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Outlook AutoArchive Settings Explained & How to Use
Here’s how to get the best out of AutoArchive in Outlook
6 min. read
Published onJuly 2, 2024
published onJuly 2, 2024
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Managing your Outlook mailbox can be a daunting task, especially when it starts to get cluttered. AutoArchive is a handy feature that helps keep your mailbox organized by automatically moving old items to an archive folder. Keep in mind that the New Outlook doesn’t have AutoArchive settings. This guide is useful if you’re using the Classic Outlook app.
How do I enable and set up Outlook AutoArchive?
1. Enable and customize AutoArchive in Outlook
This solution helps you prevent your Outlook mailbox from getting cluttered by automatically moving old items to an archive folder based on your chosen settings.
2. Adjust AutoArchive Settings for individual folders
This solution allows you to have different AutoArchive rules for specific folders, giving you more control over what gets archived and when.
3. Manually archive items in Outlook
This method is useful if you need to manually archive certain items at a specific time rather than waiting for AutoArchive to run. In New Outlook, you just need to click theArchivebutton on the top menu. The emails will go right into the Archive folder on the left pane.
4. Change the location of the archive file
Moving the archive file to a different location helps in organizing your archived data better and managing storage effectively.
5. Understand the Aging Periods of Outlook items
Knowing the default aging periods helps you understand when items will be moved to the archive, allowing you to plan your archiving strategy accordingly.
6. Troubleshoot AutoArchive issues
Troubleshooting these common issues ensures that your AutoArchive process runs smoothly and efficiently.
7. Set AutoArchive for specific conditions
By setting specific conditions, you can tailor the AutoArchive process to meet your exact needs, ensuring that only relevant items are archived or deleted.
Regularly reviewing your AutoArchive settings can help maintain an organized mailbox and prevent storage issues. Keep these tips in mind to make the most out of Outlook’s AutoArchive feature.
And while you’re still on the job of organizing, here’s our guide onhow to get a unified Inbox view in Outlook. You might also be interested inhow to get Copilot in Outlook.
Before you go, don’t miss our guide to learn how toapply AutoArchive settings to subfolders in Outlook.
For any questions you might have, hit the comments below and tell us about it.
More about the topics:email software,Outlook Guides
Claudiu Andone
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Oldtimer in the tech and science press, Claudiu is focused on whatever comes new from Microsoft.
His abrupt interest in computers started when he saw the first Home Computer as a kid. However, his passion for Windows and everything related became obvious when he became a sys admin in a computer science high school.
With 14 years of experience in writing about everything there is to know about science and technology, Claudiu also likes rock music, chilling in the garden, and Star Wars. May the force be with you, always!
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Claudiu Andone
Windows Toubleshooting Expert
Oldtimer in the tech and science press, with 14 years of experience in writing on everything there is to know about science, technology, and Microsoft
