How to Enable Email After Storage Limits Are Reached
- 1). Check the size limit for your mailbox and its current size in megabytes or gigabytes. Look for this information under the menu for "Tools" or "Account Settings," depending on your email provider. For example, look under "Tools," then "Mailbox Cleanup" in Outlook 2007 to view the current file size of all emails in your Outlook 2007 mailbox. Use this information to determine the total size by which you need to reduce your mailbox.
- 2). Delete messages from your mailbox to reduce its total size. Look for messages that you will not need to access in the future. Go through each folder in your mailbox, which includes folders such as "Sent Mail," "Saved Messages," "Junk Mail" or customized folders that you have created. Save time by using any features that your email provider offers to search for messages with large file sizes. See if your email client offers the ability to sort by different characteristics, like sender name or subject line, to help you identify and delete messages more quickly. Look for an attachment icon (usually a paper clip) that might let you sort and group messages with attachments. Delete any messages with attachments that you no longer need, as an attachment can add to your mailbox size significantly.
- 3). Open your "Deleted Items" folder or its equivalent in your mailbox. Delete the messages from your Deleted Items; many email clients require this second step in order to permanently and immediately delete messages. Follow any special steps required to permanently delete messages in your particular email client. For example, in Outlook 2007, you should delete messages from your Inbox using the Shift+Delete keys on your keyboard if you have exceeded the quota in your mailbox.
- 4). Attempt to send and receive email messages again. Log out and log in to your mailbox, if necessary. Once you have confirmed that your ability to send emails has been restored, start following best practices for managing your email. Save messages to personal folders saved on your local network rather than in your email account. Promptly delete messages that you do not need to access in the future. Periodically check your mailbox size to ensure that it is not approaching its limit.