Outlook is a popular email and personal information management software used by millions of people worldwide. However, with the increasing amount of emails, attachments, and other data being stored in Outlook, it’s common for users to run out of storage space. This can lead to slow performance and difficulty in sending or receiving emails. In this article, we will discuss some effective ways to free up space in Outlook and optimize its storage.
Archive Old Emails
One of the easiest ways to free up space in Outlook is by archiving old emails. This means moving emails that are no longer needed or frequently accessed to a separate folder. To do this, go to the File tab and click on “Cleanup Tools” and then “Archive”. You can choose to archive all emails or select specific folders and set a date range. This will move the selected emails to a separate file, freeing up space in your main Outlook storage.
Delete Unnecessary Attachments
Attachments can take up a significant amount of space in Outlook. To free up space, you can delete attachments from emails that are no longer needed. You can do this manually by opening each email and deleting the attachment, or you can use a third-party tool like Outlook Attachment Remover to bulk delete attachments from multiple emails at once.
Empty Deleted Items Folder
When you delete an email in Outlook, it is moved to the “Deleted Items” folder. This folder can quickly accumulate a large number of emails, taking up valuable storage space. To free up space, regularly empty the “Deleted Items” folder by right-clicking on it and selecting “Empty Folder”. You can also set Outlook to automatically empty this folder every time you close the program by going to File > Options > Advanced and checking the box next to “Empty Deleted Items folder when exiting Outlook”.
Use Online Storage
Another way to free up space in Outlook is by using online storage options. This means storing your emails and attachments on a cloud-based platform like OneDrive or Google Drive instead of your local Outlook storage. This not only frees up space but also allows you to access your emails from any device with an internet connection. You can set up online storage in Outlook by going to File > Account Settings > Account Settings > Change > More Settings > Advanced and selecting the option to “Use Cached Exchange Mode”.
Compact Outlook Data File
Outlook stores all your emails, contacts, and other data in a single file called a “PST” file. Over time, this file can become fragmented, taking up more space than necessary. To optimize storage, you can compact the PST file by going to File > Account Settings > Account Settings > Data Files > Settings > Compact Now. This will remove any unused space in the file, freeing up storage space.
By following these tips, you can effectively free up space in Outlook and optimize its storage. This will not only improve performance but also prevent any future storage issues. Have you tried any of these methods? Let us know in the comments.
