How to access archived emails in Outlook?

As we know, after archiving a folder in Outlook, older items in the folder are moved into archives folder. Sometimes, you may need to find out older emails or appointments, so that you need to open the archives folder. In this article, I will introduce how to access archived emails easily in Outlook.

Access archived emails from Navigation Pane
Access archived emails whose folders are not in the Navigation Pane
Archive Outlook items across multiple accounts into a data file with an amazing tool

Access archived emails from Navigation Pane

If you have opened the archived .pst file already in Microsoft Outlook, just shift to the Mail view, and then click to open the Archives folder or its subfolders in the Navigation pane. Then you can see the archived emails.

• Mar 25, 2019 Remember, this application is only a 'shadow' that displays what's on your ISP's (Outlook.com, Gmail, etc.) account. If that account doesn't have an Archive folder like Outlook.com does, then you may have lost that message(s).
• Here's how to recover permanently deleted email in Outlook.com To restore a permanently deleted message from Outlook.com, click to the left of the message you want to restore. A checkbox appears (make sure that it's checked). Click the Recover option at the top left of the popup window.
• Opening an email, doesn't in itself 'unarchive' an email, it just retrieves it from the archive.
• I have two folders in my outlook - Inbox and Test. I archive a bunch of items in Inbox and then move the shortcuts to test. If I do an export from archive back to mailbox I will end up with the restored mail items in the Inbox because that is where they were initially archived and it's the only location pointer Ev has to them in outlook (at the time of archive - after they become shortcuts we.

Access archived emails whose folders are not in the Navigation Pane

If you have not opened the archived .pst file in Microsoft Outlook, you need to open the archive folder before accessing archived emails.

By that, we are one step to unarchive email on your Outlook. Since we can now identify where archive messages are being directed, as a workaround, create another folder then move those messages from that folder. After you have moved those emails, deleted that specific folder where those archive messages are being directed.

Step 1: Click the File > Open & Export > Open Outlook Data File in Outlook 2013 and the newer version.

Note: In Outlook 2010 you need to click the File > Open > Open Outlook Data File, while in Outlook 2007 click the File > Open > Outlook Data File.

Step 2: In the Open Outlook Data File dialog box, find out and select the archived .pst file, and then click the OK button.

Step 3: Shift to the Mail view, and click to open the Archives Folder or its subfolders in the Navigation Pane. Then you can access all archived emails easily.

Note: Apart from archived emails, you can get the archived calendars, contacts, items, notes, etc. with pressing Ctrl + 6 keys simultaneously to show the folder list, and then click corresponding folders under Archives in the Navigation Pane.

Archive Outlook items across multiple accounts into a data file with an amazing tool

Here introduce an amazing tool – the Merge folders into data file feature of Kutools for Outlook for you. This tool can help to archive emails in different folders across accounts into a single data file.
Before applying the Kutools for Outlook, please download and install it firstly.

1. Click Kutools Plus > Merge folders into data file to enable the feature.

2. Then the Merge multiple folders into a data file window pops up, click the Add button to choose the folders you will archive.

Note: a dialog box will open at the same time to tell you this feature does not support the IMAP and Exchange account, please click OK to close it.

3. In the Please select folders window, check the folders you will back up into a data file and then click OK to finish this step.

4. Then it returns to the Merge multiple folders into a data file window, please choose a data file or create a new data file to locate the selected folders. If you need, specify a date range for the items, keep the folder structure and name, and then click the OK button.

Now, all the folders you specified have been archived into the new data file and displayed in the Navigation Pane, you can go to the Folders view to check for folders, see screenshot:

If you want to have a free trial ( 60-day) of this utility, please click to download it, and then go to apply the operation according above steps.

Related articles

Get all attachments from archived emails in Outlook
It’s easy to save one or multiple attachments in one email in Outlook. But do you know how to save attachments in one archived email? And what if saving all attachments in multiple/all archived emails? Try solutions in this article.

Search archive folders in Outlook
By default, Outlook search emails in the current folder you are locating, you can also change to search all email folders in Outlook manually or automatically. But, if the archives folder does not show in the Navigation Pane, the searching won’t work for it, so you cannot search emails in the archive folders. With this tutorial, you will learn how to show the archive folder in the Navigation Pane and then search emails in it.

Change archive (.pst) file’s location in Outlook
As you know, you can archive emails, appointments, or tasks to the archive file manually or automatically in Outlook. However, do you know where the archive file is saved, and how could you change the archive file’s location in Outlook? The solutions in this article will help you get it easily.

Cancel or turn off auto archive in Outlook
After enabling auto archive function in your Outlook, an auto archive dialog box will display on time to remind you of archiving the items. If you don’t want to keep archiving for Outlook items any more, you can turn off the Outlook archive function. This tutorial will show you how to manually cancel or turn off the auto archive function in Outlook.

Merge multiple archive pst files in Outlook
For example, you change to a new computer and add your email accounts into Microsoft Outlook with a new Outlook data file, but now you want to merge the old Outlook data file (.pst file) with the new one, how to figure it out? In this article, you will learn how to merge multiple .pst files into Microsoft Outlook.

Kutools for Outlook - Brings 100 Advanced Features to Outlook, and Make Work Much Easier!

• Auto CC/BCC by rules when sending email; Auto Forward Multiple Emails by custom; Auto Reply without exchange server, and more automatic features...
• BCC Warning - show message when you try to reply all if your mail address is in the BCC list; Remind When Missing Attachments, and more remind features...
• Reply (All) With All Attachments in the mail conversation; Reply Many Emails in seconds; Auto Add Greeting when reply; Add Date into subject...
• Attachment Tools: Manage All Attachments in All Mails, Auto Detach, Compress All, Rename All, Save All... Quick Report, Count Selected Mails...
• Powerful Junk Emails by custom; Remove Duplicate Mails and Contacts... Enable you to do smarter, faster and better in Outlook.

• To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
  I opened my Archive folder, but it stops back in 2016.
  There are no archived items for my new email address which I set up in Outlook this year.
  Thanks.
• To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
  Thank you! Accidentally closed my Outlook folder and thought i'd lost all those emails!
• To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
  Hi there,
  I have an archive folder in Outlook 2007, after I switched to 2016 all archived folders were lost. Please help.
• To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
  Try searching on this context
  Go to this folder and see if you could find it in:
  C:Usersyour_user_nameAppDataLocalMicrosoftOutlookarchive.pst
  Check if it is there.
  You may need to show 'hidden and system' in your folder view.
• To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
  same problem
• To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
  I have the same problem. Anyone help ?
• To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.
  I have windows 10 and outlook 2007 on my laptop, My older emails have suddenly disappeared but there is nothing in the archive folder. Is there anyplace else they would be? I did not delete them, they suddenly disappeared 2 days ago

In-place archiving in Office 365 offers additional mailbox storage space to its users. But, to archive emails in Outlook, the user mailbox should have “Archive mailbox” enabled. Once the archive mailbox is enabled, users can move messages from the primary mailbox to the archive mailbox.

Instant Solution

Try Office 365 Email Archiving tool to archive emails in Office 365 and Outlook in few simple steps.

How To Unarchive An Email In Outlook

To enable archive mailbox in Office 365, follow these steps

1. Visit https://protection.office.com/ and sign-in with your Office 365 credentials.
2. In the “Security and Compliance Center,” select “Data governance,” and then click “Archive.”
3. The “Archive” page will be displayed on the screen. You’ll see all the mailboxes that are connected to your Office 365 account. Also, the archive mailbox column will show whether an archive mailbox has been enabled or not.
4. Now, select the mailbox for which you want to enable “Archive mailbox.”
   
5. A warning will be displayed on your screen as shown below. Click “Yes” to enable archive mailbox.
   

It will take a few seconds to create the “Archive mailbox.” Once it is created, the user will be able to see the archive mailbox.

How can Office 365 users archive emails?

If the archive mailbox is enabled, you can archive emails by following these steps:

1. Login to Outlook using Office 365 account. Now, open the folder from where you want to archive emails.
   Note: You can also perform this action by selecting the specific emails, and then clicking “Archive” icon on the top pane of Office 365 account.
   
2. Select the specific emails and right-click on them. A wizard will appear on the screen. Hit the “Archive” button to move these emails to the archive mailbox.
   

Archiving in Outlook 2016

To archive emails in Outlook 2016

How To Unarchive An Email In Outlook 2017

If you have configured Office 365 account in Outlook, then you can use the archive feature of Outlook to archive old emails. However, please remember that emails are archived locally to the Archive folder of Outlook.

1. Open Outlook on your desktop and select emails from inbox or any other folder.
2. Now, right-click on those selected emails, and click “Archive” to move emails to the archive mailbox.
   

Note: You can also perform this action by selecting emails, and then clicking “Archive” in the ‘Delete’ group (of the ribbon). You can also use the “backspace” button on the keyboard to directly archive the selected emails.

How To Find Archived Emails In Outlook

How to archive an Outlook folder

1. To move a whole folder to archive, then go to the “File” tab and select “Tools.” Now from the drop-down menu, select “Clean up old items.”
   
2. A window will appear on the screen with all the folders of Outlook. Select the specific folder that you want to move to archive. In this section, you can select the date from which you want to archive the emails. Also, you can include emails that have enabled “Do not Auto Archive.” Select the location on your system where you want to save this archive file and click “OK.”
   

Archiving in Outlook 2013 and 2010

The archiving process in Outlook 2013 and 2010 is similar. To archive emails in Outlook 2010 and 2013, follow these steps:

How To Unarchive An Email In Outlook Gmail

1. Open Outlook and go to the “File” tab.
2. Now, choose “Cleanup Tools” and select “Archive” from the drop-down menu.
   
3. A pop-up window will appear on the screen with all the folders of Outlook, select the specific folder that you want to move to archive mailbox.
4. Select the date from which you want to archive the emails. Also, you can include emails that have enabled “Do not Auto Archive.” Select the location on your system where you want to save this archive file and click “OK.”
   This archive will be saved to the chosen location.

Outlook 2016 Unarchive Emails

This way you can easily archive emails in Office 365 and Outlook.