How to Save an Email as a PDF (Gmail, Outlook, iPhone & More) | Lindy

How to Save an Email as a PDF (Gmail, Outlook, iPhone & More)

Personally Tested

Everett Butler

Everett walked through saving an email as a PDF across Gmail, Outlook, and iPhone, plus tips for saving full threads and multiple messages at once.

Last Updated: March 31, 2026

I have found that saving an email as a PDF is usually the easiest way to keep a proper copy of something important, whether it is a receipt, approval, or booking confirmation. In this guide, I walk through how to do it across Gmail, Outlook, iPhone, and other common email setups.

How to save an email as a PDF: 30-second answer

The quickest way to save an email as a PDF is to open the message, choose Print, and then switch the Destination from a physical printer to Save as PDF. That gives you a downloadable file instead of a printed copy. This is especially useful when archiving a meeting request email for future reference or record-keeping.

You’ll see that this method works across most major email platforms, including Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail, and many mobile apps. The buttons may look a little different depending on your device, but the basic flow is usually the same.

Why should you save an email as a PDF?

Saving emails as PDFs makes them easier to organize, share, and keep for future reference. Many emails contain important information like receipts, confirmations, or decisions, so converting them to PDFs creates a more permanent record you can store and access later.

Here are some of the most common reasons people save an email as a PDF:

Saving invoices or receipts: If you buy software, book travel, or pay for a service, the receipt often comes by email. Saving it as a PDF makes it easier to attach to expense reports or keep for tax records.
Keeping important business communication: Client approvals, project decisions, and vendor conversations often happen in email. A PDF gives you a clean copy you can file outside your inbox.
Storing legal or contractual emails: If an email includes terms, commitments, deadlines, or important updates, saving it as a PDF helps preserve the message in a more formal format.
Sharing email content with others: Sometimes you need to send the content of an email to someone who should not be added to the original thread. A PDF is often the simplest way to do that.
Creating a backup outside your inbox: Inboxes change. Emails get archived, deleted, or lost in clutter. A PDF gives you a copy you control.

Bottom line: Saving an email as a PDF is one of the easiest ways to turn a useful message into a file you can actually manage.

How to save an email as a PDF in Gmail

If you use Gmail, saving an email as a PDF is straightforward once you know where the option lives. Instead of offering a direct “Download as PDF” button, Gmail converts emails through your browser’s Print feature.

Follow these steps to save an email as a PDF in Gmail:

Open the email in Gmail: Start by opening the message you want to save. Make sure the entire message content is visible, especially if the email contains attachments or is part of a longer thread.
Click the Print icon: Look for the printer icon in the top-right corner of the email message. Clicking this icon opens your browser’s print preview window.
Find the Destination setting: Inside the print window, locate the Destination or Printer setting. Your computer may default to a physical printer.
Change it to Save as PDF: Switch the printer destination to Save as PDF. This tells your computer to convert the email into a downloadable document instead of printing it.
Click Save: Click the Save button in the print window. Gmail will prepare the email for export.
Choose where to store the file: Select the folder where the PDF should be saved and rename the file if needed. Once completed, Gmail downloads the email as a PDF file on your computer.

How to save an email as a PDF in Outlook

The easiest way to save an email as a PDF in Outlook is through the Print menu.

Follow these steps to save the email as a PDF in Outlook:

Open the email message you want to save: Start by opening the email you want to convert into a PDF.
Click File, Print, or More actions: Find Print under the File tab or the three-dot menu.
Select Print: Once you click Print, it opens the print preview window.
Choose Microsoft Print to PDF: In the printer list, select Microsoft Print to PDF instead of a physical printer.
Click Print: After selecting the PDF printer, click Print. Outlook will prompt you to save the file.
Choose where to save the file: Select the folder where you want the PDF stored. Click Save, and Outlook will convert the email into a PDF document on your computer.

How to save an email as a PDF on iPhone

You can use the Mail app on your iPhone to convert an email into a PDF.

Here’s how to turn an email into a PDF on your iPhone:

Open the email in the Mail app: Start by opening the email you want to save.
Tap the Reply or Share icon: At the bottom of the screen, tap the reply arrow icon.
Tap Print: From the action menu, select Print.
Use a pinch-out gesture on the preview: Spread your fingers apart on the preview image to expand it and convert it into a PDF.
The preview opens as a PDF: You can scroll through it just like any other file.
Tap the Share icon again: In the PDF view, tap the Share icon in the corner of the screen.
Choose where to save the file: Select Save to Files or another app.

How to save an email as a PDF on Android

Saving an email as a PDF on Android is usually simple. Most devices include a Save as PDF option in the print settings.

Follow these steps to save the email as a PDF from your Android device:

Open the email in Gmail or your preferred mail app: Start by opening the message you want to save as a PDF.
Tap the three-dot menu: Tap this menu to reveal additional actions for the email.
Tap Print: From the menu options, select Print.
Choose Save as PDF: Change this setting to Save as PDF instead of selecting a physical printer.
Tap the Download or Save icon: After selecting Save as PDF, tap the Download or Save icon.
Choose where to save the file: Some devices will ask you to choose a storage location.

How to save multiple emails as a PDF

I have found that saving multiple emails as one PDF is not always built into your email app. In Gmail, for example, you can print an entire conversation thread with all replies, but combining separate emails into one PDF often takes an extra step.

Email to PDF vs screenshot: What’s the difference?

I have found that a PDF is usually the better option when you need to keep the full email intact. Screenshots can work for something quick, but they often cut off details.

FAQs

1. Can you convert multiple emails into one PDF?

Converting multiple emails into one PDF is possible if the emails are part of one thread.

2. Why should you save emails as PDFs?

Saving emails as PDFs helps create permanent records of important communication.

3. Can I save an entire email thread as a PDF?

Saving an entire email thread as a PDF is possible in many email apps when the messages are part of the same conversation.

4. Do attachments get saved when I turn an email into a PDF?

Attachments usually do not get saved when you turn an email into a PDF.

5. Is a screenshot better than saving an email as a PDF?

Saving an email as a PDF is usually better than taking a screenshot when you want to keep the full message.

6. Can an AI assistant save an email as a PDF for me?

Yes. Just text an AI assistant like Lindy, and it will save your important emails as PDFs.