How to Save Outlook Emails to File Explorer? – Quick Guide!

Ritu Roy | email migration file conversion Forensics How to's Outlook Software Technology | 4 minutes read | Modified on: 15-05-2025

Introduction – In this article, we will walk you through various ways to save Outlook emails to File Explorer, covering both the Classic Outlook and New Outlook environments.

One of the most popular email applications for both personal and business use is Microsoft Outlook. It provides a single platform for communication for organizing calendars, contacts, and several accounts. However, for backup, archiving, or documentation needs, many users frequently need to save Outlook emails locally to File Explorer.

With the recent introduction of New Outlook for Windows, the user interface has changed, and some traditional features like the Save As option are no longer easily visible, leaving users confused.

How to Convert Outlook Classic Email to File Explorer? Drag & Drop Approach

Outlook Classic refers to the traditional version of Microsoft Outlook used in Microsoft 365 desktop applications.

Steps: Using the Drag and Drop Approach

1. Open Outlook (Classic).
2. Select the email you want to save.
3. Go to the File menu → Click Save As.
4. Choose the location in File Explorer where you want to save the email.
5. In the Save as type dropdown, select from the following options:
   • Text Only (.txt)
   • Outlook Message Format – Unicode (.msg) ← Recommended
   • HTML or MHT Files
6. Click Save.

Tip: Saving Outlook email in .msg format preserves the full content, attachments, and metadata of the email.

Steps to Store New Outlook Email to File Explorer with Save As Technique

1. First of all, open a New Outlook on your PC.
2. Next, browse the required email to save it in File Explorer.
3. Then, hit the three dots in the right-hand corner.
4. After that, click on Save As >> EML or MSG according to your desire.
5. Finally, select the storage path in File Explorer from the pop-up and press the Save

Tip: The above-mentioned guide to store Outlook email in File Explorer provides the ability to convert Outlook email to EML or MSG as per your requirement.

Drawbacks of Drag and Drop and Save As Methods –

While the Drag & Drop and Save As methods are common and simple ways to save Outlook emails to File Explorer, they come with several limitations, particularly with the introduction of the New Outlook for Windows, which has significantly altered these functionalities.

Below are the key limitations you should be aware of:

• In New Outlook, users can no longer drag emails from the Outlook interface and drop them directly into a folder in File Explorer.
• The Save As option (File → Save As) is missing in the message window of New Outlook.

• In Classic Outlook, you could select multiple emails and drag them into File Explorer.
• In New Outlook, bulk operations are restricted — you cannot select multiple emails and export them in one go.
• Saving emails as .txt or .pdf formats does not preserve:
  • Attachments
  • Header metadata (e.g., To, From, CC)
  • Thread structure

• Neither Save As nor Drag & Drop methods (even in Classic Outlook) save attachments separately unless manually downloaded.
• Attachments are embedded inside the email file (e.g., .msg), not easily accessible without opening it in Outlook.

Summary Table – Classic vs. New Outlook

Feature / Method	Classic Outlook	New Outlook
Drag & Drop to Folder	✅ Supported	❌ Not Supported
Save As (.msg/.txt)	✅ Available	❌ Missing
Bulk Email Export	✅ Easy	❌ Limited
Attachments Preserved	✅ In .msg files	✅ In PDFs (embedded)
Metadata Retention	✅ Yes (in .msg)	❌ Limited in PDFs
Automation Support	❌ Manual only	❌ Manual only

Pro Solution to Bulk Save Outlook Emails to File Explorer

Both the Drag & Drop and Save As techniques do not enable saving Outlook emails to File Explorer in a consistently legible or completely preserved format, as we have seen in the problems with the do-it-yourself method. For people who handle a high volume of emails, these manual approaches are ineffective because they do not offer batch processing.

Users can utilize the CubexSoft PST to PDF Converter, a professional, automated solution, to get beyond these problems. The program is a sophisticated and effective tool that assists users in saving Outlook emails in a safe, portable, and searchable PDF format to File Explorer. Whether you’re a home user, IT professional, or part of a legal/compliance team, this tool offers the control and customization that manual methods lack.

Step-by-Step Process to Store Outlook Email in File Explorer

• Download, install, and launch the PST Converter tool on your Windows PC.

• Next, go to the Add Files option to load Outlook PST files/folders by clicking the Export Single Files and Export Multiple Files options.

• Now, select the folders that you want to save in File Explorer.

• Tap the Export tab to choose PDF format as the Saving Option.

• Set the filter settings and browse the destination path to save converted files.

• After all that, click the Convert button to start the conversion process.

Advantages of Using Pro Solution

• With the help of an expert solution, you can easily and quickly export Outlook emails to File Explorer in batch mode at once without any hassle. The feature helps in boosting the entire task efficiency.
• Preserves original formatting, metadata, and attachments.
• Offers advanced filters (To, From, Date Range, Subject, etc.).
• Saves attachments either embedded or separately.
• Maintains folder hierarchy during export.
• No need to install Microsoft Outlook.
• Provides a real-time preview of email content.
• Allows users to select specific folders for conversion.
• Compatible with both ANSI and Unicode PST files.
• Works on all Mac OS and Windows OS versions including Windows 11.

Conclusion

To sum up, the blog post above about saving Outlook emails to File Explorer. For Outlook Classic and the new Outlook, we have outlined the tried-and-true steps to solve the issue. There is a list of drawbacks to these strategies, though. As a result, we have offered a professional solution and a working guide to go above these shortcomings. We have now covered the advantages of choosing a professional rather than doing it yourself.