Home / EML files and attachments / EML viewer

EML viewer

Open an .eml file online and read it like an email: who sent it, when, the message itself and any attachments. Everything happens in this browser tab, and the file is never uploaded.

Drop an .eml file here

or

Also reads .mht and .mhtml web archives. Up to 40 MB.

Or paste the raw source of an email

In Gmail, open the email, choose More › Show original, then Copy to clipboard.

Privacy: this viewer runs 100% in your browser. The email is never uploaded or saved, and the page makes no network requests while you use it (remote images stay off unless you turn them on). Close the tab and it is gone.

How to open an .eml file online

  1. Choose your file or drag it onto the box above. Saved emails usually end in .eml.
  2. Read the message. The sender, recipients, date and subject are at the top, and the email shows below them as it was sent.
  3. Check the other views. Plain text shows the words only. Headers shows the raw header lines, including the Received lines each mail server added.
  4. Download attachments if you need them. Each one is listed with its type and size, and downloads exactly as it was sent.

New to the format? What an .eml file is explains what is inside one, and how to open an .eml file covers Outlook, Apple Mail, Thunderbird and phones.

What the viewer understands

  • Message types: plain-text and HTML emails, emails with both versions (multipart/alternative), emails with pictures inside the message (multipart/related) and emails with attachments (multipart/mixed).
  • Encodings: base64 and quoted-printable bodies, encoded subjects and names such as =?UTF-8?B?…?= (RFC 2047), and the common character sets, including UTF-8, ISO-8859-1 and Windows-1252. Emoji and accented letters come out right.
  • Inline images that are part of the email (cid: images) are shown. Images hosted on other servers are blocked until you allow them.
  • Forwarded emails attached to the message are listed as .eml attachments you can download and open here too.
  • .mht and .mhtml files use the same MIME structure as email, so the viewer can show them too. See what an MHT file is.

Is it safe to open an .eml file here?

Reading an email here is safer than opening an unknown file in a desktop email program, because of how the message is shown:

  • No scripts run. Scripts, event handlers like onerror, javascript: links, forms and embedded frames are stripped out, and the message is shown in a sandboxed frame that is not allowed to run scripts anyway.
  • No tracking by default. Remote images and backgrounds are blocked, so the sender's server does not learn that the email was opened. Turn on Load remote images only if you trust the sender.
  • Nothing leaves your device. The file is read by your browser and stays there.

The real risk in a saved email is its attachments. Downloading one is safe; opening it carries the same risk as opening it from your inbox. If an email looks like a scam, see how to tell if an email is legit.

What about Outlook .msg files?

This viewer reads .eml files only. An Outlook .msg file is a different, binary format made by Outlook, and the viewer will tell you if you pick one by mistake. The .eml vs .msg guide explains the difference. To open a .msg file:

  • Classic Outlook for Windows opens .msg files when you double-click them.
  • New Outlook for Windows can open .eml, .msg and .oft files: drag the file onto the reading pane, or right-click it and choose Open with › Outlook (new). Microsoft says .msg and .oft files need a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription.
  • No Outlook? Ask the sender to forward the email as an attachment from another email app, or to save it as .eml, then open it here. Our guide to opening .eml files has more options.

What the EML viewer does

An .eml file is a saved email, but without the right program it opens as a wall of code. This viewer turns it back into a readable email in your browser, showing the sender, date, message and attachments. It's a quick way to read a saved or forwarded email on any computer, without installing Outlook or another mail app.

Benefits

  • Reads it like an emailFrom, To, Cc, Reply-To, Date and Subject show at the top, with the message laid out below as it was sent.
  • Three ways to viewSwitch between the formatted message, a plain-text version and the raw header lines.
  • Download attachmentsEvery attachment is listed with its type and size and downloads exactly as it was sent. Forwarded emails inside show up as .eml files too.
  • Open, drop or pasteChoose a file, drag it onto the box, or paste the raw source copied from Gmail's Show original.
  • Tracking images held backImages stored on other servers are blocked until you tick Load remote images, and the viewer tells you how many it held back.
  • Handles tricky encodingsAccented letters, emoji and encoded subjects display correctly, and pictures embedded in the email itself still show.
  • Copy what you needCopy the message text, or copy the headers to paste into the header analyzer.
  • Also reads web archivesOpen .mht and .mhtml files, up to 40 MB. If you pick an Outlook .msg file by mistake, it tells you.

Who it is for

  • Small-business owners who received an email saved as a file and don't use Outlook or Apple Mail.
  • Office staff opening old emails exported from a previous mail system.
  • Legal and HR teams reviewing saved emails on a shared or locked-down computer.
  • Chromebook and tablet users who have no desktop mail app.
  • IT helpers checking a suspicious saved email without opening it in a mail program.

How to use it

  1. Choose an .eml file, drag it onto the box, or paste the email's raw source.
  2. Read the message, then switch to Plain text or Headers if you need them.
  3. Tick Load remote images only if you trust the sender.
  4. Download any attachments you need, or copy the text or headers.

Your privacy

The file is read and shown entirely in your browser and is never uploaded or saved. The page makes no network requests while you use it, unless you choose to load remote images, which then come from the sender's servers.

Questions people ask

How do I open an .eml file without Outlook?
Drop it into the viewer above. It runs in any modern browser on Windows, Mac, Chromebook, iPhone or Android, with nothing to install. Apple Mail and Thunderbird also open .eml files.
Is this EML viewer free?
Yes. There is no sign-up, no limit on how many files you open, and no watermark.
Is my email uploaded?
No. The file is read by your own browser and never sent anywhere. The page makes no network requests while you use it, unless you choose to load remote images.
Why are some images missing?
Images stored on the sender's server are blocked by default because they are often used to track when you open an email. Tick "Load remote images" to show them. Images that are part of the email itself always show.
Can it open .msg files?
No. .msg is Outlook's own format. Open it in Outlook, or see the .eml vs .msg guide for other ways.
Can I save the email as a PDF?
Yes, with the free EML to PDF converter. It keeps the text selectable and searchable.
Sources checked

Related guides on EmailNa