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How to Open EML Files in Browser Using Free & Pro Methods

Discover how to open EML files in browser. Also learn how to view EML files online in the most widely used browsers using the free & pro methods.

By Owen ClarkePublished about a year ago 6 min read
How to Open EML Files in Browser Using Free & Pro Methods

How to Open EML Files in Browser? Explained

To open EML files in browser, we first have to understand what an EML file is. This article guides you step by step on how to open EML files in common web browsers such as Chrome, Edge, and Firefox without the assistance of an email client. Whatever your intention might be – preview an email quickly or troubleshoot a problem – all these methods are convenient and hassle-free to do.

What is an EML File?

An EML file is a format, or, rather, a way of storing email files. They are stored in the standard MIME RFC 822 format and contain only messages themselves. EML files store email messages in the header, main content, and attachments, which may accompany them. This is mainly used to save or share email messages in portable format. Files are more easily opened or exported utilizing several email clients such as Mozilla Thunderbird, Windows Mail, etc.

Gmail provides a simple way to send and receive emails, but it doesn’t provide any method to view EML files. Therefore, for opening any EML file, we have multiple methods, out of which the main focus for this article would be on accessing EML files with the help of browser.

This article will guide you through all the steps required to access/open EML Files in any sort of browser (Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, etc.).

How to open EML File in Browser?

Now, let us take a look at each of the steps one by one in detail to understand what opens EML files :-

(1) Drag and Drop EML file into a Browser

1. First, find the EML file on your computer.

2. Open your preferred browser.

3. Drag the .eml file from its folder into the browser window.

The email will then open in your browser with the content much like it would in an email app.

(2) Use the "Open With" Option to open EML Files

1. Right-click on the EML file.

2. “Open with” from the context menu.

3. Open with browser from the list of applications.

That’s it! The email should now open in your browser.

(3) Open EML File as Plain Text in any “Browser”

EML files are, in simple words text files containing email data in plain text format and HTML formats. You can open them in a browser directly, too, to see their raw contents.

1. Rename the file from .eml to “.mhtml” or “.html”.

2. Double-click the file to simply open it.

3. After double clicking the file simply opens up in the browser which you have set as your default browser.

Note : These methods do work quite simply but however since we aren’t using any third party software to access the EML files, the format in which the EML files are opened might not be in readable format (generally displayed in HTML format which shows the basic code of the EML file without displaying the ).

Browsers treat EML files differently. Here's a quick guide for most widely used browsers:

How to open EML Files in google chrome

1. Drag and Drop: Drag the EML file in the browser window of Chrome, and it will automatically show the content of the mail.

2. Change the Extension: Just rename the file to .mhtml or .html and double-click on that. Chrome will open the file like a standard webpage. However, as mentioned above it displays the contents in the form of a html file i.e. the code of the file.

Use a Chrome Extension: If you work with EML files frequently, you can install "EML Reader" Chrome extension or you can simply follow the above steps on “how to open EML file in google chrome”.

These methods can collectively also be called as “google chrome eml viewer” and simply guide us on how to open EML files in google chrome.

How to open EML file in Microsoft edge

1. Drag and Drop: Similar to Chrome, you can open EML file in edge by dragging and dropping the EML file into an open Edge window to view its contents.

2. Default App Association: Right-click on the EML file, select “Open With”, and choose Microsoft Edge. If Edge isn’t listed, click “Choose another app” find Edge, and select it as the default for future EML files.

How to open EML file in Mozilla Firefox

1. Drag and Drop: Open Firefox and drop the EML file into the browser window. Firefox will render the email content in plain text or HTML format.

2. Add-Ons: Firefox has several add-ons available that enhance EML file handling. Search for "EML Viewer" in the Firefox Add-ons store to install and use these tools.

Thus, from these 2 methods, we can say that we can either access EML files directly in Mozilla Firefox itself or we can simply use any sort of Firefox EML viewer plugin.

Handling EML files Best Practices

• The browser needs to be updated to the latest version for proper file compatibility.

• Verify File Sources: Only open the EML file coming from trusted sources to avoid security risks.

• Save Copy: If the attachment is crucial, save its copy before attempting to open and access the file.

• Use a Secure Viewer: In case of sensitive information, use trusted tools or email clients to ensure data protection.

Why Use Browsers for EML Files?

This is a very convenient, browser-based method for opening EML files with no software required on any device. Most computers come preloaded with browsers, making this an extremely accessible tool for rapidly viewing the contents of email. A browser is not going to have all the functionality of a dedicated email client, but it's very versatile for simple tasks.

By following the steps outlined in this article, you’ll be able to open and view EML files across different browsers and platforms with ease. Whether you’re troubleshooting or just looking for a quick solution, browsers are an excellent way to manage EML files efficiently.

How to Open EML Files in Browser and Overcome Limitations

EML files are viewed directly in a browser, and accessing the content of the email quickly and easily, but it has limitations. The browser is sometimes incapable of displaying attachments or formatting complex emails that may be crucial to processing significant messages.

This is where MailsWare EML Converter takes over. It reduces all disadvantages by converting the EML files into other formats and then saving these in any of the formats which are including PDF, PST, DOC among others with the attachments or content and formatting completely intact while processing EML files quite effortlessly with batch processes and GUI interface.

How to Use MailsWare EML Converter to View Files in a Browser

1. Download and Install the Software

Go to the MailsWare website directly and download the EML Converter. Just run through its installation to get it on your machine.

2. Add EML Files

Open the tool and click “Select a folder” to add your files. It supports uploading multiple files at once for batch process end.

3. Choose Output Format

Select the output format: choose one that's supported by most browsers which is “html”. That means it's directly opened by your browser from the output file.

4. Convert File

Click the Convert button and leave the rest to be converted by the converting software. The outputted file will be left in your nominated destination folder.

5. Open Files in a Browser

Now, access the destination folder containing the converted HTML/MHTML files and double-click to open them in your default browser and view their content, including all formatting and attachments.

EML Converter, with MailsWare, can now create the flexibility of viewing and converting EML files with lossless quality, perfectly complementing browser-based viewing.

Conclusion

Opening EML files can be opened using a browser very conveniently and efficiently if no special email software is available. Online tools, local server configuration, or simply drag-and-drop files all these approaches can be applied according to your requirements.

With the steps and the tips in this guide, easy access to contents of EML files is achievable while you are securing your data.

This is a very useful skill to master, especially in this age of file portability and cross-platform compatibility. The next time you come across an EML file, be assured that nothing more than a browser is needed to unlock its contents.

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