How to open .eml files in Windows 7?

Anonymous
2010-07-28T13:42:20+00:00

**Original title: Opening eml files stored in My Documents.**I recently changed my desktop computer from one using Windows XP to one using Windows 7. I transferred from my old computer a large archive of .eml files stored in My Documents folder and sub-folders. These files will not open in Windows 7 unless I change the suffix, in which case they open in an undesirable format. If I save new eml files to My Documents in Windows 7 they still will not open. For me this is a major flaw in the Windows 7 system since I am unable to access previous records and store new ones according to their subject. Is there any convenient solution to this problem? Surely it is not unusual to want to store documents received via e-mail? This facility was availble in Windows XP, why not in Windows 7?

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Files, folders, and storage

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Anonymous
2016-09-11T19:49:19+00:00

Right-click on the .EML file.  Select "Open with".  If you have both Outlook and Live Mail installed, then both will appear on the list and both will open and display the file.

Be advised that support for Live Mail 2012 ends in January of 2017.  Don't get stuck with backups in an obsolete format.

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Anonymous
2012-02-24T16:39:35+00:00

Simple design flaw. Simple fix -

Do the following:

I found the fix: Set Window Live Mail (WLM) as default for EML files in Winodws 7:

Control Panel --> Programs -> Set Your Default Programs --> Windows Live Mail --> Choose Defailts For This Program. Now just select .emlby checking the box. Select Save at bottom and close.

There you have it.

This was from another forum by Mike - http://TechHelp.Santovec.us

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Anonymous
2010-12-07T13:51:57+00:00

One can also rename them to mht and they will open in IE to show any HTML content.

steve

<Dave N9 [MVP]> wrote in message news:*** Email address is removed for privacy ***...

.eml files are plain text files.

Any text editor can open them.

--

Dave N.

MS-MVP (Mail)

Windows 7 Ultimate 64

Get it: http://download.live.com/wlmail

Get Help: http://www.windowslivehelp.com/product.aspx?productid=15

"lobo012847" wrote in message

news:*** Email address is removed for privacy ***...

I found a download for .eml files.

Try http://www.downloadscenter/Best/free-eml-viewer.html download EML Viewer

10.09.01 best of all it's free.


Windows 7 Ultimate 64

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Anonymous
2010-08-04T12:05:16+00:00

Right click on the eml file and go to Properties and click the Change button and then designate WLM as the program with which to open the file.

steve

"wulffpaul" wrote in message news:188303c5-4a85-4ba5-a2b3-4fb292b5aea3...

I'm afraid this reply does not help. I already have Windows live mail, but do not normally use my live mail address but my bt address as an alternative within the Live Mail "envelope. All emails open in my email inboxes both the bt and Live Mail ones. However, as soon as I save a message to My Documents it fails to open. This goes for messages received on my LiveMail account as well as my bt one. I have checked this out just now by saving a message received on Live Mail in connexion with this query. It seems farcical to me that Windows 7 should allow live mail to use eml files for communications but render them useless for saving. It seems to me that the only solution for me is to upgrade to Windows7 professional, and even then I have misgivings since my current Windows 7 home premium came to me pre-installed and I am not sure whether it will accept the upgrade and if it does, what will be the effect on the programs and data I already have installed.

wulffpaul

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  1. Anonymous
    2011-11-05T13:48:35+00:00

    I already have Windows Live mail installed. How else could I be sending and receiving messages via my Live.co.uk address and operating my bt account via Live Mail? Since your previous message I have found a way of setting Windows Live Mail as a default program for opening eml files. However this does not work, the files remain unopened and I am simply returned to my Live Mail inbox. Remember I am not talking about opening eml files when they are in the boxes on my e-mail page but only eml files that have been saved to My Documents. Note that if I change the suffixof these files from eml to hmt they will open, but in a very inconvenient format. From what I can gather so far eml is an unrecognized suffix in Windows 7. Why this should be so I can't imagine.

    wulffpaul

    I think I have the fix and here's how I did it... I hope this helps ===>

    For the problem of when I drag an email out of the Windows 7 Live Mail

    interface, sometimes some of them do not retain correct type of email type but instead show this

    when you look at the email in properties via Right click the File/ in the Genercal tab ===>

    _EML File (._eml) should be ===> Windows Live Mail Email Message (.eml). to open and become draggable.

    *** Method to change it to the correct extension for opening from the desktop or from a folder,

    is this...

    1. Have your un-openable email file on the desktop

    or folder where it will not open.

    Note: In the un-openable state the email file icon looks like the

    Windows7 Live Mail program icon and will only open Windows7 Live Mail if clicked on.

    But will not open up the email.

    1. Open up Notepad.
    2. Keeping Notepad open...

    Drag the un-openable email right on top

    of the white space of Notepad.

    1. Notice the contents of the email

    has populated the Notepad document.

    1. Now simply rename the file from Save As

    keeping the same name (or if you want to change it is

    fine) BUT MAKE SURE TO ADD THE EXTENSION .eml to the end

    of the name.

    1. Close the Notepad making sure you know where you saved the file.
    1. Reopen where you saved the Notepad file WHICH is now an email file that prevsiouly

    would not open WILL NOW open as a normal Windows Live Mail Email Message (.eml) file

    on the desktop or folder AND acts normal when dragged, etc.

    Note: Now the email file icon will retain its proper state and appear as an email envelope icon.

    * I discovered how to fix this by this article:

    Using this search:

    How to change an EML File (.eml) to Windows Live Mail Email Message (.eml)

    This and other articles came up ===>

    http://email.about.com/od/outlookexpressreading/qt/Edit_the_Subject_of_a_Received_Email_in_Win_Live_Mail_OE.htm

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