Fix 'Your Mailbox Has Been Temporarily Moved on Microsoft Exchange Server'

Microsoft Outlook is one of the most commonly used email applications, yet users may occasionally experience errors during regular use. One of the common error messages users may receive is:

Your mailbox has been temporarily moved on the Microsoft Exchange server. As a result, a temporary mailbox has been created, which may not contain all of your original mailbox data.

Important: Microsoft advises against choosing to connect to this temporary mailbox, since doing so may result in data loss. The safer option is to continue working offline using your existing local data until the underlying mailbox issue is resolved. While working offline, sending or receiving email messages will not be possible until the issue is fixed.

This error occurs when Outlook is unable to connect to the original mailbox and instead opens a temporary mailbox. As a result, users may notice missing emails, incomplete synchronization, and overall disruption of workflow. Continuing to work with a temporary mailbox is not recommended, as it can increase the risk of data inconsistency or loss.

This classic Outlook error is primarily associated with a profile that no longer maps cleanly to the original Exchange or Microsoft 365 mailbox. Confirm first that the expected mailbox and data are available in Outlook on the web; then correct the local profile rather than treating the message as proof of OST corruption.

To effectively fix this issue, first confirm the live mailbox in webmail and correct the Outlook profile. Preserve the old OST before removing profiles or local cache data if it may contain unsynchronized or otherwise unique mailbox content.

1. How to resolve the issue ‘Mailbox temporarily moved on Exchange server’?

   If you encounter the ‘Your mailbox has been temporarily moved on Exchange server’ error, here are some troubleshooting methods and steps to help you fix it.

   • Method 1: Remove all Outlook profile except the default one

     This method is useful when there are multiple Outlook profiles configured on your computer, and one of the profiles is causing the error. By removing all of the profiles except for the default one, you can isolate the problem and ensure that Outlook uses the correct profile.

     Note that removing an Outlook profile removes the local profile data and cached content associated with it, such as the OST file, on your computer — it does not delete your mail, contacts, or calendar items stored on the Exchange or Microsoft 365 server. However, if that profile's cached data included anything that never synchronized back to the server, that local-only content would be lost. Therefore, it is important to back up your Outlook data before removing any profiles if there's a chance unique local data exists.

     • Step 1: Close Outlook and open Control Panel
       • Close Outlook completely to ensure that the changes made to the Outlook profiles are saved properly.
       • Click on the Start menu and open the Control Panel. In the Control Panel, click on the option labeled ‘Mail’
     • Step 2: Open the Mail settings
       • In the Mail settings, click ‘Show Profiles’, which shows all of the Outlook profiles that are currently configured on your computer.
     • Step 3: Remove all Outlook profiles except the default one

       Select all of the Outlook profiles that are listed, except for the default profile, and click ‘Remove’.

       This will remove all of the selected profiles from your computer.

     • Step 4: Restart Outlook
       • After removing the unwanted profiles, restart Outlook. The next time you start Outlook, it will automatically use the default profile, which often resolves this error.
   • Method 2: Create a new Outlook profile

     Creating a new Outlook profile can resolve various issues related to Outlook and Exchange Server connectivity, including the 'mailbox temporarily moved' error. The new profile will have fresh settings, and you can configure it to work with your email service. Follow these steps to create a new Outlook profile.

     • Step 1: Close Outlook and open Control Panel
       • Before creating a new Outlook profile, close the application to ensure that there are no conflicts with the current profile.
       • Click the Windows Start menu, type ‘Control Panel’ in the search box, and then click on the Control Panel application.
     • Step 2: Open the Mail applet
       • In the Control Panel, locate the Mail applet (Microsoft Outlook) and click on it.
       • If you're unable to find the Mail applet, change the view to large or small icons.

         

     • Step 3: Click on the Show Profiles button
       • In the Mail Setup dialog box, click ‘Show Profiles’, which displays a list of all the Outlook profiles currently configured on your computer.

         

     • Step 4: Create and configure the new profile
       • Click ‘Add’ to create a new profile. Enter a name for the new profile and click ‘OK’.
       • In the Add Account dialog box, enter your email address and click ‘Connect’. For a Microsoft 365 or modern Exchange account, Outlook will use Autodiscover to locate your mailbox settings automatically — you shouldn't normally need to choose manual setup or enter server details.

         

     • Step 5: Complete sign-in
       • Enter your password when prompted and complete any required multi-factor authentication.
       • If Outlook can't locate your account automatically, contact your email service provider or IT administrator rather than entering manual server settings yourself.
     • Step 6: Set the new profile as the default
       • After verifying that the new profile is working correctly — send and receive a test email, and check that your folders and recent items appear — set it as the default profile.
       • To do this, select the new profile from the list of profiles in the Mail applet, and then click ‘Set as Default’.
     • Step 7: Remove all other old Outlook profiles

       Before removing the old profile, make sure you've preserved a copy of its local data if there's any chance it holds content that never synchronized to the server — once the profile is removed, that local cache is removed with it.

       • Go to the Mail applet in the Control Panel and click ‘Show Profiles’
       • Select the old profile and click ‘Remove’
       • Under Always use this profile select the ‘New Profile’ you just configured.

         

   • Secondary diagnostic: Test Outlook Add-ins

     Another way to fix the ‘Your mailbox is temporarily moved on Microsoft Exchange’ error is by disabling incompatible Outlook add-ins. These third-party extensions can sometimes interfere with Outlook’s core functions, leading to errors or performance issues, especially when connecting to the Exchange Server.

     If you're unsure which add-in is responsible, the best approach is to disable all of them first, then re-enable them one at a time to identify the one causing the issue. Follow the steps below to disable Outlook add-ins safely.

     • Step 1: Open Outlook in safe mode

       To determine if an add-in is causing the error, start by launching Outlook in Safe Mode. This mode disables all add-ins, allowing you to check if Outlook runs without issues. If the error doesn’t appear in Safe Mode, it’s likely that one of the add-ins is the source of the problem. To open Outlook in Safe Mode, press and hold the Ctrl key while clicking the Outlook shortcut. When prompted, confirm that you want to start in Safe Mode.

     • Step 2: Identify the add-in causing the error
       • Once you've opened Outlook in safe mode, navigate to the ‘File’ menu, click on ‘Options’, and select ‘Add-ins’.
       • Under Manage select COM Add-ins and click ‘Go’. You'll see a list of all the add-ins installed in your Outlook.
       • Look for the add-ins that are enabled as these add-ins may be causing the error.

         

     • Step 3: Disable the add-ins and restart Outlook
       • Select the add-in that you think is causing the error.
       • Uncheck the box next to the add-in and click ‘OK’ to disable it.
       • Repeat this step for all the suspected add-ins.

       Once you've disabled the add-ins, close Outlook and reopen it normally. Check if the error is resolved. If the error persists, try disabling other add-ins until you find the one that is causing the issue.

     • Step 4: Remove the incompatible add-in
       • If you've identified the add-in that's causing the error, consider removing it.
       • Go to the Add-in window in Outlook by following the preceding steps.
       • Select the add-in, click ‘Remove’ and finally, restart Outlook.
   • Recovery fallback: Recover OST Data with EdbMails OST to PST Converter

     If the live mailbox/profile cannot provide the required data and the preserved OST contains unique local content, use the EdbMails OST to PST Converter to scan the preserved file, preview readable mailbox data, and export the required content to PST.

     Use this only as a recovery fallback after the profile, account, and server-side mailbox have been checked.

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Additional resources

• EdbMails OST to PST Converter
• Fix Outlook Not Connecting to Server
• Outlook Cached Exchange Mode
• Rebuild OST File in Outlook
• Recover Orphaned OST File