Clutter? How to archive emails in Outlook

Keeping your Outlook inbox organized can be a challenge when you have large volumes of email. Whether you're super popular or feeling overworked, emails pile up. One method you can use to tame a cluttered inbox is archiving. At a simple level, you can use it to quickly move items from your inbox to a folder, or use more complex automated processes to reduce mailbox size. We'll show you how to archive using several methods in the Outlook desktop application.



What is the difference between archiving and moving emails to folders?

Outlook includes an Archive folder by default. This is a handy way to move emails there once they are considered done but still important. There is also a dedicated keyboard shortcut for the archiving process: Backspace.

In addition to this practical standard keyboard behavior and integrated Archive folderThere is actually no difference between moving items to a custom folder and the dedicated archive folder in Outlook other than the convenience of a shortcut.

You can also use Outlook's built-in feature to automatically archive emails based on age. Additionally, you can create a custom archive file (PST), which may be required to reduce the size of your mailbox or to meet compliance and regulatory requirements.


A few notes before we continue

  • If you use Outlook with a work account, your mailbox may have policies in place that may prevent you from archiving using the steps in this guide. If such policies exist, you may not see archiving options or they may be different than the instructions below.
  • This guide is designed for use with the classic Outlook desktop application. The steps in this guide will not work with the new Outlook.

How to archive a single email with a keyboard shortcut

First, we will cover the basic functionality of sending a single email to the archive folder using a keyboard shortcut.

  1. In your Inboxselect the message you want to archive.
    Selecting a message in Outlook

  2. Click on Backspace key on your keyboard, which, contrary to what you might think, does not delete the email.
  3. Once you are done, you can go to Archive folder and confirm that the action worked. In the following example we can confirm that it was in the folder Archive Folder (not deleted).
    Archive folder in Outlook


Do not use the
Delete
button. This will move the item to the Deleted Items folder rather than the Archive folder.

  1. In your Inboxselect the message you want to archive.
    Selecting a message in Outlook

  2. Select the Home Tab on the ribbon of your Outlook ribbon.
    Selecting the Home tab in Outlook

  3. Click on the Archive button in the upper left area.
    In Outlook, click the Archive button


How to select and archive multiple emails

You can archive multiple emails at once by selecting all the emails you want to move to the archive.

  1. To select specific emails that you want to move all at once, hold the Ctrl key while highlighting each email line you want to select.
    Selecting multiple messages with Ctrl in Outlook

  2. Or, to select a whole range of emails in a row that you want to edit, hold the Shift key while selecting the first and then the last in the area you want to highlight.
    Selecting an email range in Outlook using the Shift key

  3. After selecting, you can press the button Backspace or the Archive button on the Outlook ribbon to send the message to the archive folder.


How to automatically archive emails in a file

This section describes the options available to automatically archive emails. This can be useful to automate the movement of emails to your archive or if you need to create a backup archive file of your emails at regular intervals. It can also be used to reduce the size of your mailbox if you have an inbox quota.

These automatic options are not visible in the simplified ribbon in Outlook. You must display the larger ribbon to access the AutoArchive settings.

  1. In the Outlook ribbon, click the Arrow down on the far right and select Classic band.
    Show classic Outlook ribbon

  2. Select the Folder tab.
    In Outlook, click the Folders tab to select automatic archiving.

  3. Choose AutoArchive Settings.
    Outlook AutoArchive default settings and custom setting options


From here, you will be presented with the AutoArchive settings, where you can create an automatic archive schedule based on your own requirements. You can specify a schedule for days, weeks, and months, and be prompted before execution. You can also review, change, and customize the default settings at any time to suit your needs.

Within these settings, there is another option to move messages from your mailbox store to an Outlook Data File (PST). This feature is generally used in business environments where there is a need to reduce mailbox size, back up emails every year for legal reasons, or even share them with other organizations. However, for the purposes of this guide, we recommend moving items to the Archive folder within your own mailbox.


Be careful when archiving emails to a file. This will make access to those emails more restricted. For example, an Outlook archive file cannot be viewed in the Outlook web interface. Once an email is archived to a file, you must manually add it to Outlook to view its contents.

How to restore an archive if necessary

You can also import an email back into your mailbox that is stored in a PST file. To do so, follow these steps:

  1. In Outlook, select file > Open and export > Import/Export.
  2. Choose Import from another program or fileand then select Next.
  3. Choose Outlook data file (.pst) and select Next.
  4. Browse and find your PST file and select the desired options Import elements back in your mailbox, then select Next to complete the process.


Make the most of Outlook

You've started to clean up your inbox using the archiving feature. Dealing with email can be daunting, but there are many ways to get your inbox under control. To further improve your Outlook experience, you can also try personalizing your account to get the most out of the software.

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