Managing a Full Outlook Mailbox and Archiving Emails

Category: Software | Published on: Oct. 30, 2024, 6:16 p.m.

Overview

If your Outlook mailbox is full, it can prevent you from sending or receiving emails. This guide will show you how to free up space by archiving emails and managing your mailbox.

Symptoms of a Full Mailbox

  • Unable to send or receive new emails.
  • Receiving notifications that your mailbox is full.
  • Outlook performance slows down.

Solution 1: Archiving Emails

Archiving moves older emails to a separate file, reducing the size of your primary mailbox.

Step 1: Create an Archive File

  1. Open Outlook.
  2. Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
  3. Select the Data Files tab and click Add.
  4. Name the file (e.g., "Archive.pst") and click OK.

Step 2: Move Emails to the Archive

  1. Select the folder you want to archive (e.g., Inbox).
  2. Click File > Cleanup Tools > Archive.
  3. Choose the folder and specify the date range (e.g., emails older than 6 months).
  4. Confirm by clicking OK.

Solution 2: Free Up Space Manually

  1. Delete Unnecessary Emails:
    • Use the search bar to locate large emails or old conversations.
    • Select and delete them permanently.
  2. Empty Deleted Items and Junk Email:
    • Right-click Deleted Items and select Empty Folder.
    • Do the same for Junk Email.
  3. Sort by Size:
    • Go to your Inbox and sort by Size to identify the largest emails.
    • Move or delete these emails.

Solution 3: Increase Mailbox Storage (For Microsoft 365 Users)

  1. Log in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
  2. Navigate to Exchange Admin Center > Recipients > Mailboxes.
  3. Locate the user’s mailbox and check if storage can be increased.
  4. For Outlook Online users, consider upgrading your plan for more storage.

Microsoft Documentation