How to Reduce Your Outlook Mailbox Size

Outlook is a direct competitor to Gmail and has a strong clientele base, although not as impressive as that of Gmail. Outlook’s mail client has its own style of delivering services, which makes it stand out from the rest. And if you are reading this article, you are probably one of the devoted fans of the app. As an active Outlook user, you are bound to see the ‘Mailbox Full’ error message at some point when attempting to access the mailbox.

Once this message hits your screen, you need to take action and reduce the size of your mailbox to be able to use, send and receive email without experiencing any issues. The first and easiest step to reducing the size of your mailbox is to delete some not-so-important emails and attachments. This may save some space, but it won’t be enough to solve the problem in the long run. Luckily, Outlook features built-in tools necessary to handle the error message in question. Moreover, there are also third-party Outlook management tools that can prove useful in dealing with this situation. Here are the most useful tips to reduce mailbox size in Outlook:

• Use third-party management utilities for Outlook to remove duplicates, compress or split PST files, and manage attachments.
• Use cleanup utilities to declutter your mailbox.
• Remove unnecessary emails and attachments.
• Compress Outlook data files.

Third-Party Outlook Management Utilities

Third-party utilities make it easy to manage your Outlook mailbox size. These tools can be handy in compressing or compacting Outlook data files (PST), getting rid of duplicate items in your mailbox, and splitting PST files that are too large. Some of the useful tools that you can use to manage your Outlook mailbox include:

1. Kernel PST Compress & Compact

This software is essential for your Outlook mailbox as it compresses and compacts Outlook data files, reducing their size. By doing so, the utility clears ample space that can be used to store incoming or sent emails. Kernel PST Compress & Compact also comes with added features that allow you to remove large file attachments from the mailbox and keep them in a separate folder elsewhere.

2.  Kernel Duplicates Remover

With this tool, users can remove duplicate items from their mailbox folders. The tool utilizes advanced filters to pick duplicates by pinpointing identical phrases, file sizes, etc.

3.  Kernel for PST Split

This is a necessary tool that helps split large PST files into small files. The software splits files based on date, size, and other criteria. This is a powerful tool that can even split password-protected PST files.

Using third-party tools for Outlook mailbox management can be rewarding as they allow you to manipulate your mailbox to your liking. Such software, as long as it is developed by trusted brands, can be reliable, effective, efficient, and fast compared to configuring your Outlook manually.

Cleanup Utilities for Outlook Mailbox

You can reduce the size of your mailbox by utilizing some of the Cleanup Tools features. Cleanup Tools for Outlook are presented in three options, namely Mailbox Cleanup, Empty Deleted Items Folder, and Archive. Through the use of the Mailbox Cleanup option, you can check your mailbox size. Moreover, the tool allows you to find files that are old or too large based on the set limit.

With the Mailbox Cleanup tool, you can archive files that are old and no longer needed. The best part about this feature is that you don’t get to permanently delete your files in case you might need them in the future. By clicking AutoArchive, you get the tool to move old, unwanted files to a separate folder. There are also advanced features that allow you to filter items to be archived. Moreover, you can browse the location where you wish your archived files to be saved.

If you are sure that you will never need the archived items in the future, you can select the Empty option, which will permanently delete the archived files and folders. Before deleting your files, you can browse through them to be sure of what you are about to permanently delete.

Compress Outlook PST Files

Compressing files is another way of saving space. Outlook lets consumers compress data manually to restore some of the space in the mailbox. Before beginning the process, it is better to delete items that are not necessary. Remember, when compressed, files can still be large. Therefore, it is better to first delete what you don’t need before compressing your Outlook files. Here are the necessary steps to follow to compress files in Outlook:

• Access Outlook, and under the File tab, click on Account Settings.
• Locate the Data Files tab and choose a PST file to compress.
• Select Settings, and a dialogue box labelled Outlook Data File will open.
• Click on Compact Now, and the process will begin.

Delete Large Emails & Attachments on Outlook

Among them all, this is the wisest and easiest way to free space in your Outlook mailbox. However, for some reason, the process can be taxing. Deleting emails you are not sure you will need in the future can be emotionally draining. And, in most cases, instead of deleting those emails and attachments, you will find yourself reading through them, wasting your precious time. This is what happens to most of us when we try to delete emails and attachments in our Outlook mailbox. Regardless, once you manage to delete large Outlook emails and attachments, you will see a lot of space created. Here is how you can delete emails and attachments in Outlook:

• Access your Outlook mailbox and navigate to the Folder tab.
• Click on New Search Folder.
• Browse through the list and choose Large mail under Organizing Mail.
• Select Choose, which is located under Customize Search Folder.
• Indicate the size in the small ‘Show mail greater than’ window and then click on OK to proceed.
• Select OK again to create a folder labelled ‘Larger Than (indicated size)’ under Search Folders.

The newly created folder will be automatically updated with emails that are larger than the indicated file size.

By implementing these methods, you will manage to solve the Mailbox full error message. However, you don’t need the message to appear for you to use these strategies of keeping your mailbox clean and with enough space. You can make it a periodical task to organize your mailbox in order to keep it in order since an organized mailbox contributes to better productivity.