.MSG File Extension

Microsoft Outlook Email Message

Developer:	Microsoft
Popularity:	Common in Email Communication & Archiving
Open with:	Microsoft Outlook, 4n6 MSG Viewer, Mozilla Thunderbird

What is the MSG File Format?

An MSG file is a Microsoft Outlook email message file that stores Message object, such as an email with attachments, an appointment, a contact, a task, and so on, in a file. These files are commonly used for storing single email messages and popular for email communication, archiving, and forensic analysis.

Key Features

Large Storage: Stores email text and other information like the sender, recipient, date, and attachments.
Exclusive file: The MSG file was made by Microsoft and can only be used with Microsoft Outlook and Exchange Server.
Versatility: Ability to handle a lot of different email components, like attachments, links, and style, better than plain text files.
Archiving: One common use case is for archiving emails for legal and investigative purpose.

MSG files guarantee the preservation of all email components, including attachments and metadata.

About MSG Files

MSG files are a crucial component of email communication if you are using Microsoft Outlook at work. These files can be sent or archived as email records. They provide you a complete information of an email message by attaching header details, timestamps, and IP addresses as metadata.

Common Uses:

Email archiving: MSG files are used by individuals and companies to preserve copies of their cursial email data.
Forensic Investigations: MSG files preserve the integrity of the email as evidence, which is helpful for forensic email investigations.
Email sharing: Users frequently save their MSG files for sharing purposes.

MSG file open in Online MSG Reader

MSG files can be opened and viewed with 4n6 MSG Reader. This allows users to view email characteristics, attachments, and metadata without having Outlook application.

Forensic Knowledge on MSG Files

Investigators can use the extensive metadata included in MSG files to detect spoofing, verify the legitimacy of emails, and monitor communication patterns. MSG files are therefore a very useful tool in digital forensics. Every MSG file has embedded information that can be used to verify the sender's identity and the email's origin. In forensic scenarios, MSG files provide extensive email interaction data, including timestamps and IP addresses.

MIME Type	`application/vnd.ms-outlook`
Magic Bytes	`50 4B 00 00`
Signature	Microsoft COM Structured Storage format
Common Applications	Microsoft Outlook
Usage	MSG files are widely used for email archiving, message header reviews, and attachment examination.