outlook to the default program to open MSG on your Mac, follow these steps:

1. Right-click the MSG file.
2. Click "Open with" ➙ "Other".
3. Click "Always open with this program" in the dialog box.
4. Select Outlook and click Open.

If you don't have an Outlook account, you can create one for free from the Outlook website.

Method 2: Use Mozilla's SeaMonkey

In addition to Microsoft's Outlook, there is another online tool that can be used to read .msg files on your Mac - SeaMonkey. It is an older all-in-one internet application suite created by Mozilla, the company that develops the popular Firefox web browser.

Here is how to open an MSG file on a Mac using SeaMonkey:

1. Install SeaMonkey.
2. Go to Window ➙ Mail and News Groups from the menu.
3. When you are asked to set up a new account, click Cancel, and then click Exit.
4. Select File ➙ Open File from the menu.
5. Select your MSG file to view its contents.

Method 3: Use TextEdit Application

Although an MSG file is not a simple text file and can contain images and calendars, you can open an MSG file on your Mac using its built-in text editor. This is a good solution if you just need to read the text in the MSG file or just want to know the type of content contained in it.

To open an Outlook MSG file on your Mac via TextEdit, follow these steps:

1. Find the MSG file in Finder.
2. Right-click the file to bring up the context menu.
3. Select "Open With" ➙ "TextEdit".

If TextEdit does not appear as one of the options, select Other and find TextEdit from the list. After the file is opened, some of the content may appear as strange characters and seem to make no sense. Ignore these parts of the document and continue scrolling to find the body of the readable text.

Method 4: Change the MSG file extension

This is a trick that actually works in some cases, especially if the MSG file in question was originally created by a program other than Outlook. Changing the file extension from .msg to a supported extension by macOS will allow you to read the .msg file on your Mac, so here's how to do it:

1. Right-click the MSG file and select Show Introduction.
2. Expand the Name and Extension option.
3. Change .msg to a new extension and press Enter.

Try one of the following two extensions:

• The TXT file will be opened in a text editor such as TextEdit
• The EML file will open in Outlook for Apple Mail or Mac

Method 5: Run Windows on Mac

This approach requires more time and technical knowledge than previous ones, but in turn is the most effective solution in the long run. Running Windows will not only provide an unlimited MSG viewer for your Mac, but will also open up other possibilities such as installing applications that are typically not available on macOS. Sounds interesting? Then give it a try!

The easiest way to run Windows on a Mac is through Parallels, a desktop virtualization software that allows non-Apple operating systems and applications to run on Apple computers.

Here is how to open an MSG file on a Mac using Parallels Desktop:

1. Download the Parallels Desktop installer.
2. Click the .dmg installation file, and then click Install.
3. Read the software license agreement and click Accept.
4. Enter your local Mac user password to complete the installation.

After installing Parallels Desktop, it will detect that your Mac does not have a virtual machine and will automatically provide download and installation of Windows 10, so you can confirm it by simply clicking "Install Windows".

Extra tips: the perfect app for planning, meetings, managing contacts

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