In the digital age, our email inbox has become a living archive of conversations, documents, and crucial decisions. Just as our grandparents kept letters and contracts in tidy binders, today we feel the need to preserve our most important digital communications. But how do we do it the right way? Saving an email isn’t just a matter of backup; it’s a gesture that combines the tradition of preservation with the innovation of digital tools. Whether it’s an invoice, an order confirmation, a legal notice, or simply a precious memory, transforming a volatile message into a stable and secure file is an increasingly common need.
There are two main formats for this purpose: the .EML file and the PDF. Although both serve to save an email, they address different needs. The EML is the digital “certified copy” of the message, faithful in every technical detail, while the PDF is its universal alter ego, readable by anyone on any device. The choice between the two is not trivial and depends on how we intend to use the document. This article aims to be a complete guide to navigating these two options, offering practical instructions and strategic advice for best managing your digital archive, in a context—like the Italian and European one—where document validity and integrity are fundamental.
Why Archive Emails Outside the Mail Client?
Keeping all emails within your mail client (like Gmail or Outlook) might seem like the simplest solution, but it presents several risks and limitations. Saving important communications as separate files on your computer or a secure cloud offers significant advantages. First, it creates an independent backup, protecting data from accidental deletion, technical service failures, or cyber-attacks. Second, a local file is easily shareable with other people, such as a lawyer or an accountant, who may not have access to your inbox. Furthermore, external archiving helps free up valuable space in your email account, improving its performance. Finally, for documents with legal or commercial relevance, having a copy archived according to precise criteria is a practice that can prove decisive. It is a proactive strategy that guarantees access to and integrity of information over the long term.
The EML Format: The Digital Certified Copy
The .EML format (acronym for Electronic Mail) represents the exact transposition of an email into a single file. It is a universal standard adopted by most mail clients, created to ensure maximum compatibility and fidelity to the original. Saving a message in this format means creating a perfect snapshot, capturing not only the visible text and images but also all the hidden elements that certify its authenticity.
What is an EML File?
An EML file is a text file containing the body of the message, the subject, the sender, the recipients, and all other header fields (the so-called headers). The latter are fundamental because they trace the technical path of the email from the sending server to the receiving one, providing valuable data to verify its origin. Additionally, the EML file directly incorporates any attachments, keeping them united with the message body in a single package. This feature makes it a complete and self-sufficient copy of the original email.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the EML Format
The main advantage of the EML format is its integrity. Since it preserves every single piece of data from the original, including technical metadata, it is the ideal choice when it is necessary to preserve the evidentiary value of a communication. For this reason, it is often the required format for filing documents in legal contexts, such as in the Electronic Civil Trial (PCT) in Italy. The main disadvantage, however, lies in its accessibility: to open and correctly view an EML file, you need to have an email client like Outlook, Thunderbird, or Apple Mail. This can make it impractical for quick consultation or for sharing with less experienced users.
How to Save an Email in EML Format (Practical Guide)
The procedure for saving an email as an .EML file varies slightly depending on the mail client used, but the principle is similar.
In Gmail:
- Open the email you want to save.
- Click on the icon with the three vertical dots at the top right of the message.
- Select the “Download message” option.
- The .EML file will be automatically downloaded to your downloads folder.
In Outlook (desktop version):
- Open the desired email.
- Go to “File” in the top left menu.
- Choose “Save As”.
- In the dialog box, ensure that “Outlook Message Format – Unicode (*.msg)” is selected as the “Save as type”, or directly EML format if available. If you save as .MSG (Outlook’s proprietary format), the file will maintain the same characteristics of completeness. To get an .EML, some users might need to use the drag-and-drop function of the email onto the desktop.
This simple operation allows you to create a perfect copy of your communication, ready to be securely archived.
The PDF Format: Universality and Simplicity
The PDF format (Portable Document Format), created by Adobe, has become the de facto standard for sharing digital documents. Its strength lies in being a “crystallized” format: a PDF file appears identical on any device, operating system, or software, preserving layout, fonts, and images intact. This characteristic makes it the perfect choice for innovation in document management, ensuring accessibility and professionalism.
What is a PDF File?
Unlike EML, which is a technical copy of the email, the PDF is a visual representation of the message. It is the digital equivalent of a paper printout. When you save an email as a PDF, you capture what you see on the screen, transforming it into a static document that is easy to read, annotate, and share. This universality is its greatest strength, as it requires no specific software other than a PDF reader, which is now integrated into all browsers and operating systems.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the PDF Format
The main advantage of PDF is its universal accessibility. A PDF file can be opened and read by anyone without difficulty, making it ideal for sending invoices, quotes, or documents to clients and collaborators. It is also the preferred format for printing, ensuring that the result on paper is exactly like the one on screen. The disadvantage is that, in the conversion process, some technical metadata of the original email (such as the full headers) may be lost. Furthermore, attachments are usually not embedded but must be saved separately. Therefore, if the goal is maximum technical integrity, EML remains superior.
How to Save an Email in PDF Format (Practical Guide)
The most common method for saving an email as a PDF is to use the virtual print function, available on almost all devices.
In Gmail, Outlook.com, and other webmail:
- Open the email you want to save.
- Look for the “Print” option, usually accessible from a menu (often represented by three dots).
- The printer dialog box will open. In the “Destination” dropdown menu, instead of a physical printer, select “Save as PDF” (or “Microsoft Print to PDF” on Windows).
- Click “Save” and choose where to archive your PDF file.
This simple and fast procedure transforms any email into a professional and easily shareable document. For those who want more details, a definitive guide on how to print emails and chats is available, which further explores this process.
EML vs PDF: Which Format to Choose?
The decision between saving an email in EML or PDF format depends entirely on the final purpose of the archiving. There is no absolutely right choice, only the one most suitable for the specific need. To clarify, we can think of the EML as the digital original and the PDF as an authenticated photocopy. The EML preserves the entire technical structure, including attachments and headers, making it the choice of election for archiving for legal purposes or forensic analysis. If you need to prove the origin and integrity of a message in a dispute, an EML file is the most solid evidence.
The PDF, on the other hand, excels in portability and readability. If you need to share an order confirmation with a colleague, send an invoice to a client, or simply archive a document for easy future reference on any device, the PDF is unbeatable. Its static and universal nature ensures that the document is displayed exactly as intended, without the need for specific software. In summary: choose EML for compliance and technical integrity, choose PDF for sharing and accessibility.
Legally Compliant Archiving: An Aspect Not to Be Underestimated
In Italy and Europe, the management of electronic communications is subject to precise regulations. Emails with commercial, fiscal, or legal relevance are not simple messages but actual documents that, according to the Civil Code, must be kept for 10 years. This obligation also extends to electronic mail, which must be archived guaranteeing integrity, authenticity, and immutability. In this context, the EML format is often preferable because it preserves the email in its original state, including metadata that can attest to its origin. Even Certified Electronic Mail (PEC), which has legal value comparable to a registered letter, must be preserved correctly so as not to lose its evidentiary effectiveness over time. It is therefore fundamental to adopt an archiving system that not only saves files but does so in a structured way compliant with regulations, such as the GDPR, which imposes secure management of personal data contained in emails. For those using clients like Outlook, it may be useful to delve into how to manage PEC configuration on Outlook for optimal integration.
Beyond Manual Saving: Innovative Solutions for Archiving
While manually saving a few important emails is a simple operation, managing the systematic archiving of hundreds of messages can become complex and time-consuming. Fortunately, technological innovation offers solutions to automate and optimize this process. There are software and dedicated email archiving services that integrate with major mail clients and automatically save communications in a centralized, secure, and searchable archive. These tools not only perform backups but also offer powerful search, indexing, and retention policy management functions, ensuring regulatory compliance. For those using Gmail, it is possible to enhance their inbox with specific add-ons; to learn more, you can consult the guide to the best add-ons for Gmail. For Outlook users, however, a correct archiving strategy can start with a complete backup of emails, contacts, and calendar, which lays the foundations for more robust and secure document management.
In Brief (TL;DR)
Learn the complete procedure to save any email as an .EML file, for faithful preservation of the original, or in PDF format for easy sharing and archiving.
Whether you need an exact copy of the message in .eml format or a universal and printable document like a PDF, this guide will show you the steps to do it quickly and easily.
Discover how to transform any message into a portable and secure file in a few simple steps.
Conclusions
Email management is an essential digital skill in personal and professional life. Knowing how to correctly save a message in EML or PDF format is not a mere technical exercise, but a strategic choice that impacts the security, accessibility, and legal value of our communications. We have seen how EML is the guardian of the digital archival tradition, preserving the original integrity of the message for compliance and evidentiary purposes. Conversely, PDF represents innovation at the service of practicality, offering a universal, shareable, and easy-to-consult format.
The choice between the two formats depends entirely on the context and the objective: EML for absolute fidelity, PDF for maximum compatibility. Adopting a conscious archiving policy, perhaps supported by automatic tools, means transforming your inbox from a chaotic flow of information into an organized, secure, and valuable digital archive. In a world where information is the most precious asset, preserving it the right way is the first step to protecting and valuing it over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Saving an email as an .EML or PDF file is fundamental for several reasons. First, it guarantees long-term archiving, independent of your email provider which could close or change its policies. Second, a separate file is easier to share, forward, or attach to legal and administrative files. Finally, it allows you to organize important communications into thematic folders on your computer, creating an ordered and always accessible personal or professional archive, even offline.
The difference is substantial and depends on the intended use. The .EML format is an exact copy of the original email: it preserves the text, formatting, attachments, and all technical information (headers, metadata). It is ideal if you plan to re-import the message into another mail client. The PDF, on the other hand, is like a ‘photograph’ of the message: it preserves the visual appearance, is universally readable on any device, and is not easily modifiable, making it perfect for sharing official documents, printing, and long-term archiving.
The procedure is very similar on almost all mail clients (Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail). Open the email you are interested in and look for the ‘Print’ option. From the print menu that opens, instead of selecting a physical printer, choose the ‘Save as PDF’ or ‘Microsoft Print to PDF’ option. At this point, you can name the file and save it to a folder on your computer.
It depends on the format you choose. If you save in .EML format, all original attachments are embedded directly within the file and can be opened along with the message. If you choose to print to PDF, usually only the information visible in the body of the email is saved, such as the name of the attached file, but not the file itself. To include attachments with a PDF, you would need to download them separately and then potentially merge them with the message PDF using specific tools.
Yes, to correctly open an .EML file and view its content, formatting, and attachments, you need to use an email client like Microsoft Outlook, Mozilla Thunderbird, or Apple Mail. Although a text editor can show the message text, it will not be able to interpret the formatting or extract the attachments. Alternatively, you can change the file extension from .eml to .mht to try opening it with a web browser like Edge or Chrome.
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