EML to PDF Converter
Save emails as PDF documents for records, legal files or sharing. Drop one or many .eml files and get a clean PDF with the subject, sender, recipients and date at the top, the formatted message body with its inline images, and a list of attachments. Everything is decoded in your browser, so the emails stay private.
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Attachments
Preview scripts and remote content are blocked
How to use the EML to PDF Converter
- Add your .eml files by dropping them on the box or choosing them. In most mail apps you can drag a message to your desktop or use File, Save As to get an .eml file.
- Check the preview: the subject, sender, recipients, date, body and attachments appear as they will in the PDF.
- Choose the page size, margins and text size, and which parts to include: headers, attachment list, inline images and attached photos.
- Batch mode: when several emails are loaded, keep All loaded emails in one PDF ticked to combine them, each starting on a new page.
- Press Convert to PDF to download the file, or use Print / Save as PDF to print it with your browser.
What is inside an EML file
An email is sent as one text file in the MIME format. The converter reads it in the same way a mail program does:
- Headers are unfolded and decoded. Encoded words such as
=?UTF-8?B?...?=in the subject and names are converted to readable text in their original character set. - Multipart sections are split at their boundaries. A
multipart/alternativemessage carries the same text twice, as plain text and HTML; the HTML version is used unless you choose Plain text.multipart/relatedholds inline images referenced bycid:links, andmultipart/mixedadds attachments. - Each part is decoded from base64 or quoted-printable and its charset (UTF-8, ISO-8859-1, Windows-1252, Shift_JIS and others).
- The HTML body is cleaned: scripts, forms, embedded frames and tracking pixels are removed before it is shown or converted.
- The page is laid out with a header block, the body with its tables, lists, colors and links, and optionally the attached photos, then saved as a PDF.
Common MIME types you will see
| Content type | What it is | In the PDF |
|---|---|---|
| text/plain | Plain text body | Shown when there is no HTML or when you pick Plain text |
| text/html | Formatted body | Shown with formatting, tables and links |
| image/png, image/jpeg (with Content-ID) | Inline image such as a logo or signature | Placed in the body |
| image/* (attachment) | Attached photo | Listed; optionally added at the end |
| application/pdf, Word, Excel, ZIP | Attached document | Listed with size; download it separately |
| text/calendar | Meeting invitation (.ics) | Listed as an attachment |
| message/rfc822 | Forwarded email attached as a file | Listed as an .eml attachment you can convert too |
How to save an email as an EML file
- Thunderbird: select the message and choose File, Save As, File, or drag it to a folder.
- Apple Mail: drag the message to the desktop, or choose File, Save As and the Raw Message Source format.
- Outlook on the web and new Outlook: open the message, then More actions, Download (saves an .eml).
- Gmail: open the message, choose More, Download message.
- Classic Outlook for Windows saves .msg files instead; convert those with MSG to PDF.
Frequently asked questions
What is an EML file?
An EML file is a single email saved in the internet message format (RFC 5322 with MIME). It is plain text containing the headers (From, To, Subject, Date), the body as plain text and/or HTML, and any attachments encoded in base64. Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Outlook, Windows Mail and many webmail services can save or export messages as .eml.
How do I convert an email to PDF?
Save the email as an .eml file from your mail program, then open it in the converter above and press Convert to PDF. The PDF starts with the subject, sender, recipients and date, followed by the message exactly as it was formatted, and is downloaded straight to your device.
Are attachments included in the PDF?
Attachments are listed under the header with their names and sizes, and you can download each one from the attachment list. Photos sent as attachments (JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP) can be added at the end of the PDF. Other attachments such as Word or PDF files are not merged into the email PDF; download them and combine them with a PDF merger if needed.
Can I convert several EML files at once?
Yes. Select or drop many .eml files together. With All loaded emails in one PDF ticked, they are saved into a single PDF where each email starts on a new page and has its own bookmark, which is handy for archiving a conversation or submitting evidence.
Why are some images missing from the PDF?
Images embedded in the email (inline cid images) are always included. Images that the email loads from the internet are blocked by default because opening them can tell the sender you read the message. Tick Load remote images to show them; they are added to the PDF only when the image server allows it.
Will emails in other languages convert correctly?
All character sets are decoded correctly in the preview. The PDF uses the standard PDF fonts, which cover Latin alphabets with accents but not Cyrillic, Greek, Arabic, Hebrew, Asian scripts or emoji. For those emails, use Print / Save as PDF, which uses your system fonts and keeps every character.
Are my emails uploaded anywhere?
No. The EML files are read and converted entirely in your browser with JavaScript. Nothing is sent to a server, which keeps private correspondence on your device.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.