Fix Sorry the File .MSG Couldn’t Be Opened Error Quickly

  

Mark Regan
Published: October 9th, 2024 • 4 Min Read

Users often encounter errors like “Sorry, the file .MSG could not be opened. This file type requires a Microsoft 365 subscription to open” whenever they try to open an MSG file without having an active O365 subscription. We understand it can be a frustrating error especially when you have a lack of time. This quick guide will thoroughly explain to you how to easily get rid of this error. Begin reading.

You are not the only one facing this issue, many users are raising this question on the Microsoft forum. As soon as we got to know, we decided to provide an instant solution.

Understand Sorry the File .MSG Couldn’t be Opened Error

The error “MSG file couldn’t be opened. This file type requires a Microsoft 365 subscription to open” typically occurs when you are attempting to open a file type that is only restricted to Microsoft 365 users, but you do not have an active subscription. Microsoft 365 is a service that provides users a complete office suite applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc with additional features. When you open a file type that requires these features, the system will check for an active subscription.

However, if it fails to detect a valid subscription, the error message “Sorry, the file .MSG could not be opened. This file type requires a Microsoft 365 subscription to open” will appear and prevent access to the file. For instance, to access these files, you will need a valid Microsoft 365 subscription as the required file type is supported only within that service’s application. Continue reading this article if you are not able to open .msg files saved with outlook.

Reasons of MSG File Cannot be Opened Requires O365 Subscription Issue

• Default Open Method: The MSG file is already set to open with “Outlook New” by default which requires a Micorosft 365 subscription.
• Compatibility Issue: “Outlook New” does not support MSG file type unless you are subscribed to Microsoft 365.
• Incorrect Application: The MSG file is being accessed with a version of Outlook that enforces subscription-based access for specific formats.

Fix Sorry the File .MSG Couldn’t be Opened Error Easily

Follow these steps to resolve this issue sorry the file .MSG couldn’t be accessed:

1. Locate the .msg file on your computer that you want to open.
2. Use your mouse and right-click on the .MSG file.
3. Pick the “Open with” option from the menu.
4. Within the list of available programs, select “Outlook” instead of “Outkook (New)”.
   
5. Hit the “OK” or “Open” option and your MSG file will be opened without showing Sorry, the file [filename] could not be opened.
6. This file type requires a Microsoft 365 subscription to open Error.

Note: Please ensure that you have selected “Outlook” rather than “Outlook (New)” to avoid any issues. Recheck this selection before proceeding.

Conclusion

Encountering the error “Sorry, the file [filename] could not be opened. This file type requires a Microsoft 365 subscription to open” can be annoying especially when you are in a hurry. However, it is possible to easily fix this problem by following simple steps provided in the article. If the issues continue, you can use the suggested free tool to open MSG files without Outlook or needing a Microsoft 365 subscription.