Convert Email to PDF - Universal & Programming Methods

Emails often contain crucial information: contracts, receipts, travel itineraries, project updates, or heartfelt messages you want to keep forever. But relying solely on your inbox for long-term storage is risky. Accounts get hacked, services change, and emails can accidentally be deleted. Converting emails to PDF solves this by creating universally accessible documents perfect for records, legal evidence, or client sharing.

This guide explores both user-friendly and programmatic approaches to save email files (MSG, EML) as PDF files.

• How to Convert Email to PDF: Universal Methods
  • Method 1: Built-in "Print" Function
  • Method 2: Free Online Converters (Use with Caution)
• Convert Email to PDF in C#: Developer-Focused
• Which Method Should You Choose?
• Conclusion

How to Convert Email to PDF: Universal Methods

Universal methods are ideal for users who don’t want to write code. Here are the most common email-to-PDF conversion approaches:

Method 1: Built-in "Print" Function

This is the most reliable and widely applicable method across desktops (Windows, macOS, Linux) and email clients (Webmail, Outlook, Apple Mail).

1. Open the Email

2. Find the Print Option:

• Webmail (Gmail, Outlook.com, Yahoo): Look for the printer icon or click the three-dot menu and select "Print."
• Desktop Clients (Outlook, Apple Mail): Go to “File > Print”, or use the “Ctrl+P” (Windows) / “Cmd+P” (Mac) keyboard shortcut.

3. Choose the PDF Printer:

• "Save as PDF" (common on Mac, Chrome browser)
• "Microsoft Print to PDF" (Windows default)
• "Adobe PDF" (if Adobe Acrobat is installed)

4. Configure Settings (Optional):

• Set the page size, orientation, margins, etc.
• Disable headers/footers for a cleaner look, containing just the email content.

5. Save to PDF:

• Click "Print," "Save," or similar.
• Name your file, choose a save location, and click "Save."

Method 2: Free Online Converters (Use with Caution)

Need to convert emails to PDFs without installing software? You can use Zamzar, a free converter that allows you to convert .msg/.eml files:

Steps:

• Visit Zamzar.
• Upload your email file.
• Select PDF as the output format and click Convert.

Security Note: Avoid uploading confidential emails to online tools. Use offline methods for sensitive data.

Convert Email to PDF in C#: Developer-Focused

For developers needing automation, batch processing, or integration into .NET workflows, use Spire.Doc for .NET in conjunction with Spire.Email for .NET library to effortlessly achieve MSG or EML to PDF conversion in C#.

Setup:

Install NuGet packages:

Install-Package Spire.Email
Install-Package Spire.Doc

Below is the C# code to convert an Outlook msg file to PDF.

using Spire.Doc;
using Spire.Doc.Documents;
using Spire.Email;

namespace EmailToPdf
{
    class Program
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {

            // Load an email file (.msg or .eml)
            MailMessage mail = MailMessage.Load("sample.msg", MailMessageFormat.Msg);

            // Parse email content and return it in HTML format
            string htmlBody = mail.BodyHtml;

            // Create a Word document
            Document doc = new Document();
            Section section = doc.AddSection();
            Paragraph paragraph = section.AddParagraph();

            // Add the HTML content to the document
            paragraph.AppendHTML(htmlBody);

            // Convert to PDF format
            doc.SaveToFile("EmailToPdf.pdf", FileFormat.PDF);
        }
    }
}

Key Steps:

• Load the Email: The MailMessage.Load() method reads an email file (.msg or .eml) into a MailMessage object.
• Extract HTML Content: The email’s HTML body is retrieved via MailMessage.BodyHtml property.
• Create a Document: A Word document is instantiated using Spire.Doc.
• Add HTML to Document: The HTML content is appended to the document using Paragraph.AppendHTML().
• Save as PDF: The document is saved as a PDF using Document.SaveToFile().

Output:

Which Method Should You Choose?

Conclusion

Whether you need a quick manual conversion or an automated solution for your application, converting emails to PDF is straightforward with the right tools. Universal methods are great for one-off conversions, while C# programming provides scalability and integration capabilities for developers. Choose the approach that best fits your needs to ensure your important emails are preserved effectively.

ALSO READ:

• Convert EML/EMLX to MHTML or MSG in C#
• Convert HTML to PDF in C#
• Send Email in C# via SMTP