Cannot Open EML Attachments? Here Is How to Fix It
In short: If you cannot open EML attachments, the file is a standard email in MIME format, so it only needs the right app. The reliable fix is to open it in free Thunderbird. In classic Outlook a double-click also works. With no mail client, rename the file to .mht and open it in a browser. To reach the files attached inside the email, open the EML in a client first, then save them, since printing to PDF leaves them out.
Why EML attachments will not open
An EML file is a single email saved in the standard MIME format, so it is rarely broken. It fails to open for a few plain reasons. Your PC may have no email client installed, while Windows may not link .eml to any program, so a double-click does nothing. The old Windows Mail app that used to open these was retired in favor of New Outlook, which handles loose .eml files less smoothly than classic Outlook did. If you force the file open in Notepad or a browser without the right setup, you see raw code rather than the email. And a file that was damaged in transfer can refuse to open at all. Match the fix to the cause and it opens in seconds.
Senior Analyst, Corbett Software
“Almost every time, the EML is fine and the PC just has nothing set to open it. Point Thunderbird at it and it opens cleanly. The one that catches people is the attachment inside the email, you have to open the EML in a real client first, because printing it to PDF quietly drops the attached files.”
Open an EML with Thunderbird or Outlook
A proper mail client is the dependable fix, showing the attachments inside too.
- Install Mozilla Thunderbird, which is free.
- Double-click the .eml file or drag it into a Thunderbird folder. It opens as a normal email with its attachments listed.
- On classic Outlook, a double-click usually opens the .eml straight away. If you are on New Outlook and it will not, switch to classic Outlook with the toggle at the top right.
- If nothing happens on double-click, right-click the file, choose Open with, pick your mail client and set it as the default for .eml.
Open an EML without a mail client
If you cannot install anything, you can still read the email.
- Make a copy of the file and change its extension from .eml to .mht.
- Double-click the .mht copy so it opens in your browser as a formatted email you can read.
- For a quick raw view instead, right-click the .eml, choose Open with, then Notepad, though this shows the plain text and code, not a tidy layout.
Microsoft Word can also open an .eml directly through Open with, which is handy for one file.
Get to the attachments inside the EML
This is the part that trips people up. The files clipped to the email live inside the .eml, so you have to open the message properly to reach them.
- Open the .eml in Thunderbird or classic Outlook using the steps above.
- The attachments show at the top or bottom of the message.
- Right-click each one and choose Save or Save All, to write them to a folder.
Avoid the print-to-PDF trick here, because it captures only what is on screen and leaves the attached files behind. To pull attachments out of many EML files at once, use the tool below.
Open or convert EML files in bulk with a tool
When a whole folder of EML files will not open, a tool reads them without a mail client and saves the mail or the attachments cleanly.
The Corbett EML Converter opens EML files directly, with no Outlook or Thunderbird needed, showing each message with its attachments in a preview. It saves the mail as PDF, MSG, PST or HTML and can pull every attachment out to a folder in one pass, even across hundreds of files. A free demo edition runs on every edition of Windows.
- Install and open the tool, then click Open, choose Email Data Files and select your EML files.
- Let it preview the messages and their attachments.
- Click Extract for the attachments or Export to save the mail as PDF or another format, then Save.
Frequently asked questions
Why can I not open my EML attachments?
Usually your PC has no email client set to open .eml. The file may also not be linked to one. Install Thunderbird or use classic Outlook, then the email and its attachments open normally.
How do I open an EML file for free?
Open it in free Thunderbird. You can also rename a copy from .eml to .mht and open it in your browser. Microsoft Word can also open an .eml through Open with.
Why does my EML file open as code or gibberish?
You are viewing the raw file in Notepad or a browser without a mail client. Open it in Thunderbird or classic Outlook. You can also rename it to .mht, to see the formatted email.
I opened the email but the attachment inside will not open. What now?
Open the .eml in Thunderbird or classic Outlook rather than a print or PDF view, then right-click the attachment and Save it. A print to PDF drops the attached files.
Does New Outlook open EML files?
New Outlook handles loose .eml files less reliably than classic Outlook. Switch to classic Outlook with the toggle at the top right. Thunderbird also works if a double-click does nothing.
How do I open many EML files at once?
A mail client opens them one by one. To read or convert a whole folder and keep the attachments, use an EML converter that reads the files directly without a client.