Mail Retention and Restore Guidance
Mail Retention Policy
When a user account is closed, such as when a member of staff leaves, we will always advise on how best to back up or migrate emails to another service or location. If you begin to fill your mailbox to capacity of 100GB, then it may not be possible to keep all your emails and it may be necessary to delete older ones to make room or create an archive.
Deleted Item Retention Policy
If you delete an item in your mailbox, it will enter the deleted items folder. This is like the recycle bin on a Windows desktop computer and the email hasn't actually been deleted yet, it has simply been put into a sub-folder named deleted items. Periodically it is a good idea to empty your deleted items folder to clear out these old emails and get back space in your mailbox. When you do this, any email in the deleted items folder will be removed from view and marked for deletion. Retention period for items removed from the Deleted Items folder is 14 days.
Restore Guidance
If your item is at STEP 4 , where you have emptied your 'Deleted Items' folder, then the email be be located in your 'Recover Deleted Items' location (or equivalent). Items only remain here for 90 days before they are automatically, and permanently, deleted.
- If your item is at STEP 6 , where you have emptied your 'Deleted Items' folder and 14 days has elapsed, then your email has been permanently deleted and is no longer recoverable.
More Exchange online limits can be found at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office365/servicedescriptions/exchange-online-service-description/exchange-online-limits.