How to Save an Outlook Email as a PDF (Desktop, Web, and New Outlook)

TL;DR

To save an Outlook email as a PDF: open the email, press Ctrl + P (or Cmd + P on Mac), and choose Save as PDF as the destination. For a cleaner result without headers, footers, and broken formatting, use Convert: Anything to PDF — it captures the full email as a high-fidelity PDF with one click.

Why save emails as PDF?

Emails don't last forever. Accounts get closed, messages get deleted, servers get decommissioned. Saving important emails as PDF creates a permanent record that you own.

Common reasons:

• Legal and compliance — Contracts, agreements, and approvals sent via email need to be preserved
• Tax and financial records — Invoices, receipts, and payment confirmations
• HR documentation — Offer letters, performance reviews, policy acknowledgments
• Project archives — Key decisions, approvals, and scope changes documented in email threads
• Personal records — Travel confirmations, medical communications, warranty information
• Dispute resolution — Evidence of what was communicated and when

Method 1: Save Outlook email as PDF using Print (all versions)

This works across Classic Outlook, New Outlook, and Outlook Web App.

Classic Outlook (Windows desktop app)

1. Open the email you want to save
2. Go to File > Print (or press Ctrl + P)
3. Under Printer, select Microsoft Print to PDF
4. Click Print
5. Choose a save location and filename
6. Click Save

Classic Outlook (Mac desktop app)

1. Open the email
2. Go to File > Print (or press Cmd + P)
3. Click the PDF dropdown in the bottom-left corner
4. Select Save as PDF
5. Choose a save location and click Save

New Outlook (Windows)

1. Open the email
2. Click the three dots (More actions) in the top-right of the email
3. Click Print
4. In the print dialog, change destination to Save as PDF
5. Click Save

Outlook Web App (outlook.office.com or outlook.live.com)

1. Open the email in your browser
2. Click the three dots (More actions) at the top of the email
3. Click Print
4. A print preview opens in a new tab
5. In the print dialog, change destination to Save as PDF
6. Click Save

Problems with the Print method

The built-in Print to PDF method works, but it has issues:

• Headers and footers — Page URLs and dates are printed at the top and bottom of every page
• Cut-off content — Long emails sometimes clip text at page breaks mid-sentence
• Broken formatting — HTML-rich emails (newsletters, marketing emails) often lose their formatting
• No images — Embedded images may not load if Outlook blocked them for privacy
• Multiple steps — You need to open each email individually and repeat the process

Method 2: Save Outlook email as PDF using Convert: Anything to PDF (recommended)

For Outlook Web App and New Outlook, Convert: Anything to PDF produces better results because it captures the email page exactly as rendered — with all formatting, images, and styling intact.

Step by step

1. Open the email in Outlook Web App or New Outlook (in Chrome)
2. Click the Convert: Anything to PDF extension icon in your toolbar
3. The extension shows the current page title and URL
4. Choose your paper size (A4, Letter, Legal) and orientation
5. Click Convert to PDF
6. A clean PDF downloads instantly — no headers, no footers, no broken layouts

Why this works better

• Full fidelity — Captures the email exactly as it looks on screen
• Images included — Embedded images, logos, and attachments render properly
• No headers/footers — Clean output without page URLs or dates stamped on every page
• No upload — The email never leaves your device. Important for confidential communications.
• One click — No print dialog, no destination selection, just click and download

Method 3: Save email as .msg or .eml, then convert

If you need to archive emails for long-term storage:

Classic Outlook (Windows)

1. Drag the email from your inbox to your Desktop
2. It saves as a .msg file
3. Open the .msg file — it opens in Outlook
4. Use Print to PDF from there

Any Outlook version

1. Open the email
2. Click three dots > Save as (if available)
3. Save as .eml format
4. Open the .eml file in a browser or mail client
5. Use Print to PDF or Convert: Anything to PDF

How to save multiple Outlook emails as PDF

One at a time (any method)

Open each email and use Print to PDF or the extension. This works for a few emails but is tedious for large batches.

Batch approach with the extension

If you have multiple emails open in separate tabs:

1. Open each email in its own browser tab (Outlook Web App)
2. Use Convert: Anything to PDF on each tab
3. Each email downloads as its own PDF

Merge approach

If you want all emails in a single PDF document:

1. Open each email and take a screenshot (or save the page)
2. Use Convert: Anything to PDF's "Upload Files" tab
3. Drop all the files in at once
4. They merge into a single PDF

Tips for better Outlook email PDFs

Load images first

Outlook often blocks remote images for privacy. Before converting to PDF, click "Download pictures" at the top of the email. This ensures logos, product images, and signatures appear in your PDF.

Expand collapsed threads

If you're saving an email thread, click to expand all replies before converting. Otherwise, only the latest message will appear in the PDF.

Use the reading pane or open in new window

For the cleanest output, open the email in its own window (double-click the email in Outlook). This removes the sidebar, folder list, and other Outlook UI elements from the page.

Check the page orientation

Most emails are portrait (vertical). But if the email contains wide tables, data, or landscape images, switch to landscape orientation for a better fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I save an Outlook email as PDF without Outlook installed?

Yes. If you have access to Outlook Web App (outlook.office.com or outlook.live.com), you can open any email in Chrome and use Convert: Anything to PDF to save it as a PDF directly from the browser.

How do I remove headers and footers from the PDF?

The built-in Print to PDF method adds headers and footers by default. You can uncheck the "Headers and footers" option in the print dialog. Alternatively, use Convert: Anything to PDF, which produces clean output without any headers or footers automatically.

Can I save email attachments as PDF too?

Attachments need to be downloaded and converted separately. If the attachment is an image, text file, or CSV, you can use Convert: Anything to PDF's "Upload Files" tab to convert it.

Is it safe to use online tools to convert emails to PDF?

Emails often contain sensitive information — names, addresses, financial data, legal content. Online converters upload your content to their servers for processing. For confidential emails, use a local converter like Convert: Anything to PDF, which processes everything on your device without uploading anything.

Does this work with Gmail, Yahoo, and other email providers?

Yes. The browser-based method (Convert: Anything to PDF) works with any email provider you can open in Chrome — Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Apple Mail (iCloud), ProtonMail, and more. Open the email, click the extension, and convert.

The bottom line

Saving Outlook emails as PDF is something most people need to do regularly — for records, compliance, or just personal organization. The built-in Print to PDF method works but often produces messy output with headers, footers, and broken formatting.

Convert: Anything to PDF gives you a cleaner result in fewer steps — and keeps your emails private by never uploading them. Free, no watermark, no limits.