Outlook Archive versus Google All

[Mbunzl]

I use IMAP to pull a copy of Gmail over to Outlook. In the new Outlook, unlike the old, a folder labeled Archive  appears showing 225,000 messages. Is this derived my Google All Mail folder? And,  if so, will deleting the contents of the Archive folder delete contents in the All mail folder? Thanks,

[#2]

Hi @Mbunzl,

When you use IMAP to sync your Gmail account with Outlook, the “All Mail” folder in Gmail corresponds to the “Archive” folder in Outlook. This is because the “All Mail” folder in Gmail contains all of your messages, including sent and archived mail.

However, if you delete a message from the “Archive” folder in Outlook, it will not be deleted from the “All Mail” folder in Gmail. This is because the “Archive” action in Gmail simply removes the inbox label from the message, but the message remains in “All Mail”. So, if you delete an email from the “Archive” folder in Outlook, it will be moved to the “Trash” folder in Gmail and will be permanently deleted after 30 days, but it will still appear in “All Mail” until it is permanently deleted.

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[#3]

Is that how many messages you have in your All Mail folder? Do any of the messages in your All Mail folder have labels? If you do not have a folder named Archive, the All Mail folder is synced to Archive - but only messages that don't have labels.

The Archive folder - with the file drawer icon - is used with the backspace key to file mail with one click in a folder that is not named Deleted Items. (Yes, people did that.)

If you use zero inbox with gmail and Archive mail in Gmail (which removes all labels) - it will sync to the Archive folder in new outlook. Messages with labels won't sync - this would create duplicates and increase the storage size in the Microsoft cloud.

If you use classic Outlook and set an Archive folder, that should be used for the Archive feature (but I need to test it more with new Outlook, especially with a folder not named Archive and after the unlabeled all mail messages already synced.)