☁️ Outlook Archive - Quick Setup Guide

Disclaimer: This article is only relevant if you are using a Microsoft workspace. If you're not sure whether you're using Microsoft or Google, you can check here.

I. What Does “Archiving” Mean?

Archiving moves older emails to a separate storage location in order to:

• Free up space in your mailbox
• Keep your inbox and folders organized
• Ensure older emails remain searchable and accessible (they are not deleted!) 

There are two types of archives:

• Archive Folder = part of your mailbox → still uses your mailbox storage
• Online Archive = separate mailbox → provides additional storage space

⭐️ Recommendation:
Use the Online Archive for long-term email management, as it offers more space and is easier to maintain over time.
 

II. Is Your Online Archive Activated? 

1. Go to your email inbox
2. Look in your folder list on the left for a mailbox named 
   “Online Archive – [Your Name]” or “In-Place Archive”
3. if you don't see it, please contact hello@deeploi.io to request the activation, which can take up to 24 hours
    

III. Automatic Archiving (Recommended ⭐️)

1. Go to outlook.office.com or open your Outlook app
2. Sign in with your email address, if needed
3. Locate the folder you want to archive from the left sidebar
4. Right-click the folder
5. Choose Assign Policy → Archive Policy
6. Select when emails should automatically be archived
   (e.g., after 1 or 6 months, or 1 or 5 years)
7. Archiving runs automatically within 24–48 hours.

⚠️ Note:
By default, folders inherit the archiving policy of their parent folder. If you change the policy for your general Inbox, all subfolders will inherit that policy — unless you have manually set a different one. You can identify inherited settings by the note "Use parent folder policy".
 

IV. Manual Archiving

Option 1: Move Individual Emails

1. Go to outlook.office.com or open your Outlook app
2. Sign in with your email address, if needed
3. Select one or more emails you want to archive
4. Drag and drop them into your Online Archive mailbox
   or:
   Right-click → Move → Other Folder → Choose the target folder inside Online Archive

Option 2: Move Entire Folders

1. Go to outlook.office.com or open your Outlook app
2. Sign in with your email address, if needed
3. Right-click the folder you want to move (e.g., “Projects 2023”)
4. Choose Move Folder
5. Select the destination: Online Archive
6. Click OK
    

V. FAQs

Mailbox still full? 
Archiving to the Archive Folder does not free up mailbox space. Use the Online Archive instead. Also, empty your Deleted Items folder.

Can’t find an Online Archive? 
Please contact hello@deeploi.io. This feature may need to be activated manually, which can take up to 24 hours.

Having general archiving issues? 
Email hello@deeploi.io with the following details:

• Screenshots of any error messages
• The steps you’ve already tried
• Your Outlook version → File → Office Account → About Outlook