How to Archive Emails in Outlook Automatically or Manually

Archiving in Outlook moves older or less important emails out of your main inbox into an archive folder, keeping your mailbox tidy without deleting anything. This guide covers both manual archiving (one click or drag-and-drop) and automatic archiving (rules and AutoArchive) for Outlook desktop, web, and mobile, plus how to find archived messages later.

What You’ll Need

An Outlook account (Microsoft 365, Exchange, IMAP, or POP) with sufficient mailbox storage.
Access to Outlook on your device (desktop app, web browser, or mobile app).
For AutoArchive: the desktop version of Outlook (Windows or Mac) – the web and mobile apps do not support AutoArchive.

Step-by-Step

Manual Archiving

Select the email(s): In your inbox or any folder, click the checkbox next to an email, or click and drag to select multiple emails. To select all, press Ctrl+A (Windows) or Cmd+A (Mac).
Archive with one click: On the Home tab (desktop) or top toolbar (web), click the Archive button (a box with a down arrow). The email moves to the Archive folder. On mobile, swipe left or tap the archive icon.
Drag to Archive folder: In the folder pane (left side), expand your mailbox and find the Archive folder. Drag the selected email(s) onto it.
Use keyboard shortcut: In Outlook desktop, press Backspace to archive the selected email (if the Backspace key is set to archive in Options > Mail > Layout). In Outlook web, press E to archive.
Archive an entire folder: Right-click a folder (e.g., Sent Items) and choose Archive (desktop) or Move to Archive (web). This moves all contents to the Archive folder.

Automatic Archiving with AutoArchive (Desktop Only)

Open AutoArchive settings: In Outlook desktop, go to File > Options > Advanced. Under “AutoArchive,” click AutoArchive Settings.
Enable AutoArchive: Check “Run AutoArchive every” and set the frequency (e.g., every 14 days). Check “Prompt before AutoArchive” if you want a reminder.
Set default behavior: Choose what happens to old items: “Delete expired items” (for email with expiration dates) or “Archive or delete old items.” For archiving, select “Archive or delete old items” and then “Archive old items to” – choose a folder (default is the Archive folder). Set the “Clean out items older than” value (e.g., 6 months).
Apply to specific folders: To set AutoArchive for a particular folder (e.g., Inbox), right-click the folder, choose Properties > AutoArchive tab. Select “Archive this folder using these settings” and adjust the age and destination. This overrides the global settings for that folder.
Run AutoArchive now: To test, go to File > Options > Advanced > AutoArchive Settings and click Run AutoArchive Now. Outlook will archive items older than the specified age.

Automatic Archiving with Rules (Desktop and Web)

Create a rule: In Outlook, go to Home > Rules > Manage Rules & Alerts (desktop) or Settings > Mail > Rules (web).
New rule: Click New Rule. Choose a template (e.g., “Move messages from someone to a folder”) or start from a blank rule.
Set conditions: Define when to archive, e.g., “From” a specific sender, “Subject contains” keywords, or “Received after” a date.
Set action: Choose “Move to folder” and select your Archive folder (or create a new one).
Finish: Click Finish and then OK. The rule will run automatically for incoming mail (and optionally for existing items if you check “Run this rule now on messages already in the current folder”).

Common Mistakes

Archiving instead of deleting: Archiving keeps emails, so your mailbox size may not shrink if you archive within the same mailbox. Use archiving for organization, not storage cleanup.
Not setting AutoArchive per folder: Global AutoArchive settings apply to all folders, but you may want different retention for different folders (e.g., keep inbox 1 month, sent 6 months).
Forgetting to check the archive folder: Archived emails are not in your inbox – you need to look in the Archive folder (or use search).
Using AutoArchive on IMAP/POP accounts: AutoArchive may not work the same for all account types; it’s designed for Exchange/Microsoft 365. For IMAP, archiving may only move items locally.
Rule conflicts: If you have multiple rules that move the same email, the first rule in order wins. Check rule order in the Rules dialog.

Tips

Use search to find archived emails: In Outlook, the search bar searches all folders by default. Type a keyword, sender, or date to find archived items quickly.
Create a dedicated archive folder: If you want to keep archives separate from the default Archive, create a new folder (e.g., “Old Projects”) and use it in your rules or AutoArchive settings.
Set AutoArchive to run during low usage: Schedule it to run when you’re not actively working to avoid interruptions.
Use the Archive button for quick cleanup: Train yourself to hit Archive instead of Delete for emails you might need later.
Export archives regularly: If you archive to a local .pst file (desktop), back it up to avoid data loss.

Troubleshooting

Archive button is grayed out: This can happen if you’re viewing a search folder or a read-only folder. Navigate to your Inbox or another normal folder and try again.
AutoArchive doesn’t run: Check that AutoArchive is enabled in Options > Advanced. Also ensure the folder’s properties are set to “Archive this folder using these settings” (not “Do not archive items in this folder”).
Archived emails disappear: They are not lost – they’re in the Archive folder. If you don’t see it, go to the folder pane and expand your mailbox; it may be collapsed. Use search to find them.
Rules not moving emails: Verify the rule is enabled (checkbox) and the conditions match. Test by clicking “Run Rules Now” in the Rules dialog.
Archive folder not showing on mobile: On Outlook mobile, tap the folder icon (bottom left) to see all folders, including Archive.
AutoArchive prompts every time: Uncheck “Prompt before AutoArchive” in AutoArchive Settings to stop the pop-up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does archiving delete my emails?

No, archiving moves emails to an Archive folder. They remain searchable and can be moved back to your inbox at any time.

Where do archived emails go in Outlook?

They go to the Archive folder (or a folder you specify). In Outlook desktop, it’s usually under your mailbox; in web, it’s in the left pane; on mobile, it’s under the folder list.

Can I automatically archive emails older than a certain date?

Yes, use AutoArchive (desktop) to archive items older than a set number of days, or create a rule with a “Received after” condition.

Why doesn’t AutoArchive work on my Mac?

AutoArchive is a Windows feature. On Outlook for Mac, you can use rules to move old emails, or manually archive. Alternatively, use the “Clean Up” feature to remove redundant messages.

How do I undo an archive?

Go to the Archive folder, select the email(s), and move them back to your inbox (right-click > Move > Inbox, or drag).

Does archiving free up storage space?

Only if you archive to a separate .pst file on your computer (desktop). Archiving within the same mailbox does not reduce mailbox size.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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