Outlook mailbox marked for removal on server

Question

My mailbox has been marked for removal on the server - what can I do to avoid this?

Answer 1

Hi Patrick Schwarz

I understand how worrying that message is, especially when it mentions server removal.

To avoid repeating the steps shared by Q&A Assist, could you please let me know whether you have already tried those steps? If yes, what happened when you tried?

Just to clarify, could you please confirm whether this is a personal account (Outlook.com/Hotmail) or a work/school account managed by an organization?

In the meantime, please try this one check first:

Try signing in to Outlook on the web via a web browser and check whether the same mailbox issue appears there. This will help confirm whether the issue is specific to the Outlook app or linked to your mailbox status on the server.

If the mailbox works fine on the web, please remove your account from the Outlook app, restart the application, and then add the account again. This can often refresh the connection and restore normal mailbox functionality. 

Looking forward to your reply so I can assist you further. Thank you so much for your understanding.

Answer 2

To avoid losing access or data when Outlook reports that the mailbox is being removed or temporarily moved, focus on two things:

1. Protect local data (.pst / .ost files)
2. Fix the Outlook profile so it connects to the correct mailbox instead of a temporary or wrong one

Follow these steps:

1. Back up any local data first
   If the account uses POP/IMAP or has any .pst files, export or back up mail, contacts, and calendar before changing profiles. (See the guidance in “Export or back up email, contacts, and calendar to an Outlook .pst file” referenced in the article.)
2. Remove extra / incorrect Outlook profiles (keep the primary)
   Use this if the mailbox still works but Outlook is confused by multiple profiles.
   1. Close Outlook.
   2. Open Control Panel → search for Mail → open Mail.
   3. Select Show Profiles.
   4. Select any profile that is not the main one and click Remove.
   5. Read the warning about offline cached contents (.ost) being deleted; back up if needed, then click Yes.
   6. Repeat for all non‑primary profiles.
   7. Click OK to close the Mail dialog.
   8. Start Outlook and confirm it opens the correct mailbox.
3. If the problem persists, create a fresh Outlook profile
   This clears out a corrupted or mis‑bound profile that might be pointing to a temporary or wrong mailbox.
   1. Close Outlook.
   2. Open Control Panel → Mail → Show Profiles.
   3. Click Add…, give the profile a name, and click OK.
   4. In the Add Account wizard, add the email account and complete setup, then click Finish.
   5. Back in Mail, select the old problem profile and click Remove.
      • Read the warning about cached contents and back up .ost files if needed, then click Yes.
   6. Under Always use this profile, select the new profile and click OK.
   7. Start Outlook and verify that it connects to the correct mailbox and that mail sends/receives normally.
4. If Outlook offers a temporary mailbox, do not choose it
   When Outlook shows “Your mailbox has been temporarily moved on Microsoft Exchange server” and offers a temporary mailbox, do not connect to the temporary mailbox, as this can cause data loss. Instead, fix the profile as above.

If the mailbox is actually being disabled or removed on the server side (for example, by an administrator or provider policy), contact the email provider or tenant administrator immediately and ask them to keep the mailbox enabled or re‑enable it before it is fully removed.

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References:

• "Your mailbox has been temporarily moved on Microsoft Exchange server” message when an Office 365 user opens Outlook