Convert PST to MSG

.pst file, .msg files

This tool converts Outlook items from PST data files to MSG format. You can keep the original folder structure. Unlike other formats, PST to MSG conversion preserves all MAPI properties of Outlook items without data loss. It is a convenient format for Outlook import, export and backup.

Outlook Data File (.pst)

An Outlook Data File (.pst) contains all your email messages, calendar, contact, task data and other Outlook items. If you cannot open your Outlook data file, you can extract emails from pst to msg files.

MSG File Format (.msg)

A MSG file (.msg) contains Outlook Item, which is used to represent individual email messages, appointments, contacts, tasks, and so on in the file system. Each MSG file contains all the data for a single Outlook item.

How to convert PST to MSG?

  1. Download the software, and run it on your computer.
  2. Browse the PST file you want to convert and click Open.
  3. Select mailbox root folder in All Folders pane, and go to File > Export.
  4. Choose MSG as file format and All items in this folder and subfolders.
    Convert PST data files to MSG format
  5. Select destination folder and click Ok.
  6. Wait for the export to finish and click Ok.

Custom options when saving MSG from PST

The utility provides predefined file naming options for exported MSG files:

  • Item Subject
  • Incremental Numeric ID
  • PR_ENTRYID field

There are three options for which items to save:

  • Selected items
  • All Items in this folder
  • All items in this folder and subfolders

When you select the subfolder processing mode, the utility creates the original Outlook folder structure on your local disk or network share. These folders contain messages, contacts, notes, and all other Outlook items converted to MSG format.

Online services to convert PST to MSG

PST files contain your important and confidential data. When you use an online service to convert email from PST to MSG, all of your sensitive data, including private messages, contacts, tasks and notes, is transferred to someone else's server. The data is processed on an unknown computer and you have no control over it. Only then will you be able to download the resulting MSG files.

Unlike online converters, our utility works strictly on your computer. Information from the PST data file is not uploaded anywhere. Your data will not fall into the wrong hands.

Are there any limits when converting from PST to MSG?

There is no limit on the number and size of the converted PST files and the resulting MSG files. You can convert unlimited folders or files as often as you like.

MSG files contain many MAPI fields, including internal Outlook properties. When converting, the utility retains all available fields, not just the main message fields, as in the case of EML.

Bulk PST to MSG conversion

The program can bulk convert PST to MSG in batch scripts using PowerShell, Task Scheduler and other automation tools. To do this, use the command line options of the product.

Note: Command line parameters are not available in the Home license.

pstwalker-cli.exe 
   [filename] 
   [-E:<FileFormatParameter>] 
   [-Name:<NamingStyleParameter>] 
   [-SearchQuery:<String>] 
   [-ExportPath:<DestinationPathParameter>] 
   [-FullScan] 
   [-HardDeleted | -HardDeletedOnly]
   [-Log]

Parameters

filename
The filename parameter specifies the .pst and .ost files to process. A filename mask can be applied, e.g. c:\users\*.pst

-E
The E parameter specifies the file format for the saved messages. Exports to a file of the specified format:
  • msg - .msg file format
  • umsg - unicode .msg file format
  • eml - .eml(rfc 822) file format
  • pst - .pst Outlook Data File
  • mbox - .mbox Mozilla Thunderbird file format
-Name
The Name parameter specifies the naming style for the saved messages:
  • Id - incremental Id
  • EntryId - PR_ENTRYID (unique message identifier)
  • Subject - message subject
-SearchQuery
Specifies search query, see search keywords and boolean search operators

-ExportPath
Specifies destination folder for bulk extracted messages

-FullScan
Extensive scan (to recover data from a damaged or a corrupted .pst, .ost files)

-HardDeleted
Find 'hard deleted' and 'orphaned' items

-HardDeletedOnly
Export only 'hard deleted' and 'orphaned' items

-Log
Create .log file in ExportPath folder

Example

PowerShell
cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\PST Walker\"
$PSTFiles = @("c:\a.pst", "c:\b.pst") foreach ($PST in $PSTFiles){ .\pstwalker-cli.exe "$PST" --% -E:msg -SearchQuery:'from:(=bobbymoore@contoso.com OR "bobby moore")'-ExportPath:"D:\PST-Exports\" }

This example searches c:\a.pst and c:\b.pst mailboxes for items in which the e-mail address equals bobbymoore@contoso.com OR sender name contains bobby moore. The search results are exported as .msg files to D:\PST-Exports\.

When running native commands from PowerShell, the arguments are first parsed by PowerShell. Beginning in PowerShell 3.0, you can use the stop-parsing (--%) token to stop PowerShell from interpreting input as PowerShell commands or expressions.

Updated on May 03, 2023

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See Also

OST PST Viewer

PST Walker is a portable viewer for .pst and .ost files. Open, view and convert PST and OST files without Microsoft Outlook. Easily recover deleted items, search content and attachments, and export to various file formats.

MSG EML Viewer

MSG Viewer is a portable viewer for .msg and .eml files. Support for email files from Microsoft Outlook, Thunderbird, Gmail, Apple Mail, Windows Mail and etc.