What archiving does in Outlook
Archiving in Outlook moves old emails out of your inbox and into a separate storage area on your computer or in the cloud, depending on which version you use. The emails stay in Outlook — you can still search for them and read them — but they no longer clutter your active folders. Think of it like moving boxes of old paperwork from your desk to a storage closet. You can still get them back, but they are not in your way every day.
Archiving is different from deleting. When you delete an email, it goes to your Deleted Items folder and eventually disappears. When you archive, the email stays accessible inside Outlook, just in a different location. Most people archive emails older than a year or emails they want to keep but do not need to see regularly.
The exact location where archived emails land depends on your Outlook version. In Outlook on the web and newer desktop versions, archived emails go to a folder called "Archive" or "All Mail". In older Outlook versions, they may go to a separate archive file on your hard drive. Either way, you can retrieve them by searching or browsing that archive folder.
Key Takeaways
- Archiving moves emails out of your inbox into a separate folder within Outlook, keeping them searchable but out of your daily view.
- Desktop Outlook and Outlook on the web have different archive locations — desktop uses a separate file, while web-based Outlook uses an "Archive" folder.
- You can archive individual emails, entire folders, or set up automatic archiving rules that run on a schedule you choose.
- Archived emails are not deleted and can be recovered by searching or navigating to your archive folder at any time.
How to archive a single email in Outlook on the web
Open Outlook in your web browser and go to your inbox. Find the email you want to archive and click on it to select it. At the top of the email list, you will see a toolbar with several icons. Look for the icon that looks like a box or folder — this is the Archive button. Click it, and the email will move to your Archive folder when ready.
If you want to archive multiple emails at once, click the checkbox next to the first email, then hold Shift and click the checkbox next to the last email in the group you want to select. All emails between those two will be highlighted. Then click the Archive button, and all of them will move together. This is much faster than archiving one at a time if you have dozens of old messages to clear out.
To find your archived emails later, look in the left sidebar of Outlook on the web. You should see a folder called "Archive" or sometimes "All Mail" depending on your account type. Click on it, and you will see every email you have archived. You can search within this folder just like you search your inbox.
How to archive emails in Outlook desktop (Windows and Mac)
In Outlook on your computer, the archive process is similar but the button location may differ slightly. Open your inbox, select the email or emails you want to archive, then look for the Archive button in the toolbar at the top. On Windows, it usually appears as a box icon. On Mac, it may be labeled "Archive" directly. Click it, and the email moves to your archive file.
Desktop Outlook stores archived emails in a separate file on your computer rather than in a folder you see in your inbox. To view archived emails, go to the File menu, then select "Open & Export", then "Open Archive File" (on Windows) or look for Archive options in your account settings (on Mac). This opens your archive file, and you can browse or search through it. The exact steps vary slightly between Outlook 2019, Outlook 2021, and Outlook for Microsoft 365, so check your version if you get stuck.
If you cannot find the Archive button in your toolbar, you may need to add it. Right-click on the toolbar, select "Customize Quick Access Toolbar", find "Archive" in the list, and click Add. This puts the Archive button where you can reach it easily.
Setting up automatic archiving on a schedule
Instead of archiving emails one by one, you can tell Outlook to archive old emails automatically. In Outlook on the web, this option is usually not available — you archive manually. But in desktop Outlook, you can set up automatic archiving to run on a schedule.
On Windows, go to File, then Options, then Advanced. Scroll down to find "AutoArchive" and click the AutoArchive Settings button. You will see options to turn on automatic archiving, choose how often it runs (weekly, monthly, or on a schedule you set), and decide which folders get archived. You can also set how old an email has to be before it gets archived — for example, you might say "archive emails older than 12 months". Once you set these options, Outlook will archive automatically without you having to do anything.
On Mac, the process is similar but located in Outlook Preferences instead of Options. Go to Outlook menu, select Preferences, find AutoArchive, and configure the same settings. After you set it up once, it runs in the background on the schedule you chose.
What happens to archived emails and how to get them back
Archived emails stay inside Outlook permanently unless you delete them from the archive folder itself. They do not disappear after a certain amount of time, and they do not take up space in your inbox quota. If you use Outlook on the web with a Microsoft 365 account, archived emails count toward your total mailbox storage, but they do not affect your inbox size limit.
To retrieve an archived email, search for it using the search box at the top of Outlook. Type the sender's name, subject line, or any words from the email, and Outlook will find it even if it is in your archive. Once you find it, you can move it back to your inbox by selecting it and clicking Move, then choosing Inbox from the folder list. You can also straightforward read it in the archive folder without moving it back.
If you accidentally archived something important, do not worry. As long as you have not permanently deleted it from your archive folder, it is still there. Search for it, and move it back to your inbox or any other folder you prefer.
The difference between archiving and other ways to organize email
Archiving is one way to clean up your inbox, but it is not the only way. You can also create folders and move emails into them, or use labels and tags to mark emails without moving them. The main difference is that archiving is designed specifically for old emails you want to keep but do not need to see regularly, while folders and labels are better for organizing emails you might need to find quickly.
Deleting is the opposite of archiving. When you delete an email, it goes to Deleted Items and is removed from Outlook after 30 days (or whatever your retention policy is). Archiving keeps the email in Outlook forever, just in a separate location. If you are not sure whether you will need an email again, archive it instead of deleting it.
Some people also use rules to automatically sort incoming emails into folders based on sender or subject. This is different from archiving because it happens to new emails as they arrive, not to old emails you have already received. You can combine both approaches — use rules to sort new emails into folders, and use archiving to clean up your inbox of old messages.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does archiving an email delete it?
No. Archiving moves the email to a separate folder within Outlook, but it stays in your account. You can search for it and read it anytime. Deleting is different — deleted emails go to Deleted Items and are removed permanently after 30 days.
Can I archive emails on my phone?
It depends on your phone and email app. The Outlook mobile app for iPhone and Android does not have an archive button by default, but you can move emails to folders manually. Some other email apps on phones do support archiving. Check your app's menu or settings to see what options are available.
What if I archive an email by mistake?
Search for it in Outlook using the sender's name or subject line. Once you find it in your archive folder, select it and click Move, then choose Inbox or any other folder. The email will move back when ready.
Do archived emails take up storage space?
Yes, archived emails count toward your total mailbox storage, just like emails in your inbox. Archiving does not reduce the amount of storage you use — it just moves emails to a different folder. If you need to free up storage space, you have to delete emails instead.
Can I search archived emails?
Yes. Use the search box at the top of Outlook and type what you are looking for. Outlook searches all your folders, including your archive, and shows you results from everywhere. You do not have to navigate to the archive folder first.