How to Save Outlook Email as PDF Files Completely?

This article discusses how you can backup Outlook emails in PDF format. Here, we will share two expert-recommended solutions to save Outlook email as PDF. Read this article till the end to know which one of the methods turns out to be the best fit for you. So, without further ado, let’s jump into the article.

Overview of MS Outlook

Outlook, a popular email client application has its own proprietary file PST format. One of the best applications that contain great email functions like spam filtration, integrating with Office 365 suite, managing multiple email accounts, etc.

PDF file on the other hand is a standard file format where you can put restrictions to keep the data intact, consistent and prevents editing without any permissions. The file is used for various purposes like preparing legal documents, appointment letters, and other necessary documents. It is a great way to save your crucial data offline. So, you also want to export your Outlook emails to PDF file format and are having problems downloading like this user below. This guide will help you.

For the past 5 years, I have been working on a project in which all my data was saved in MS Outlook. To meet the compliance requirement I want to save around 200 emails in PDF format. I have Outlook configured on a Windows 10 machine, and I tried to manually save email as PDF in Outlook, but it is a time-consuming process, and it’s difficult to manage the file order. Can you please help me in this situation, and suggest a reliable & secure solution to save Outlook emails to PDF format?

This user query is one of the many reasons for saving the files. There are plenty of other reasons which will be described in the next section of the article.

Why Users Want to Download Emails from Outlook to PDF?

• Converting your Outlook emails in PDF format allows you to open data on multiple platforms and devices.
• PDF files are supported by any software, so it is easy to share and view your information anywhere.
• In the PDF format, all your original format and the structure of the Outlook emails will be preserved.
• To prevent losing your Outlook emails, the PDF file is a nice way to securely store your important information. You can password-protect the file, encrypt the data, or put any restrictions.
• The data in the PDF file will be stored for a long time. Therefore, it is a good option to backup your Outlook emails.
• It is also used in printing your Outlook emails to PDF, so the process of printing the data will be easier.

Therefore, many benefits you will get when converting Outlook emails into PDF format. Now, let’s see the ways you can export your Outlook data.

Now, the selected emails have been exported to the desired destination and saved as individual files in PDF format. You’re done with the process of backup Outlook.com emails as PDFs.

Outlook Print to Save Emails in PDF

This is the most common way to download your emails, Outlook has an in-built print option. You can use it to save the data in PDF format. Here’s how it is done.

1. In Outlook, Open the email that you want to export into a PDF file.
2. Select “File” >> “Print” from the drop-down menu.
   
3. Select “Microsoft Print to PDF” from the printer menu.
   
4. Click on the “Print” button.
5. Lastly, choose a folder for your PDF and enter a name, then, click “Save”.

This way your Outlook emails will be in PDF format. There are other options available that can help you. Next, we will use OneNote to download the emails.

Save Outlook Emails As PDFs in OneNote

OneNote is a note-taking app that you can use to store, share, and organize information. It can also be used to backup your Outlook emails in PDF files. First, we send the emails from Outlook to OneNote, then we export them in PDF format. Following are the steps for clear understanding.

1. Click on the “File” tab of the Outlook. Choose “Options” and click on the “Advanced” option.
2. Scroll down to the Other option and enable “Use send to OneNote with OneNote for Windows 10, if available”.
3. Click “Ok” and restart the Outlook. Go to the Inbox and select an email.
4. Double-click the file and then the “Send to OneNote” option.
5. Open your exported email in OneNote, and click on the “File” >> “Export” option.
6. Select the “PDF” format and save the email.

To download multiple files you have to send your emails to OneNote. Then save it in the PDF format. Another manual option is there to backup Outlook emails in PDF format.

Using Outlook.com to Download Emails in PDF

Users can use their Outlook Web to convert Outlook emails to PDF format. You have to just sign in, go to where your emails are, and use the print option. Below are the steps of the method.

1. In your Outlook.com account. Go to the folder where your emails are located.
2. Open the email and click on three dots. Select the “Print” option.
3. In the Destination field click the “Save as PDF” option. Then, “Save” button.
   

These are the manual ways that you can use to save Outlook emails as PDFs. They are free of cost but have drawbacks as well which we have explained below.

Limitations of Manual Methods

• The manual solutions require saving each Outlook email file into PDF format one by one.
• This makes it quite a lengthy and time-consuming approach for users to carry out.
• Moreover, it makes them an unsuitable method for large numbers of Outlook email files in PDF file format.

So, you can see that manual options can also cause issues while converting them. To prevent these problems professional software can be very helpful. In the next section, we will say how you can use the automated software to convert the files.

Steps to Save Outlook Emails as PDF

1. Firstly, Download and Install the utility on Your Windows Computer System. Launch the Software and Click on the “Open” button from the Menu.
   
2. Now, go to the “Email Accounts” and “Add Account” options.
   
   
3. Enter your Outlook email account details and click the “Add” button.
   
4. Click on the ‘Export’ button, and select the “PDF” option to save Outlook email.
   
5. Lastly, Browse the files & click on the save button to start the process.
   

From these steps, your Outlook emails smoothly convert to PDF format. It is a great choice if you don’t have the Outlook program installed.

Final Words

Now, if you are having problems downloading Outlook data to PDF format. This article provided all the methods. Here, we have shared the common reasons why users save Outlook emails as PDF files. We explained the best methods to convert the emails into PDF files, which provide you with great results. However, our recommendation for users is to go with an automated solution that ensures complete conversion with effective results and without data loss.