Mail app archive instead of delete

A great feature!

Archiving emails instead of deleting them is a common practice in many email clients, including popular ones like Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail. Here's why:

Why archive instead of delete?

  1. Preserve history: Archiving emails allows you to keep a record of your communication history, which can be useful for reference or compliance purposes.
  2. Reduce clutter: Deleting emails can lead to a cluttered inbox, making it harder to find important messages. Archiving keeps your inbox organized and focused on new, unread emails.
  3. Easy retrieval: Archiving emails allows you to quickly retrieve them later, if needed, without having to search through your entire email history.
  4. Compliance: In some industries, such as finance or healthcare, archiving emails is a regulatory requirement to maintain a record of communication.

How to archive emails instead of delete

Here's how to archive emails in popular email clients:

Gmail

  1. Select the email(s) you want to archive.
  2. Click the "Archive" button (or press e on your keyboard).
  3. Alternatively, right-click on the email and select "Archive" from the context menu.

Outlook

  1. Select the email(s) you want to archive.
  2. Right-click on the selected emails and choose "Move to" > "Archive".
  3. Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Shift + A (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + A (Mac).

Apple Mail

  1. Select the email(s) you want to archive.
  2. Click the "Archive" button (or press Cmd + Shift + A on your keyboard).
  3. Alternatively, right-click on the email and select "Archive" from the context menu.

Other email clients

Check your email client's documentation or settings to see if they have an "Archive" feature. Some email clients may have a different term, such as "Move to Archive" or "Save to Archive".

By archiving emails instead of deleting them, you'll be able to keep a record of your communication history while keeping your inbox organized and clutter-free.