FIELD GUIDE / WINMAIL.DAT
How to open Winmail.dat on iPhone or iPad
Open a Winmail.dat attachment on iPhone or iPad and extract its email content and files locally without an online TNEF converter.
Save the Winmail.dat attachment to Files, open it with MailFolio, then read the decoded message and save any attachments you need.
TESTED 3 AUGUST 2026 · MAILFOLIO 1.0
THE LOCAL ROUTE
Four steps. No upload.
- 01
Save the attachment
In Mail or your messaging app, touch and hold Winmail.dat, choose Share, then Save to Files.
- 02
Open MailFolio
Tap Open in MailFolio and select the saved Winmail.dat file. You can also share the file directly to MailFolio when that option is available.
- 03
Inspect the decoded content
MailFolio decodes classic and MAPI-packed TNEF locally, showing the available subject, message body, recipient details and attachments.
- 04
Save the real files
Open an attachment to preview it, or use its action menu to save it back to Files. Pro also unlocks sharing and professional exports.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Why you received Winmail.dat
- It is a Microsoft TNEF container, not the intended document itself.
- Outlook can package formatting and attachments inside it.
- The sender usually does not need to resend the email if the container decodes correctly.
- MailFolio performs the extraction on your Apple device.
TRY YOUR OWN FILE
Three successful imports are free.
No account and no subscription. Pro is a $9.99 one-time purchase shared across iPhone, iPad and Mac.