Why convert MSG to CSV?
An .msg file is a single saved Outlook email in a proprietary binary OLE container; CSV is a plain-text tabular format used in spreadsheets and databases. The main use case is e-discovery, archiving, or migration audits - turning dozens or hundreds of emails into a searchable flat table of sender, recipient, subject, date, and body text that loads directly into Excel or any database.
How to convert MSG to CSV
Microsoft Outlook APP
Open the .msg in Outlook, copy the header fields and body, paste into a spreadsheet row, and save the file as .csv.
PstViewer Pro (EML Viewer Pro) APP
Use the batch export feature to add a folder of .msg files and export them to CSV with one row per message.
Programs that convert MSG
About these formats
.MSG
Outlook Message (Microsoft Outlook saved email)
An MSG file is one email - with subject, sender, recipients, body, and any attachments - saved from Microsoft Outlook in Outlook's proprietary binary format. On Windows, double-click it in…
Open .MSG details →
.CSV
Comma-Separated Values
A CSV file stores tabular data as plain text - one row per line, values separated by commas (or semicolons in European locales). Any spreadsheet opens it: Excel, Google Sheets, LibreOffice…
Open .CSV details →Quality & what to watch
- A single
.msgfile produces just one CSV row; batch export is only useful when processing multiple emails at once. - Email attachments are not exported to CSV - only text header fields and body text are captured.
- The email body is flattened to a single cell; HTML formatting is stripped and line breaks may not survive in plain CSV.
Frequently asked questions
Can Microsoft Outlook export MSG files to CSV directly?
.msg, copy the fields you need, and paste them into a spreadsheet row saved as .csv.Will attachments appear in the CSV output?
Is there a free tool for batch MSG-to-CSV export?
extract-msg Python library can loop over a folder of .msg files and write rows to CSV, but requires basic scripting knowledge.
