Compacting Your E-Mail Folders

Compacting or Compressing your e-mail folders is done to shrink the overall size of each of your mail folders.

Your e-mail messages are not like a word processing document.  In Word or WordPerfect, each individual letter, contract, note, etc. is an individual file unto itself. The size of one file has no effect on the size or performance of another. 

In most e-mail programs, all e-mail messages are stored in one single file.  All received messages are stored in an in-box file.  All send message are saved in a sent-box file.  All deleted messages are saved in a trash file.

Space is wasted in these files when individual messages are deleted or copied to additional mail folders. Because all of the messages are loaded when you open your in, out or trash mail boxes, excess wasted space will slow down the performance of your e-mail program.  Compacting or Compressing your mail boxes clears out the wasted space. The result is a faster and more efficient e-mail program. 

Who couldn't use a faster e-mail management system?

Specific Instructions for Compacting or Compressing e-mail folders for various e-mail programs are discussed along with cleaning your e-mail  trash