Cloud Archive Access via On-Premises Exchange OWA Retires
From 12 May 2025, the cloud archive access via on-premises Exchange OWA retires permanently. Let us learn more about this feature that is being removed by Microsoft.
What Was Cloud Archive Access via On-Premises Exchange OWA that is Soon to Be Disabled?
For organizations on a hybrid deployment, it was a means to view the extra emails that are kept in the digital cold storage archive. This was the means to access it. Before you begin, make sure that the following prerequisites are met.
- The hybrid deployment is configured.
- Exchange Online Archiving license assigned
Then,
- Open the OWA URL and sign in with credentials, e.g., mail.yourcompany.com/owa
- Locate Archive Folder. It is named “In-Place Archive” by default in the folder list.
Note: Due to directory sync, the Folder data and underlying mails may not appear instantaneously and may take up to 30 minutes after provisioning.
- To access archive data, click the folder to view and manage archived items.
Note: This is a view-only configuration, meaning you can’t move data from the archive section to your regular mailbox via OWA in hybrid setups
This was an easy way to see which emails were in the archive and which were in the primary mailbox without configuring an email client.
Let’s see what the reason is behind revoking this feature.
Why is Cloud Archive Access via On-Premises Exchange OWA being Retired?
Microsoft has not released an official announcement outlining the reasoning behind the retirement of this feature. We can make educated guesses on what would perhaps have been the most logical reason.
Low usage of the feature: Microsoft regularly monitors the performance of its products and even the underlying features of the said products. Perhaps they saw that OWA access to archive mail was not being used as much as they expected. So, instead of maintaining a feature that is rarely used, it is better to retire it. Thereby reducing some complexity within the hybrid environments.
Also Read: What to Do When Outlook is Not Connecting to Exchange Server?
Speaking of complexity, hybrid setups are notorious for being difficult to manage even for veteran admins. There are so many technical aspects, like federation trust configurations and directory synchronization, that retiring OWA access might simplify maintenance overhead.
For some time now, Microsoft has taken steps to both actively and passively encourage cloud adoption. As seen from the upcoming Exchange server 2016 and 2019 end-of-support deadline. This time, the retirement is only a small feature. Next year (October 2026), they plan on retiring Exchange Web Services (EWS) as well. This will, in turn, shift more users towards a fully Exchange Online setup, where archive access via OWA is allowed by default.
Another major reason could be security. Perhaps internal investigations revealed security gaps within the OWA archive access, which could be exploited by hackers. To prevent this, the feature itself is being scraped.
Not all organizations will face the same impact when this feature gets disabled. So, check what differences exist and what the exact scope of the impact.
How does the retirement of Cloud Archive Access via the On-Premises Exchange Feature Affect Your Organization?
Official recommendation for Organizations relying on OWA for archive access in hybrid setups is that they should transition to Outlook Desktop ASAP.
All such organizations receive a custom Message Center post (MC1053644). Through which Microsoft is going to proactively notify affected customers.
If your organization has started using this feature recently, perhaps you did not receive the Message Center post. You can use the email contact that indicates a channel for feedback or clarification, which could be useful for organizations seeking more details.
Now that we know some organizations have more to lose, they need to prepare
Which is the Best Alternative for Accessing the Cloud Archive Now that the OWA Method Expires
The archive itself is not going anywhere; only the access point will no longer be available. Earlier, users could (and they still can until 12th May) use the OWA and see what was in the archive. However, it will soon vanish. So, if you are an individual user or an admin, you must set up a new Outlook desktop client. This is how you can do it.
First of all, install a genuine copy of Outlook 2013 or later. (Most modern Windows laptops have a pre-installed Outlook new client in them, you can use it as well.)
Open Outlook and sign in with your on-premises primary mailbox credentials.
Then, confirm a correctly configured Exchange hybrid deployment, including:
- Directory synchronization (allow up to 30 mins, force with Start-ADSyncSyncCycle -PolicyType Delta).
- Exchange Online Archiving license assigned.
If everything goes well, the archive should auto-appear in Outlook (under “Other Mailboxes” or as a separate folder, depending on your Outlook client).
If by chance you still dont see the archive, you can Troubleshoot Missing Archive:
- Verify ArchiveStatus (should be “Active”) and ArchiveGuid/ArchiveName in Exchange Online PowerShell (Get-MailUser <cloud mail user> | FL *archive*).
- If still missing, manually add the account in Outlook (File > Account Settings > Account Settings > New), though usually unnecessary in a hybrid.
Setting up Outlook client for one person is not a tough task, but it becomes quite hectic if the admin has to repeat it for all users organization-wide. So, a better way would be to export the archive for all users in a readable form like EML, MBOX, or PDF.
You dont need any sophisticated commands or deep technical knowledge; all you need is a copy of the SysTools Exchange Export tool.
Check Out the Summary Table for At-a-Glance Information
| Aspect | Details |
| Feature Retired | OWA access to cloud archive mailboxes for on-premises primary mailboxes |
| Effective Date | May 12, 2025 |
| Impact | Limited to OWA; Outlook Desktop access unaffected |
| Reason Provided | Not explicitly stated in the official announcement |
| Affected Customers | Those using the workflow in the last 30 days, notified via MC1053644 |
| Contact for Issues | Email: exchonpremfeedback[AT]microsoft.com |
| Speculative Reasons | Low usage, technical complexity, encouraging cloud migration, and security |
Conclusion
Here in this blog, we saw that OWA access to the cloud archive effectively ends on 12th May 2025. Moreover, this is mainly going to affect the organizations where users had their archive set up on the cloud and regularly used the OWA to view the data. Although Outlook for desktop remains a viable means to check the archive, admins can save a lot of time by using the export tool.