How to Export Apple Mail Emails to PDF?
Summary: To export Apple Mail emails to PDF, we can use different approaches, that being Export as PDF or Print option and Save as PDF; both are viable options for quick export. For batch export of emails to a printable document format, we can use a professional approach too.
Apple Mail is the default email app on every Mac computer, and most of its users have years’ worth of mail in it. Emails with clients, invoices, project approvals, personal records – it is all safely stored in one place. However, issues such as closed accounts, replaced Macs, corrupted mailboxes, or full storage can happen and cause data loss. Eventually, some users want their emails stored somewhere else in a more permanent, shareable, and accessible manner. And one of the most universal formats for storing information is PDF. Let’s find out how to export Apple Mail emails to PDF format.
Portable Document Format (PDF) offers a solution by preserving the original layout of the document on any screen, being independent of software for opening, and being difficult to change by accident. These are the reasons why the PDF format is popular for document storage, compliance, and legal discovery. Converting Apple Mail to PDF can have several reasons:
- Archive important emails before cleaning up a mailbox or purchasing a new Mac.
- For use as evidence in legal cases, audits, or eDiscovery.
- Share emails with Windows, Outlook, mobile phone users, or others who don’t use Apple products.
- Have offline, secure storage of invoices, contracts, and approvals.
- Clear the iCloud or hard disk while keeping a readable backup.
Fortunately, there are ways to convert Apple Mail to PDF. In this guide, we discuss the built-in ones first. We also highlight their limitations and describe an automated solution for converting emails to PDF in bulk.
Manual Method 1: Use “Export as PDF” in Apple Mail
Apple Mail has a built-in feature that allows you to save the currently opened message as a PDF. This method is suitable for saving one message at a time and is faster.
- Open the Mail application on the Mac.
- Select the desired email message from your message list.
- Click File > Export as PDF to open the saving window.
- Name your file, select the preferred location, and click Save.
Your PDF will contain the message’s address, recipients, date, subject, and body with images. However, you’ll need to repeat the procedure for each email you want to save. This approach is good when you need to save one or two messages.
Manual Method 2: Export Apple Mail Emails to PDF via Print Option
macOS Print option can save any emails as a PDF, and also we can use the steps to export multiple emails at once.
- In Mail, select one email, or hold Command and click to select multiple emails.
- Press Command + P or select File > Print.
- Click Show Details if you want to change the paper size, orientation, or if you want to print headers.
- Open the PDF drop-down at the bottom-left, and select Save as PDF.
- Name the file, choose a location, and click Save.
Pro tip: To save an entire folder like this, open the mailbox and press Command + A to select all and print to PDF. Note that it will produce a single document, and it can be slow for big mailboxes.
Useful for: Printing a small batch of emails to keep as one file.
Limitations: The tool is only appropriate for casual users, and not for enterprises that need to archive entire mailboxes on a regular basis. It requires exporting each message separately, and you can’t save any attachments or folders. Besides, it is impossible to organize and auto-name the exported files.
Automated Method: Export Apple Mail Emails to PDF
Apple Mail Converter can efficiently convert the emails in Apple Mail to PDF file format while preserving the attachments., folder structure and the email data. Using the tool eliminates the repetitive manual steps. In a few click user can convert multiple mailboxes to PDF format.
Steps to Export Apple Mail Emails to PDF Format
Download and install on the Mac.
Note: First of all, you should locate the Apple Mail Mailbox; for more details, check out where Apple Mail is stored on Mac. By default, it is stored in ~/Library/Mail/ on your Mac computer. The program allows you to automatically detect the default mailbox. Besides, you can manually export the desired mailbox from Mail using File > Export Mailbox and import the created .mbox folder.
- Start the tool and add Apple Mail files using any Add button. Press the Next button.
- Now, preview the loaded folders and emails and use the checkbox to select. Again, press Next.
- Choose PDF from the Save option.
- Use the file naming option and set a destination location to store the converted Apple Mail emails.
- Press the Export button to start the process.
Tip: Run the trial conversion on a few files first to check the layout and the working process before converting the full archive.
FAQs
Q) How do I download an entire email as PDF format?
A) Start Apple Mail and select the emails to save. Go to File > Export as PDF, choose a destination folder, enter a file name, and finally click the Save button. Alternatively, press Command + P, select Save as PDF from the PDF menu, and save the email.
Q) Why won’t my Mac let me save a PDF?
If the PDF option is unavailable, first open the email in Apple Mail. And try File > Print and select Save as PDF.
Q) Does exporting Apple Mail emails to PDF include attachments?
A) Usually, saving an email in PDF format saves its contents and printable layout but not the attachments. If you want to save your message’s body and its attachments as separate files, you should consider saving them separately or installing an tool that provides this feature.
Q) Can I convert Apple Mail emails to PDF without opening them?
A) Yes, you can. You are allowed to select the desired messages in the message list and print them directly as PDF files without manually opening each of them. Moreover, if you want to convert a large number of emails, it is better to use an appropriate conversion utility instead of printing every single message.
Q) Can I convert Apple Mail emails to PDF in bulk without compromising folder structure?
A) Apple Mail’s built-in printing and export features are not suitable for organizing emails into folders and converting them to PDF all at once. However, you can choose the most appropriate utility that will allow you to bulk export emails in PDF without losing their arrangement in subfolders.
Q) Can I export Apple Mail emails to PDF with all their formatting intact?
A) As mentioned above, using the built-in printing function, you can only export the contents of the message and its printable layout. Thus, you will not be able to see all the images attached to emails on your PDF sheet. Furthermore, the printable layout of emails varies depending on the sender, so it may also differ for each printed message.
Conclusion
Apple Mail’s Export as PDF and Print to PDF features are perfectly suitable for occasional use, but they become excessively time-consuming when one has to print large quantities of messages. With the recommended tool here, you can export all your emails quickly and without loss of any data. Download our free trial version and convert your first messages into PDF today!