MD Factory converts Outlook .msg files to Markdown on your Windows PC. Each message becomes a text file with the subject, sender, recipients, date, and body, plus any pictures embedded in the message. Attachments appear as a list of names; the app does not open or convert them.
The first step happens in Outlook: you need the messages as files. How you get them depends on whether you use classic Outlook or new Outlook.
Get .msg files out of Outlook
Classic Outlook is the version that saves messages as .msg. If you are not sure which version you have, Microsoft explains how to tell. There are two ways to save a message:
- Save As: double-click the message to open it, then choose File, Save As. Pick a folder, type a file name, and in the Save as type list choose Outlook Message Format (
.msg). Microsoft's save-a-message page describes these steps and the Save as type list; the Outlook Message Format name comes from an answer on Microsoft Q&A. - Drag and drop: open a folder in File Explorer, select one or many messages in the Outlook message list, and drag them into that folder. According to a Microsoft Q&A answer, classic Outlook creates one
.msgfile per message this way. This is the quickest way to save a whole thread or a project's worth of mail.
Put the files for one topic in one folder and keep the .msg originals. They hold the full message, including attachments.
If you use new Outlook
New Outlook does not save .msg files. Its Save as command (More actions, then Save as, or right-click the message and choose Save as) is described on the same Microsoft page, which also says that new Outlook cannot save a message as an HTML file. Microsoft Q&A answers say the file it writes is an .eml (July 2025). A June 2026 Microsoft Q&A answer adds that dragging a message out of new Outlook into File Explorer saves an .eml file, not .msg. Outlook on the web also saves .eml, according to the Microsoft page.
| Where you save from | File you get |
|---|---|
| Classic Outlook: Save As or drag to a folder | .msg |
| New Outlook: Save as or drag to a folder | .eml |
| Outlook on the web: Save as | .eml |
You have two practical choices. Convert the .eml files new Outlook gives you: MD Factory reads both formats, and our EML guide covers that case. Or, if you specifically need .msg, switch back to classic Outlook. The Q&A answers above describe a New Outlook toggle in the top right corner of the window.
New Outlook can still open .msg files you already have, but Microsoft says opening them requires a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription.
Know what the Markdown contains
| Part of the message | In the Markdown result |
|---|---|
| Message details | Subject, From, To, Cc, and date. |
| Message body | The HTML body, or the plain-text body when there is no HTML, with links. |
| Images in the message | Images embedded in the message, saved in a folder beside the Markdown file. |
| Attachments | A list of names. Their contents are not included. |
The result has the same shape as a converted EML message, so notes made from Outlook and from other mail programs look alike.
If a message stores its body only as RTF, the Markdown may come out without body text. MD Factory marks it Needs review, so open the original message and compare.
Handle attachments
An attached file is listed by name and nothing more. MD Factory does not open it, and that includes a .msg attached to a message: the attached message appears in the list, but its text is not converted.
If you need what an attachment says, save it from Outlook as a separate file and add it to MD Factory as well. A PDF, Word file, or spreadsheet converts like any other document. Our batch conversion guide shows how to convert a mixed folder in one run.
Convert your messages
- Add the
.msgfiles or their folder to MD Factory, or drag them into the window. - Conversion starts right away.
- Check the status of each message: Completed, Needs review, or Failed.
- Open a few results and compare them with the originals in Outlook.
Each message gets its own .md file next to the original, with images in a <name>_images folder. The .msg files stay unchanged. If a Markdown file with that name already exists, MD Factory replaces it only when it is the app's own unedited result; otherwise it saves a numbered copy such as report (2).md. When you move a result into your notes, move its images folder with it.
Use the result for AI tools and archives
A Markdown file is plain text, so any notes app, search tool, or AI assistant that accepts text can use it. A .msg file needs Outlook or a program that understands its file format.
For an AI task, give the tool only the messages that matter and ask it to cite the subject and date next to each finding. Long reply chains repeat earlier text, so check where the latest reply ends. See our document workflow for AI agents for a source index and prompts that ask for references.
For an archive, keep the .msg originals and store the Markdown beside them. Read the Markdown for search and reference; go back to the original when you need an attachment or the exact layout.
MD Factory converts the files locally and uploads nothing. Before sharing the results, check for private addresses or confidential text. If the folder syncs to the cloud or you paste the text into an AI service, it leaves your PC. The MD Factory Privacy Policy explains how the app handles your documents.