Archive Emails in Outlook
Overview
Archiving moves emails out of your Inbox into an Archive folder so your Inbox stays focused on what needs attention. Archived emails are still searchable, still synced, and still available on every device — they live in a different folder.
Before You Begin
- Outlook for Windows, Mac, web, or mobile, signed in with your work account.
- Decide whether you want to archive a single message, a thread, or many at once.
Steps
Outlook on the Web
- Open Outlook in your browser at outlook.office.com.
- Click the message you want to archive. To select more than one, hold Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) while clicking.
- Click Archive in the toolbar at the top, or press the Backspace key.
- The messages move to the Archive folder in the left sidebar.
Outlook for Windows or Mac
- Open Outlook.
- Select the message or messages you want to archive.
- Click Archive in the ribbon (Home tab), or press the Backspace key.
- The messages move to the Archive folder.
Outlook Mobile (iPhone or Android)
- Open the Outlook app.
- Swipe left on a message, or open the message and tap the archive icon at the top.
- To change swipe behavior, tap your profile picture, then Settings → Swipe Options.
Troubleshooting
- If you do not see an Archive folder: Outlook creates one automatically the first time you archive. Refresh your folder list or click More in the sidebar.
- If you archived something by mistake: open the Archive folder, right-click the message, and choose Move → Inbox.
- If you want messages archived automatically after a set time: ask your administrator about retention policies — this is configured at the tenant level, not per user.
- If you are out of mailbox space: archiving will not free space. Archived mail still counts toward your quota. Delete large attachments or empty Deleted Items instead.
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