How to activate Save Copies of Messages in the Sent Items Folder in Outlook

User case: How can I activate Sent Items?

“Hey folks! So, I'm using Microsoft Outlook on my Windows 10 laptop, and I'm curious about this feature called "Save copies of messages in the Sent Items folder." Can someone please explain to me how I can activate this feature? I often forget to manually save sent emails, and it would be super helpful if Outlook could do it automatically for me. Thanks in advance for any tips or guidance!”

Outlook, being one of the most popular email applications globally, typically saves sent emails and attachments in the Sent folder. However, sometimes you may find that the option "Save a copy of messages in the Outbox folder" is disabled in Outlook and you might not be able to locate these specific emails or attachments within the Sent folder that means your Outlook do not save copies of sent items. 

To solve this kind of problem such as Sent Items not showing in Outlook, we first need to make sure we activate this feature, next we will show you two ways to make sure you activate this feature in different Outlook versions.

How to save copies of sent emails in Outlook

In this part, we will show you how to activate this feature to solve the problem of Save copies of messages in the Sent Items folder option being disabled in Outlook.

• 1. Choose the Save Copies of Messages in the Sent Items Folder Option manually
• 2. Enable Outlook Group Policy Settings

1. Choose the Save Copies of Messages in the Sent Items Folder Option manually

To enable Outlook "Save copies of messages in the Sent Items folder" option, follow these steps:

• For Outlook 2007:

Step 1. Click on Tools > Options.

Step 2. Click on the Preferences tab and select E-mail Options from the available options.

Step 3. Check the box next to Save copies of messages in Sent Items folder to enable the option and click OK.

• For Outlook versions 2010 and beyond:

Step 1. Click on File in the Outlook menu and select Options from the dropdown menu.

Step 2. In the Outlook Options dialog box, choose the Mail section and scroll down to the Save messages section. Then, check the box next to Save copies of messages in the Sent Items folder to enable the option and click OK.

2. Enable Outlook Group Policy Settings

Depending on the version of Outlook you are using, you can control the Save copies of messages in Sent Items folder option through the Outlook Group Policy setting. The policy setting can be located in the following location:

• In Outlook 2007:

Policy Path: User Configuration/Administrative Templates/Classic Administrative Templates (ADM)/Microsoft Office Outlook 2007/Tools | Options.../Preferences/E-mail Options.

• In Outlook 2010 or later versions :

Policy Path: User Configuration/Administrative Templates/Classic Administrative Templates (ADM)/Microsoft Outlook 2010/Outlook Options/Preferences/E-mail Options.

In the policy setting dialog box, choose the Enabled option to activate the policy, and then select the Save copies of messages in Save Items folder option (please refer to the screenshot below for visual guidance).

Ensure the safety of your Outlook emails through regular backups

Your email messages hold great value, and if you forget to enable the Save copies of messages in Save Items folder option function or accidentally delete them, they can be lost forever since Outlook does not save copies of sent items. To safeguard your emails and maintain uninterrupted access to them, it is highly recommended to create backups of your Outlook emails. A reliable software like AOMEI Backupper Professional can assist you in this endeavor.

✤ This software enables you to effortlessly back up your entire Outlook data, encompassing emails, contacts, notes, calendars, and tasks.
✤ You have the flexibility to select different storage devices as backup locations for your Outlook emails, such as backing up Outlook emails to external hard drive, local disks, USB flash drives, and NAS devices.
✤ With the Schedule Backup feature, you can easily set up automated backup routines based on your preferences, including daily, weekly, monthly, event triggers, or USB plug in.
✤ It offers compatibility with various Windows versions, including Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, and XP.
✤ It supports Outlook for Microsoft 365, as well as popular email services like Gmail, Outlook Mail, Yahoo! Mail, iCloud Mail, Zoho Mail, Hush Mail, GMX Mail, Hot Mail, and more.

Get your hands on AOMEI Backupper now and discover its extensive range of user-friendly backup features. Start safeguarding your data with ease!

Step 1. Launch AOMEI Backupper and navigate the Backup option, followed by Email Backup.

Step 2. Enter a distinctive name for the backup in the Task Name field, such as Email Backup (1), to distinguish it from any prior backups.

Step 3. Select Add Email Data. This action will reveal all the directories in your mailbox, including Inbox, Starred, Sent Mail, Trash, and other folders, organized in the same hierarchy as your mailbox. Next, select the directories you wish to backup, either in their entirety or selectively, and then click OK.

A useful tip: Keep in mind that if you've added more than one mailbox, you can choose to back them up all at once.

Step 4. Select or manually input the destination path where you would like to store the backup image file.

Step 5. Click on the Start Backup button. After the process is finished, click on the Finish button.

Note: While the backup process is underway, you can click on the icon located at the lower-left corner to verify the backup's integrity or configure the computer to shut down, restart, hibernate, or sleep once the backup is finished.
Additionally, it's important to remember that backup operations can only be carried out when the system is logged in. In case any backup schedules are missed, they will automatically execute once the system is logged in.

Summary

This article gives two ways to activate the Save copies of messages in the Sent Items folder feature to ensure that you save all your sent files. If you're looking for a more comprehensive approach to protecting your Outlook mail account, consider using AOMEI Backupper, the best email backup software available. This tool can not only backup contacts on Gmail, but also safeguard all of your emails. Don't hesitate to give it a try and explore its many valuable features.