.MSG File Extension
Outlook Message Item File
| Developer | Microsoft |
| Popularity |
3.4 | 220 Votes |
What is an MSG file?
An MSG file is an item, such as an email message, contact, appointment, or task created or saved within Microsoft Outlook. It contains all the information about the item, which includes attachments to an email message. While Outlook is primarily associated with MSG files, other programs using Microsoft's Messaging Applications Programming Interface (MAPI) also support them.
More Information
Microsoft introduced the MSG format with the release of Microsoft Exchange Server and Microsoft Outlook in 2003 and still actively maintains the MSG format. The primary purpose of the MSG file is to allow Outlook users to share various items, such as messages, appointments, and contacts.
The information stored in an MSG file differs based on the item contained in the file. Examples of items often saved in MSG files and their information:
- Email - MSG file contains one or more email fields, which include the date, sender, recipient, subject, and the message body, and any attachments to the message. The default name of the MSG file is the same as the message subject.
- Appointment - MSG file contains the appointment details, which include the start and end time of the appointment, location, and message. The default name of the MSG file is the same as the appointment title.
- Meeting - MSG file contains the meeting details, which include the required and optional attendees, start and end time of the meeting, location, and message. The default name of the MSG file is the same as the meeting title.
- Contact - MSG file contains details about the contact, which include the full name of the person, work information, email address, phone numbers, and business and home address. The default name of the MSG file is the same as the full name of the contact.
- Task - MSG file contains the task details, which include the start and due date of the task, priority level, percentage completed, and message. The default name of the MSG file is the same as the task subject.
How to create an MSG file with Outlook
You can create an MSG file with Outlook by dragging and dropping an email message, appointment, contact, or task item to your desktop or a folder in Windows Explorer. When doing this, Outlook names the MSG file the same name as the message subject. For example, a message with the subject "Thanks for contacting us" becomes Thanks for contacting us.msg.
You can also create an MSG file with Outlook by selecting the email message, contact, appointment, or task and clicking . You can then choose the save location and name of the MSG file.
How to open an MSG file
You can open an MSG file with Microsoft Outlook in Windows simply by double-clicking the file. If Outlook is not set as the default application for opening MSG files, you can right-click the file and choose Outlook to open the MSG file. When opened in Outlook, the program formats the message appropriately to appear the same way it appeared before being exported.
You can also open MSG files with third-party programs, such as Encryptomatic MsgViewer Pro (Windows) and 45RPM MailRaider Pro (macOS).
How to convert an MSG file
Microsoft Outlook can convert MSG files to several file types. For example, you can convert MSG files to .HTML files by selecting . You can also convert MSG files to .PDF files via the Microsoft Print to PDF option.
Programs that open or reference MSG files
Fallout In-Game Message File
| Developer | Bethesda Softworks |
| Popularity |
3.4 | 23 Votes |
A MSG file is a game data file used by Bethesda Softworks Fallout and Fallout 2. It contains in-game dialogue and/or other in-game messages. MSG files are plain text files, which store each line of dialogue or message on a separate line.
More Information
Fallout is a series of role-playing games set in a post-apocalyptic world plagued by nuclear fallout. The first two games in the Fallout series, Fallout and Fallout 2, store data used to show character-related messages, character dialogue, and item messages in MSG files. These files are located in the following directories:
- text/english/game
- text/english/dialog
Each MSG file is named for the character(s) or item(s) with which it is associated. The messages and metadata the files contain are formatted as follows:
{###}{soundfilename}{Message text}
The game uses the number specified in the {###} field to load messages at the correct time. Lines that include a filename in the {soundfilename} field are associated with an audio (.ACM) file. Each MSG file ends with a blank line and may also include comments preceded by a # symbol.
NOTE: Most other Fallout games' in-game message files use the .TXT extension. However, the text they contain is saved in the same format as MSG files.
How to open an MSG file
You can open an MSG file with Microsoft Notepad (Windows), Apple TextEdit (Mac), or any other text editor, to view and edit the text it contains. Keep in mind that editing an MSG file may cause Fallout or Fallout 2 to function incorrectly.
Fallout modders can use the ScanMsg tool (Windows) to check MSG files they've modified for formatting errors.