Online archive in Outlook 365 has mailboxes that are very enormous. You can use the archive feature to store old or inactive email messages. But how to archive in Outlook 365? You will find out in a while. As doing so can be helpful in freeing up your space or even maintaining a record of old emails. There are several ways in which you can archive your mail in outlook 365. Read the article till the end to find out about how to retrieve emails in Outlook Office 365 and how to archive in Outlook for Windows.
How to Archive in Outlook 365
It is possible to access the Outlook Online Archive from any device with an internet connection because it is a cloud-based storage solution hosted on Microsoft’s servers. It’s a practical tool for keeping track of previous emails and keeping your inbox organized. Keep reading further to find the steps explaining how to archive in Outlook 365 in detail with useful illustrations for better understanding.
What is Outlook Online Archive?
Outlook Online Archive in Outlook 365 (also known as Microsoft 365) gives you access to an archive folder, separately where you can store outdated or inactive emails. The Archive folder is located in your mailbox, but it’s not displayed by default in the folder list.
- You can access the Archive folder by clicking the Archive tab in the folder list or by searching for messages in the Archive folder.
- The purpose of the Outlook Online Archive is similar to the purpose of archiving in general: to free up space in your inbox and improve search speed.
- You can move emails to the archive folder manually or set up automatic archiving to have Outlook 365 move emails to the Archive folder based on certain criteria (such as the age of the email or which folder it’s in).
It’s important to note that the archive in Outlook for windows is different from the Offline Archive feature, which is used to store a copy of your mailbox on your computer for offline access. The Outlook Online Archive is a cloud-based storage solution, which means that it’s stored on Microsoft’s servers and can be accessed from any device with an internet connection. Keep reading to find out how to archive in outlook 365.
What is the Difference Between Online Archive vs Archive Folder?
Here is a comparison of the Outlook Online Archive and the Archive folder in Outlook 365.
| Online archive | Archive folder |
| Stored in the cloud (on Microsoft’s servers) | Stored in your mailbox |
| Can be accessed from any device with an internet connection | Can only be accessed from the device where it was created |
| Messages are automatically removed from the folder list by default | Messages are displayed in the folder list by default |
| Can be set up to automatically move messages based on certain criteria | Can be manually moved by the user |
Also Read: IMAP vs POP3: Difference and Comparison
How to Archive Mail in Outlook 365?
To archive mail in Outlook 365, you can follow these steps:
Note: Make sure you are logged into your Outlook account.
1. Visit the Outlook website and click on Inbox from the left pane.
2. Click on the desired email you want to archive.
3. Now, right-click on the selected emails and click on Archive from the context menu.
Now, the selected email(s) will be moved to the archive folder.
Also Read: How to Disable Reply All Outlook 365
How to Retrieve Emails in Outlook Office 365?
After learning how to archive in Outlook 365, let’s see how to restore it with the deleted ones as well. There are several ways to know how to retrieve emails in Outlook 365, depending on where the emails are stored and what you are looking for.
Method 1: From Deleted Items Folder
1. From your Outlook account, click on Deleted Items from the left pane.
2. Now, select the desired email that you want to move.
3. Then, right-click on the selected emails and click on Move > Inbox to move them back to your inbox.
Method 2: From Archive Folder
If you have archived an email, it will be stored in the archive folder. So, to retrieve back emails from the archive follow the steps below:
1. Click on Archive from the left pane on your Outlook account homepage.
2. Select the desired emails that you want to move.
3. Right-click on the selected emails.
4. Then, click on Move > Inbox to move it back to your inbox.
Also Read: How to Archive or Unarchive Posts on Instagram
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Can you recover permanently deleted emails from Outlook 365?
Ans. No. It is usually not possible to recover permanently deleted emails from Outlook 365, unlike how you can archive them in Outlook 365 and restore them back anytime. When you delete an email from the Deleted Items folder the email is moved to a special folder called the Recoverable Items folder. However, the Recoverable Items folder is not intended to be a long-term storage solution, and items in the Recoverable Items folder are automatically deleted after a certain period of time (usually 30 days). Once an item has been deleted from the Recoverable Items folder, it is permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.
Q2. Why have my emails disappeared from my inbox?
Ans. If you or someone else has deleted the emails from your inbox, they will no longer be displayed in the inbox. However, if you are still unable to find your emails, there may be a problem with your email account. It’s possible that your emails were lost due to a technical issue, or that your mailbox has been hacked and the emails were deleted. In these cases, you may need to contact your email provider for assistance.
Q3. Does Office 365 keep deleted emails?
Ans. Yes, Office 365 (also known as Microsoft 365) keeps deleted emails in a special folder called the Deleted Items folder.
Q4. Are Office 365 emails backed up?
Ans. Yes, Microsoft 365 (formerly known as Office 365) includes a built-in data retention and recovery feature called Microsoft 365 retention policies. Microsoft 365 retention policies allow you to set up rules for how long to keep different types of content in your mailbox and other Microsoft 365 services (such as SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams).
Q5. Where is Outlook 365 data stored?
Ans. Outlook 365 stores your data in the cloud storage, which means that it is stored on servers owned and operated by Microsoft. When you use Outlook 365 to send and receive emails, create tasks and appointments, or perform other tasks, the data is saved to your mailbox on the Microsoft servers. You can access your mailbox from any device with an internet connection by logging into your Microsoft 365 account.
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We hope that you learned about how to archive in Outlook 365 and how to retrieve emails in Outlook Office 365. Feel free to reach out to us with your queries and suggestions via the comments section below. Also, let us know what topic you want to learn about in our next article.
