Free online MSG to RTF converter

Some document workflows accept editable RTF files but cannot open Outlook’s MSG message files. Converting a message lets users work with its text in word processors that support RTF without keeping it in an email-specific format.

What the MSG format is

MSG is Microsoft Outlook’s file format for saving individual email messages and other Outlook items. It can contain message headers, body content, formatting, and attachments; you commonly encounter it when someone saves or sends an email as an Outlook item.

What the RTF format is

RTF (Rich Text Format) stores formatted text and is supported by many word processors, including Microsoft Word and LibreOffice Writer. It is useful when a recipient needs an editable document with basic formatting and does not need the message to remain an Outlook item.

How to convert MSG to RTF

Online on 101convert.com

1. Open the MSG-to-RTF converter on 101convert.com and upload the MSG file.
2. Start the conversion and wait for the RTF output.
3. Download the converted file. Several files can be converted in one batch; check the page for the per-file size limit.

Offline with desktop software

Python and extract-msg (free): This method extracts the message’s plain-text body and writes it as an RTF file. Install Python and the library with pip install extract-msg, save the script below as convert_msg.py beside input.msg, then run python convert_msg.py.

import extract_msg


def escape_rtf(text):
    text = text.replace("\r\n", "\n").replace("\r", "\n")
    out = []
    for char in text:
        if char == "\\":
            out.append(r"\\")
        elif char in "{}":
            out.append("\\" + char)
        elif char == "\n":
            out.append(r"\par" + "\n")
        elif char == "\t":
            out.append(r"\tab ")
        elif ord(char) > 127:
            data = char.encode("utf-16le")
            for i in range(0, len(data), 2):
                unit = data[i] | (data[i + 1] << 8)
                out.append(r"\u" + str(unit if unit < 32768 else unit - 65536) + "?")
        elif ord(char) >= 32:
            out.append(char)
    return "".join(out)

msg = extract_msg.Message("input.msg")
body = msg.body or ""
with open("output.rtf", "w", encoding="ascii") as file:
    file.write(r"{\rtf1\ansi\deff0\uc1 " + escape_rtf(body) + "}")
msg.close()

This script preserves the message body as text, not its original rich formatting, headers, or attachments.

Total Mail Converter (commercial, Windows): Open the MSG files in the program, select RTF as the output format, choose a destination folder, and start conversion. Check the output when messages contain attachments or complex formatting; RTF is a document format, not an email container.

Quality and limitations

RTF conversion does not make attachments part of the document unless the converter explicitly embeds them. Email fields such as sender, recipients, and timestamps may not appear in the RTF body, so retain the original MSG when those details or the original message structure matter.