How to automatically archive attachments only in Outlook?

Author: Kelly Last Modified: 2025-01-09

When managing emails in Outlook, archiving typically involves saving entire emails, including their attachments. However, there are many situations where only the attachments need to be archived to save mailbox space and enhance performance. Archiving attachments separately helps you declutter your inbox while retaining quick access to essential files. This article introduces three effective methods to archive attachments only in Outlook, with a focus on the more efficient and automated solutions.

Archive attachments from one email (Manual and Basic)

Archive attachments from multiple emails with an amazing tool 👍 (Efficient and Batch Processing )

Automatically archive attachments from incoming emails using Kutools for Outlook 👍 (Fully Automated and Recommended )

Archive attachments from one email

If you need to archive attachments from a specific email, Outlook’s built-in Save All Attachments feature offers a straightforward solution.

1. In the Mail view, click the email whose attachments you want to archive. Click any attachment in the Reading Pane to activate the Attachment Tools, then go to Attachments > Save All Attachments.

shot of the Save All Attachments button

2. In the Save All Attachments dialog box, click OK to confirm.

shot of the the Save All Attachments dialog box

3. When the Save All Attachments window appears, choose the destination folder and click OK.

shot of the Save All Attachments window

Now all attachments from the email are saved into the specified folder.

Note: While this method lets you save attachments outside Outlook, it doesn’t truly archive them since the attachments remain in the email, and mailbox size isn’t reduced. For a more efficient archiving solution, consider the next two methods: Archive attachments from multiple emails and Automatically archive attachments from incoming emails.

📂 Save Space with Auto Compress!

Tired of attachments clogging up your inbox? With Kutools for Outlook ’s Auto Compress feature, you can automatically compress all incoming email attachments or set custom rules to auto compress specific file types and sizes.

Compress All Attachments: Enable auto-compression for all received attachments with just one click.
Custom Rules: Compress specific file types (e.g., .xlsx, .docx) or large files over a certain size (e.g., 600KB).

shot the the Auto compress attachments dialog box

Discover More

Archive attachments from multiple emails with an amazing tool 👍

Manually saving attachments from multiple emails can be tedious and time-consuming. With Kutools for Outlook’s Detach All feature, you can efficiently archive attachments in bulk while automatically removing them from emails to reduce mailbox size.

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Step 1: Select multiple emails and access the Detach All feature

In the Mail view, select the emails containing the attachments you want to archive. Click Kutools Plus > Attachment Tools > Detach All.

shot of the Detach All button

Note: Hold Ctrl to select multiple non-adjacent emails or the Shift to select a range of adjacent emails.

Step 2: Set detach preferences

Click the Browse icon to specify a destination folder for saving the attachments.
(Optional) Customize the detaching style for attachments if necessary. (For this example, leave the Detach attachments in below style checkbox unchecked to detach all attachments directly to the destination folder.)
(Optional) Check the Attachment icon is still remained in the emails option if you want to keep a visual indicator of the archived attachments in the emails.
Click OK to confirm.

Step 3: Confirm the detachment

The Detach All confirmation dialog box appears, click Yes to proceed.

shot of the Detach All confirmation dialog box

Result

All attachments have now been detached from the selected emails and saved in the specified folder.

shot of the detached attachments

Note: Once archived, the attachments are replaced with hyperlinks in the original emails, allowing you to access them easily from their new location.

shot of the hyperlinks in the original emails

This method saves time and keeps your mailbox lightweight and organized. It’s ideal for handling large volumes of emails efficiently, making it a preferred choice over the manual method.

Note: To apply the Detach All utility of Kutools for Outlook, firstly, you should download and install Kutools for Outlook.

Demo: archive attachments only from multiple emails in Outlook

Discover the Kutools / Kutools Plus tab in this video, added by Kutools for Outlook. Now, most features, including AI functionalities, are free! Pro features come with a 30-day trial without limitations!

📂 Effortlessly Save Attachments from Multiple Emails

Tired of saving attachments one email at a time in Outlook? Streamline your workflow with Kutools for Outlook ! The powerful Save All (Attachments) feature lets you archive attachments from multiple emails or entire folders in just a few clicks. Say goodbye to tedious manual processes and take control of your inbox effortlessly.

Download Kutools for Outlook Now

Automatically archive attachments from incoming emails using Kutools for Outlook 👍

For users who receive a high volume of emails with attachments, automating the archiving process is a game-changer. Kutools for Outlook’s Auto Detach feature automates this task, saving attachments as they arrive and replacing them with hyperlinks in the emails.

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Step 1: Enable the Auto Detach feature

Click Kutools Plus > Auto Detach > Enable.

shot of the Auto Detach feature

Step 2: Set auto-detach preferences

In the Auto Detach Attachments dialog box, select the Auto detach all received attachments option.
Click the Browse icon to choose a destination folder for the detached attachments.
(Optional) Customize the detachment style for attachments if needed. (In this case, leave the Detach attachments in below style checkbox unchecked to save all attachments directly to the destination folder.)
(Optional) Check the Attachment icon is still remained in the emails option to keep the attachment icon visible.
Click OK

Result: Automatically archive attachments

Once enabled, this feature will automatically save all incoming attachments to the specified folder and replace them with hyperlinks in the emails.

This method is the most convenient and efficient solution. It requires no manual intervention while maintaining a clutter-free mailbox. It’s ideal for those who want a seamless and automated workflow for managing email attachments.

Note: To apply the Auto Detach utility of Kutools for Outlook, firstly, you should download and install Kutools for Outlook.