Overview
Due to increased costs from Microsoft, OTDI is reducing limits on Outlook email storage effective June 1st, 2025.
This is part of OTDI's Storage and Email Transformation Project. From their project page there are links to documentation, video training, and FAQs. This is a summary article and there is a large amount of OTDI documentation linked at the end.
In addition to limits, forwarding to outside services will end on December 31st, 2024. This effectively ends the Lifetime Email Forwarding Service (LEFS) for alumni. Finally, the BuckeyeMail for Life service ends April 1st, 2025. New graduates will retain their BuckeyeMail accounts for two years after graduation.
Contents
Email Storage Limits
Consequences of Exceeding Limits
At 99% of quota no email can be sent; past 100% incoming email will bounce.
Limits
Current Microsoft 365 Outlook Email Storage Limits will be:
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Faculty & Staff
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Students
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100GB in Outlook email storage
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100GB in Outlook email storage
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| 100GB in Online email archive storage |
No Online archive storage |
Finding Email Storage Usage in Outlook Web App
These instructions are for Outlook Web App (OWA) at https://outlook.office365.com.
To see how much storage you are using click Settings (the gear icon) and then select Account -> Storage:
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- This view shows all folders ranked by size from largest to smallest (after Deleted Items and Junk Email folders).
- Note if you have nested folders only the name of the folder is displayed, which can cause frustration if the complete path is unknown.
- Each folder lists the size and number of emails.
- Note the tab at the top that says All folders and In-place archive.
- The In-place archive is a synonym for the online archive.
- The online archive functions as a separate mailbox with a separate 100GB quota.
- Selecting the In-place archive tab will allow you to see storage in its folders.
- Clicking on Empty will bring up a menu allowing you to delete old emails.
- This is not recommended unless you are sure you want to empty old emails.
- Archive and Retention policies provide more control.
Using the Online Archive for More Storage
These instructions are for Outlook Web App (OWA) at https://outlook.office365.com.
Online Email Archive
This is a separate mailbox within your mailbox, which has a separate quota.
It is not the Archive folder, crossed out here, but the Personal Archive - Name at the bottom, circled here:
The online archive must be selected to search it as it is searched separately from the main mailbox.
Using the Online Archive - Manually and with Retention Policies
New folders can be created in the online archive and individual messages can be moved to the online archive. Whole folders cannot be moved manually.
Manual moves of multiple mail messages can help manage storage, but where the online archive really shines is with Archive and Retention policies.
These can be brought up by hovering over a folder in OWA and clicking the ... next to the folder in:
When a folder is set to Archive after a certain time, messages older than that time are moved to the online archive. The online archive automatically creates a mirror folder hierarchy in the online archive.
It is recommended to set an archive policy on certain folders, and then in the online archive set a retention policy so old emails are automatically deleted.
OTDI has more in depth articles in the Administrative Resource Center, including links to University Libraries articles on managing emails:
Finding More Storage
If reducing storage is not feasible, there are few options for more email storage. It is possible to export mailboxes and save them, but using the online archive, archive policies, and retention polices is preferred. Keeping email on the local computer is strongly discouraged as it may not back up well.
External Documentation
OTDI has a large amount of documentation and training in the Administrative Resource Center. (OSU login required.)
OTDI's project page for the Storage and Email Transformation Project has much more information, an FAQ, and links to specific help pages.
Their June 10, 2024 news post introduces the project, as well as their September 9, 2024 news post expanding information on 'what you need to know'.