You want a PDF copy of an Outlook email, but PDF is missing from the save options. Classic Outlook, new Outlook, and Outlook on the web do not offer PDF as a native default save format. Use the message’s print command and a PDF destination instead, with no physical printer required.
Save a PDF in classic Outlook for Windows
This saves a message as a PDF in classic Outlook for Microsoft 365, Outlook 2024, or Outlook 2021 on Windows 11.
Open the email you want to save.
Select File > Print.
Under Printer, choose Microsoft Print to PDF.
Click Print.
In Save Print Output As, choose a folder.
Enter a filename.
Select Save.
Use the message menu in new Outlook or Outlook web mail
Open the email in new Outlook for Windows, Outlook.com, or Outlook on the web on Windows 11.
Select More actions > Print.
Click Print in the message print view.
Choose Microsoft Print to PDF under Printer.
Select Print to open Save Print Output As.
Choose a destination folder.
Enter a filename.
Click Save.
Tip: In new Outlook, Home > Print also opens printing for the selected email.
Save through the Mac PDF menu
Outlook for Mac uses the macOS print dialog for PDF saving. Open the message you need.
Press Command+P to open the print dialog.
Choose PDF > Save as PDF.
Enter a filename.
Choose the location for the file.
Select Save.
If this route fails, open the email in Outlook web mail through Chrome and use the browser’s Save as PDF destination below.
Find the PDF destination in your browser
Outlook web mail has no native default PDF save format because PDF saving happens through the print interface.
Open the email’s message print view through More actions > Print.
In desktop Chrome, press Ctrl+P on Windows or Linux, or Command+P on Mac.
Set Destination to Save as PDF.
Click Save.
Enter a filename in the saving dialog.
Choose the location for your PDF.
Complete the file-saving dialog.
For Firefox, open Firefox menu > Print… from the email’s print view.
Choose Save to PDF under Destination.
Finish the print action to save the shown preview as a PDF file.
Switch to Chrome on Android
On Android, Chrome’s print interface offers a Save as PDF destination for Outlook web mail.
Open the message in Outlook web mail through Chrome on your phone.
Choose More > Share > Print.
Select Save as PDF from the printer dropdown.
Use the PDF-saving control to open your phone’s file picker.
Choose the destination for your PDF.
Complete the save in the file picker. Its final controls vary by Android device.
Save attachments that are missing from the PDF
Print attachments separately when their contents are missing from the email PDF.
In new Outlook or Outlook on the web, choose Preview from the attachment’s dropdown menu.
Select Print.
Choose the PDF destination in the print interface.
Complete the file-saving dialog for the attachment.
In classic Outlook, open File > Print > Print Options.
Enable Print attached files. Attachments use the default printer, so PDF output requires a PDF printer as the Windows default.
Select Print. Separate save prompts and files can result; attachment printing does not guarantee one combined email-and-attachments PDF.
Restore a missing Microsoft Print to PDF printer
When the optional Windows 11 PDF-printing feature is disabled, restore it through Windows Features. Open Turn Windows features on or off from Start search.
In Windows Features, select Microsoft Print to PDF.
Click OK. Administrator authorization is required if Windows requests it.
Choose Microsoft Print to PDF under Printer in Outlook’s print interface.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I save only part of an Outlook email as a PDF?
Yes. In classic Outlook, open File > Print > Print Options. Set the page range, use Memo Style for message content, and print to the PDF printer. In Outlook web mail through Edge, select the desired email text, right-click it, choose Print, and select the PDF destination.
Can I password-protect the email PDF on a Mac?
Yes. In the macOS Save as PDF dialog, use Security Options to add password protection.
Why are Print and Save As blocked on a work email?
Email protection controls printing and saving permissions. Microsoft’s Do Not Forward protection disables recipients’ Print and Save As commands. Request an authorized printable copy or a permission change from the sender or administrator.
Can I combine several Outlook emails into one PDF?
Yes, with a compatible Acrobat/PDFMaker installation in classic Outlook for Windows. In PDFMaker’s conversion settings, clear Output Adobe PDF Portfolio When Creating A New PDF File for consecutive pages. Select the emails, use PDFMaker’s Selected Messages > Create New PDF command, and finish with Save. New Outlook does not support desktop COM add-ins such as PDFMaker.
How do I make Microsoft Print to PDF the default printer?
In Windows 11, open Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners. Turn Let Windows manage my default printer to Off. Select Microsoft Print to PDF, then choose Set as default. This changes the default printer system-wide.