• Email Mailbox Size and Message Handling

    For employees, your Outlook Mailbox is limited to a total size of 2.1GB*. You will receive an email when your mailbox size reaches 2GB. If your mailbox size reaches 2.1GB you will no longer be able to send messages.

    Use the following information to help you manage the size of your mailbox.

    Regularly check to make sure that your mailbox is not approaching its limit. To check the size of your mailbox:

    1. Click on the File Tab.
    2. Navigate to Info
    3. Look at Mailbox Cleanup next to Cleanup Tools
    4. Look at the number below the size indicator bar. It will show your quota and how much free space is available.
    5. You can also use the Mailbox Cleanup feature to search for large or old files, to launch the AutoArchive process and to check or empty your Deleted Items folder.
    6. Outlook provides the Search Folder for Large Mail. Use this folder to see all items with large attachments for quick deletion of large files.

    NOTE: After you delete items from your mailbox, you must also delete them from your Deleted Items folder, if you want to decrease the size of your mailbox. Or use "Shift-Delete" keys to permanently delete items as you clean out your box.  (When your box is over-quota, the shift-delete method is the ONLY method allowed.)

    *These mailbox settings are applicable for all outlook users on the Exchange 2016 server.

    • Watch a video presentation: Archiving Outlook Email

    • Call the ServiceDesk at 412.237.8700 to set up a consultation

    Message Handling

    ITS must take measures to safeguard the email system and improve your experience with Outlook email. Therefore, messages (including attachments) larger than 40MB will not be sent and/or received through the Exchange messaging system. Both incoming and outgoing messages will be affected by this change. If you send a message greater than 40MB (message plus all attachments), you will receive the following automatic reply. Notice that it is the same message that you receive when the recipient's mailbox is full:

    ITS EmailFull

    Faculty: We appreciate that you receive constant correspondence from your students. If you maintain an academic email account, the message limit remains 5MB. Please keep in mind that your email boxes are not intended for long-term storage of correspondence.

    If you normally receive assignments from students, you may also consider using Blackboard. Blackboard has features (Assignments and Course Messages) designed to serve that specific purpose and your student submissions will be organized within each specific section that you are teaching. Please note, there is 100MB limit on files sent or received through Blackboard.