A cluttered inbox can make it easy to miss important messages, deadlines, and follow-ups. The good news is archiving helps keep your inbox clean without deleting messages.

In Outlook, you can usually archive by:

1. Selecting the email you want to archive.

2. Clicking the Archive button in the top menu/ribbon.

The Archive icon usually looks like a box or tray.

or

 Select the message and press Backspace on your keyboard.

3. The email moves to the Archive folder.

4. The email is not deleted. You can still find it later in the Archive folder or by using the search bar.

In Gmail, you can usually archive by:

1. Selecting the email you want to archive.

2. Clicking the Archive icon in the top menu.

The Archive icon looks like a box with a downward arrow.

or

 Select the message and press E on your keyboard, if Gmail keyboard shortcuts are turned on.  

3. The email is removed from your Inbox.

4. The email is not deleted.

5. You can still find it later in All Mail or by using the Gmail search bar.

Important note for Gmail

When you archive an email in Gmail:

• The email is removed from your Inbox.

• The email stays in All Mail.

• You can find it by clicking More on the left menu, then All Mail.

You can also find it by using the Search mail bar at the top.

Relevant Question

What is the difference between Delete and Archive?

·       Delete sends the email to Deleted Items/Trash.

·       Archive keeps the email but removes it from your Inbox.

Time-Saving Tip

Use Archive for emails you want to keep but do not need to see every day. It keeps your inbox cleaner while still saving important information.

Use Delete only for emails you no longer need.

A cleaner inbox means fewer missed messages and faster follow-ups.