outlook 365 is auto deleting emails from inbox and deleted folder. How do I change this? (macOS)

To manage the auto-deletion of emails in Outlook 365, you will need to adjust the settings related to deleted items and retention policies. Here are some steps you can take:

1. Deleted Items Folder: The default retention for deleted items in Outlook can be configured by your Exchange administrator. Typically, deleted items are kept for 14 days by default, but this can be changed to a maximum of 30 days. If you're finding that only a few deleted emails are retained, it may be due to this setting. You can ask your administrator to increase the retention period if necessary.
2. Recoverable Items: When you delete an email, it is moved to the Recoverable Items folder (specifically the Deletions subfolder) for a period defined by the retention policy. You can recover items from this folder before the retention period expires. If you need to recover deleted items, use the Recover Deleted Items feature in Outlook.
3. Inbox Retention: If your inbox is only holding emails from the current year, this could be due to a retention policy set by your organization. You may need to check with your Exchange administrator to see if there are any policies that automatically delete older emails.
4. Adjusting Settings: If you have permissions, you can customize the retention settings for your mailbox. This can typically be done through the Exchange admin center or by using PowerShell commands, depending on your organization’s setup.

If you are unable to change these settings yourself, it’s best to reach out to your IT department or Exchange administrator for assistance.

References:

• Change how long permanently deleted items are kept for an Exchange Online mailbox
• Microsoft 365 Exchange data deletion

Hi Sara, it seems Outlook might be archiving or deleting your old emails due to default retention settings. Many organizations have policies to manage mailbox size.

First, in Outlook, go to File > Options > Advanced > AutoArchive Settings and see if Run AutoArchive is on. If it is, you can disable it or change the schedule.

Next, check your Deleted Items folder settings under Options > Mail > Retention Policies to see if anything is set to remove items after a certain time.

Are you using the web or desktop version of Outlook? Is your account for work or personal use?

Got it, thanks forr clarifying you’re on Outlook for Mac. In that case, the issue is likely tied to AutoArchive or server-side retention policies rather than local settings. Outlook for Mac doesn’t have the same AutoArchive feature as Windows, but it does sync with whatever rules are set on your mailbox by your email provider or organization. If older emails are disappearing from the Inbox and Deleted Items, it usually means a retention policy is moving them to an archive or permanently deleting them after a set time.

Here’s what you can do: open Outlook, go to Tools > Public Folders or check Organize > Rules to confirm there’s no local cleanup rule. Then sign in to Outlook Web App and check under Settings > Mail > Retention Policies, this is where most of these rules live. If you see policies like “Delete after 30 days” or “Archive after 1 year,” you can change or remove them if your account allows it. If it’s a work account, these settings might be enforced by your IT team.

Is this a personal Microsoft 365 account or a company-managed account?

Thanks for checking all that, Sara. Since it’s a personal account and there are no rules or retention settings showing in Outlook or the web app, this sounds like either AutoArchive running in the background or a sync issue with the mailbox size limit. Outlook for Mac doesn’t have the same AutoArchive toggle as Windows, but it can still follow server-side limits. Here’s what I suggest: go to Outlook > Preferences > General and make sure “Hide messages older than” isn’t selected. Then check Preferences > Accounts > Advanced to confirm the sync settings aren’t set to download only recent mail. If those look fine, log in to your Microsoft account online and check Storage under your account settings, if the mailbox is near its limit, older emails might be getting trimmed.

Can you confirm if you see all your older emails when you search for them in Outlook or the web app? If they appear in search but not in the Inbox, that means they’re being archived, not deleted. If they don’t show up at all, we may need to check if they were permanently removed or moved to an Online Archive follder.