Yes, you can import EML files into Outlook. For a few emails in classic Outlook, drag them from File Explorer into a folder you created yourself, not the Inbox, or they arrive as attachments instead of real messages. New Outlook for Windows has a built-in bulk EML import under Settings then Files then Import, though it needs an internet connection and imports only top-level files. For thousands of files, or to keep a folder structure intact, convert the EML files to PST and import that one file. The Univik EML Converter does this in a single pass, turning a batch of EML files, including nested folders, into one PST with the folder hierarchy and attachments preserved.
Can You Import EML Files into Outlook?
If you are looking for how to import EML to Outlook, the short answer is that there are four routes and the right one depends on your Outlook version and how many files you have. This guide walks through each.
Yes. Outlook can take in EML files, the standard single-message format used by Thunderbird, Apple Mail, Windows Mail and most other email apps. Outlook stores mail in its own formats (PST for a mailbox, MSG for a single saved item, the choice explained in our guide on saving as EML or MSG), so importing an EML means bringing that message into Outlook’s world.
When people search for Outlook import EML files, this version split is the thing that catches them out. The right method depends on which Outlook you run and how many files you have. Classic Outlook and new Outlook for Windows handle this differently, and the approach that works for five emails falls apart at five thousand. Pick the method that matches your situation rather than forcing one route.
Which Method Fits Your Situation
| Your situation | Best method | Keeps folder structure? |
|---|---|---|
| A few emails, classic Outlook | Method 1: Drag and drop | Manual |
| One email at a time, classic Outlook | Method 2: Open With | Manual |
| A folder of emails, new Outlook | Method 3: Built-in bulk import | No, top-level only |
| Thousands of emails, or nested folders | Method 4: Convert to PST | Yes |
Method 1: Drag and Drop in Classic Outlook
For a small number of EML files in classic Outlook for Windows, dragging them straight in is the quickest route. The one rule that saves you grief: drop them into a folder you made yourself, not the Inbox.
Make a folder for them. In classic Outlook, right-click your mailbox or Inbox and create a new folder. Dropping EML files into a folder you created is what makes them arrive as real messages rather than attachments.
Open File Explorer beside Outlook. Put the two windows side by side so you can see the EML files and the new Outlook folder at the same time.
Select and drag. Select the EML files (hold Ctrl for several, Shift for a range), then drag them onto the new folder and release. They appear as messages you can open and search.
Where drag and drop breaks down
This is a small-batch method only. A Microsoft MVP has noted it can error out when you move 50 or more files at once, and large batches can freeze Outlook. It also does not preserve any folder hierarchy, so nested folders have to be recreated by hand. For hundreds or thousands of files, use Method 4 instead.
Method 2: Open With in Classic Outlook
If dragging is fiddly, you can open each EML directly in Outlook and file it. This is reliable for one message at a time.
Right-click the EML file. In File Explorer, right-click the file, choose Open With, then pick Outlook (classic). The message opens in Outlook.
Move it into a folder. With the message open, use Move on the ribbon and choose the Outlook folder where you want it kept. Repeat for each file.
This avoids the attachment problem entirely, since Outlook opens the EML as a true message. The downside is obvious: it is one file at a time, so it does not scale past a handful.
Method 3: Built-In Bulk Import in New Outlook
Here is the part that trips people up. The redesigned new Outlook for Windows removed the old File then Open & Export wizard, so a lot of guides claim new Outlook cannot import EML at all. That is out of date. You can import EML into new Outlook with a built-in bulk importer Microsoft added to the app.
Open the import settings. In new Outlook, go to Settings, then Files, then Import, and click Start import.
Choose the folder of EML files. Select the folder that holds your .eml files.
Pick the destination and import. Choose the destination account and folder, then click Import. New Outlook brings the messages into that folder.
Two limits to know before you start
Microsoft’s bulk import in new Outlook has three documented constraints. It needs an active internet connection to run, because new Outlook is cloud-based. It imports only the top-level .eml files in the folder you select, so files sitting inside subfolders are skipped. And each .eml file has a 14 MB size limit, so a message with very large attachments may not come through. If your EML files are spread across nested folders, flatten them into one folder first. Or use the PST route below to keep the structure.
Method 4: Convert to PST for Bulk Import
To import EML to Outlook in bulk, or any time you need to keep a folder hierarchy, the reliable route is to convert the EML files to PST and import that one file. PST is Outlook’s native mailbox format, so it imports cleanly into every version of Outlook, classic or new.
This solves the three weaknesses of the manual methods at once. It handles thousands of files in one pass. It keeps attachments and folder structure intact. And it sidesteps the attachment bug, because Outlook reads a native PST rather than loose EML files.
A dedicated converter builds the PST for you. Univik’s EML converter turns a batch of EML files, including nested folders, into a single PST with the hierarchy and attachments preserved, which you then import through Outlook’s normal Import/Export wizard. For the file itself and the import target, see the PST converter page.
Importing hundreds or thousands of EML files? Convert them to a single PST on Windows, keeping folder hierarchy and attachments intact, then import that one file into any version of Outlook.
Once you have the PST, import it through File then Open & Export then Import/Export then Import from another program or file then Outlook Data File (.pst) in classic Outlook.
The “Emails Became Attachments” Problem
This is the single most common complaint when importing EML into Outlook, so it is worth calling out on its own. You drag your EML files in, and instead of readable emails you get items that hold the message as an attachment you have to open separately.
The cause is dropping the files into the wrong place. Dropping EML files onto the Inbox often makes Outlook treat them as attachments. Dropping them into a folder you created yourself usually makes them import as proper messages. So the fix is simple: always make a new folder first and drop into that.
Drop onto the Inbox
Drop into a new folder
If the attachment behaviour still happens, use Method 2 (Open With), which opens each EML as a genuine message, or Method 4 (convert to PST), which avoids loose EML handling altogether. Both produce real, searchable emails rather than attachment shells.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you import EML files into Outlook?
Yes. Classic Outlook imports EML by drag and drop or Open With. New Outlook for Windows has a built-in bulk EML import under Settings then Files then Import. For large numbers of files, you convert the EML files to PST and import that single file, which is the most reliable route.
How do I import EML files into Outlook in bulk?
In new Outlook, use the built-in import under Settings then Files then Import, pointing it at the folder of EML files. For very large archives or nested folders, convert the EML files to PST first, then import the PST through the Import/Export wizard. Drag and drop is not suited to bulk, since it can error past about 50 files at once.
Why do my EML files import as attachments in Outlook?
Because they were dropped onto the Inbox rather than a folder you created. Dropping EML files into a user-created Outlook folder usually imports them as real messages, while dropping onto the Inbox often turns them into attachments. Make a new folder first and drop into that, or open each file with Open With then Outlook.
Can new Outlook for Windows import EML files?
Yes. Despite the removed File menu wizard, new Outlook has a built-in bulk EML import under Settings then Files then Import. It needs an internet connection, imports only the top-level .eml files in the folder you choose and caps each file at 14 MB, so flatten nested folders first or use the PST route.
Does importing EML into Outlook keep attachments?
It can, but the manual drag and drop method is unreliable with attachments and can leave emails as attachment shells. Converting the EML files to PST and importing that keeps attachments and folder structure intact, which is why it is the recommended route for anything beyond a handful of files.
Do I need to convert EML to PST to import into Outlook?
Not for a few files, where drag and drop or the new Outlook import works. You convert to PST when you have a large volume, nested folders to preserve or a recurring attachment problem. PST is Outlook’s native format, so it imports cleanly into every Outlook version.
Conclusion
Importing EML files into Outlook is simple once you match the method to the job. For a few emails in classic Outlook, drag them into a folder you created, never the Inbox. In new Outlook, use the built-in import under Settings then Files then Import, remembering it skips subfolders and caps files at 14 MB.
For a real archive, for thousands of files or for a folder tree you need to keep, converting the EML files to a single PST is faster and cleaner than any manual route, and it puts an end to the attachment problem for good.
Moving in the other direction, off Outlook rather than into it? The related guides on importing OST into Thunderbird and opening OST in Apple Mail on a Mac cover that, and EML files themselves go into clients that store mail as MBOX.