In this article, we will explain different methods to analyze MSG files. We describe all the ways in very detailed and clear steps. To start the guide, let’s first introduce MSG files.

The MSG file is created for only Outlook and MAPI programs (Microsoft’s Messaging Application Programming Interface). This file is used to save your Outlook messages, like emails, contacts, calendars, events, journals, etc., and then it shares your stored data with another Outlook account or Microsoft program. Thus, an MSG file is known as an Outlook message file to share your information.

When you are saving your information in an MSG file, you should know that it stores a single piece of information. So, if you have bulk messages, then you have multiple MSG files on your computer. For this reason, managing them would be a difficult task. So, while opening and analyzing your MSG files, you should choose a method where your data can be safe and have no problem while you are working. Therefore, we provide all the ways to view MSG files.

Different Methods to Analyze MSG Files

MSG files can only be used in Outlook; hence, the ways to read your files are limited. To open and view the files in Outlook, there are two techniques. Either way, you can double-click your files, and they will automatically open in Outlook. Or drag your files and drop them in the Outlook folder. Thus, in this way, you can import your MSG files and read the content. Along with this, there is an alternative way to see your data in MSG files. A third-party tool or professional software is a method that opens, reads, and analyzes your files without any difficulty. So, there are three options to read your files.

1. Double-click MSG files, and they will open in Outlook.
2. Drag your MSG files and drop them in the Outlook folder.
3. Use a professional tool to open and view the MSG files.

Method 1: Double-Click MSG Files and Open in Outlook

This is the simplest and quickest way to view your files. Here, you should know the location of your MSG files; in this way, it becomes easier for you to find your files.

• First, browse the location of your MSG file; by default, the file is in C:\ Program Files\ Microsoft Office\root\ Office 16\ Outlook
• After you find your MSG file, double-click the file, and your file automatically opens in Outlook.
• You can now see the content of the data. To view another file, double-click it, and it will open.

Note: Office 16 is the code of Microsoft Office 16, write the code of the version of Microsoft Office you used.

Method 2: Using Drag and Drop Methods to Analyze MSG Files

When you use the above technique to read the files, you have to follow the steps again and again to examine each and every MSG file. That is why this option is a good one: you can import batch MSG files in the Outlook folder and explore the content at one time.

• Open the Outlook program, and here we create a new folder in which we store all the files from the storage.
• In the folder panel of your program, right-click where your mail and contact folders are.
• Select the New Folder option from the drop-down list and give a name to the folder.
• Now, browse the location of your MSG files and select a file.
• Drag it and drop it into the folder that you have just created. Select another file, and again drag and drop it into the same folder. Repeat the same step again to move all your files into the folder.
• After you have imported all the MSG files, go to the folder, and you can now see all the files.

Limitations of the Manual Method

Before we explain our last methods to analyze MSG files, we first discuss the above methods and point out the problems that you can encounter when you are using them. Following are the drawbacks of those methods that are free but not the best option for reading MSG files.

• In both double-click and drag-and-drop options, we physically move our files in Outlook. If you have batch files, then you have to open them by hand, which takes your time.
• During the process, you can lose your data or missing attachments from the file.
• You have multiple files and are manually importing them. There are chances for human error.
• The manual method doesn’t have enough advanced options to analyze your data.

So, these are the problems that will be there while you do your job. So, to avoid them, you can take advantage of the next method.

Method 3: Professional Methods to Analyze MSG Files

In this method, we will talk about a third-party tool that is very easy and provides your results in a very systematic manner. The FreeViewer MSG Viewer Tool is the software we are going to use here. This is a great tool, as you can clearly see batch MSG files without using the Outlook program. The software allows you to read the file from Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, etc. Also, there are additional features the tool provides.

Features of Software

• The tool smoothly opens and views your MSG file with attachments.
• You can preview your files in various modes, like HEX, HTML, MIME, RTF, etc.
• The software allows you to read your MSG file properties like to, from, subject, date, etc.
• It maintains your data and folder hierarchy during the process.
• You can download this tool for all Windows operating systems.

Steps to Read MSG Files

1. Download and install the software.
2. On the left pane of the program, a list of files and folders is present. Search your MSG files and click on them.
3. After clicking the file, our data is loaded, and it will be displayed in front of the screen.
4. You can now view the content of the file and preview it.

Conclusion

This guide is about different methods to analyze MSG files. Here, we understand what an MSG file is and what its purpose is. We explain the three methods to view the file. The manual methods are double-click and drag-and-drop. The last method is professional, which uses a third-party tool to open and analyze your content.