┌─ FILE ANALYSIS ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┐
│ DEVELOPER : IETF (Internet Engineering Task Force)
│ CATEGORY : Other
│ MIME TYPE : message/rfc822
└ ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ┘
What is an EML file?
EML is a standard file format for email messages based on IETF RFC 5322 (Internet Message Format). Unlike Outlook’s proprietary MSG format, EML is an open standard supported by virtually all email clients. EML files contain the full email including headers, body (text/HTML), and MIME-encoded attachments.
How to open EML files
- Mozilla Thunderbird (Windows, macOS, Linux) — Full support
- Microsoft Outlook (Windows, macOS) — Import support
- Apple Mail (macOS) — Double-click to open
- Any text editor — View raw email headers and text
Technical specifications
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Standard | RFC 5322, RFC 2045-2049 (MIME) |
| Encoding | 7-bit ASCII with MIME extensions |
| Body | Plain text, HTML (multipart/alternative) |
| Attachments | MIME-encoded (Base64, quoted-printable) |
| Headers | From, To, Subject, Date, Message-ID |
Common use cases
- Email backup: Saving messages from any email client.
- Email migration: Moving messages between platforms.
- Forensics: Email evidence in investigations.
- Testing: Sample emails for development and QA.