A tidy mailbox is not a backup

Ask what would survive a mistake

Before a consequential cleanup, consider what information would remain available if the wrong messages were removed. A second interface showing the same mailbox may reflect the same change rather than preserve a separate copy. This publication does not audit your backup system. Its purpose is to make the question explicit before an irreversible action, especially when a long-held account contains the only convenient copy of important correspondence.

Separate an archive from a backup plan

An archive label can be a useful organizational choice without being a separate recovery system. A backup plan needs an understood scope, location, access method and recovery procedure. Use your provider’s current official export or backup guidance and the requirements that apply to your records. We do not invent retention periods or recommend storing sensitive archives in arbitrary online utilities for convenience.

Verify retrieval, not just export completion

If you create a copy through an authorized method, check that you can open an appropriate sample and understand what was included. A completed download message alone does not prove a usable recovery path. Protect the copy because mailbox exports can contain highly personal information. Do not send it to us. A small retrieval check can expose a misunderstanding before the original is changed.

Choose a lower-risk alternative when unsure

If you cannot establish an adequate recovery approach, do not compensate with confidence in a cleaner’s marketing. Leave uncertain groups untouched, choose a non-destructive organizational action or seek help from the account provider. This may produce a smaller initial cleanup, but it avoids treating unknown recoverability as a reason to proceed. Return to the keep list and batch worksheet once the boundary is understood.

• A separate copy deserves its own access protection and a documented retrieval check.