BT Web Mail vs Outlook storage

[KLB1]

I normally create local folders in my email client (Outlook) in order to store mail in an orderly manner if I wish to save any. I have just noticed that my local folders are replicated on the BT Mail web access. I do not want my local folders replicated on the Web service (only the usual Inbox, spam etc). Can I delete these from the server without affecting my local folders, and how do I prevent this happening in the future?

[Ribblelancs]

You can archive your emails in Ms Outlook on a pc. These mails are stored in a .pst file on your pc.

[licquorice · Accepted solution]

You have configured Outlook as IMAP which syncs folders with webmail. If you delete them from webmail, they will be deleted from Outlook.

If you only want the folders to appear in Outlook, you will need to create a new Data file and store the folders under the new heading.

For Outlook 2010 (other versions will be similar) go to File > account settings > select the Data file tab > select add. Give the data file you chosen filename and click ok.

The data file will now appear in the list of accounts and you can drag and drop the folders you don't wish to sync into it.

[KLB1]

@RibblelancsYes I know this, but my question is not about archiving on the PC, it is about PREVENTING the BT mail server from holding a copy of those mail sub-directories I create in my local outlook client

[KLB1]

@licquorice thank you (marked as accepted) ... that explains it since I only recently changed my mail settings to IMAP from POP3. Maybe I should chcnge back to POP3!

[licquorice]

If you change back to POP3, webmail will not sync with any folders on Outlook. If you tick the box to keep a copy of the message on the server, any incoming mail will be in both Outlook and webmail Inboxes but Sent mail will only be present wherever you sent it from, webmail or Outlook.

To change back to POP3 from IMAP, you would need to delete the account and recreate it, you can't change on the fly.

[KLB1]

@licquoriceThank you, understood. Keep well

[Ribblelancs]

I must be missing the point here.

If you archive your mail to the pc, then it’s held on the pc...you can delete mail on the server, but it’s held in an archive on the pc...If you wish you can transfer that archive to a usb Drive.

Outlook Office 365 has a good archive feature. Also older Outlook versions.

I’m no longer a business user, but when working, we were forced to transfer all our mails to local storage (an in house storage) to release space on the server. If not a big stick came out of the screen to warn user.