Outlook - Save / Remove Messages From The Email Server

Sometimes you want to leave copies of your email on the server so you can receive them in two different place.  For example, you use the same email account at work and at home.  Sometimes you don't want to save copies at all - like when you have a limit on how much stuff your email server allows you to keep there.  These steps will guide you to the place where Outlook can be told to leave email messages on the server, or to remove them. 

It is assumed that Outlook has been loaded and an email profile has been created.   Close any programs, but leave Windows running.

Below are instructions that have examples on the right.  If you click on the little picture, you'll see a bigger picture.  Remember to use the Back button in your browser to get back to this page.  Don't try to click on buttons that are in the pictures because they won't work.

Start the Control Panel.  If your Control Panel is in "category view", change it to "classic view". Click for a large view
This is how it should look so you can find and double click on "Mail".  Note in the example on the right, the view is set to "list".  Your computer could be set to "large icons" and would look different.  That's OK - you'll just have to scroll down to find "Mail". Click for a large view
Most people only have one profile set up.  If you have more than one profile set up, make sure you're working with the right one.  How do you know?  When you start Outlook, if you're not asked what profile to use then you only have one.  Click on Email Accounts. Click for a large view
On the next screen a dot should be next to "View or change existing email accounts".  Click the Next button. Click for a large view
On the next screen, click on the Change button. Click for a large view
Click on the More Settings button. Click for a large view
Right now we're only interested in the settings described above.  So just click on the Advanced tab. Click for a large view
On this screen, about half way down is a section called Delivery.  By default, when Outlook is installed it won't leave emails on the server after you received them.  If you want to leave a copy on the server, click the box next to "Leave a copy of messages on the server".  That will put a check mark in the box and give you a couple more options to consider.  Outlook versions 2000 and before will only have the extra option of "Remove from server after '10' days".  Outlook versions XP and 2003 have another option to "Remove from server when deleted from 'Deleted Items'".  Click for a large view
If you choose to leave a copy on the server, I suggest that you also check the first option and change the days to 30.  That's long enough for a trip to Africa and back.  And anything older won't be too important.

The next option is very useful.  If checked, when you delete something from your Inbox AND empty your Deleted Items folder, the messages you deleted will be removed from the server.   It's a good option because you really didn't need to see that Rogain or Viagra message at your other computer too.  Click OK to save the changes you made.

 Click for a large view

Close all these screens and you're ready to go back to work.