An Outlook online archive mailbox can store older email messages where they won't occupy space in your primary mailbox. This specialized mailbox appears alongside your other mailbox folders in Outlook.
An administrator enables your archive mailbox and also sets the policies that control when emails will be moved to archive and how long they will be saved there for you. Additionally, you may be able to modify the standard policy settings to further manage the size and performance of your primary mailbox. And, if enabled, you can manually move or set rules to auto-move messages to the online archive.
Caution: When navigating mail storage locations, careful not to confuse the Online Archive folder with your existing Archive mail folder. For example, Move to Archive action in the ribbon, places the selected item into your local Archive, not the Online Archive.
Your Online Archive folder will appear in Outlook for Mac if you have a Microsoft 365 account and your IT Admin or Microsoft 365 Admin has enabled the function.
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Open Outlook for Mac.
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In the folder list, find and expand your Online Archive folder to see its contents.
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Drag and drop email messages to and from your archive folder as needed.
Note: Outlook for Mac supports only the mail module. If you moved folders, calendar items, contacts, tasks, or notes to your archive in any other version of Outlook, such as Outlook for Windows, you won't be able to view them in the online archive mailbox using Outlook for Mac.
Important: The mailbox should be on a Microsoft365 server. Admins, please see Enable archive mailboxes in the compliance center.
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Open your Windows Outlook mail.
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In the folder list panel, locate the Online Archive folder.
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Optionally, explore existing Online Archive folder contents.
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Drag and drop email messages to and from your archive folder as needed.
Note: The online archive mailbox in OWA is called In-Place Archive.
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Open your email with Outlook on the web.
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If enabled, you will see the In-Place Archive folder in your email folder list.
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To free up space on your device, move items into the In-Place Archive folder.
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