Where deleted emails go and how to remove them permanently

When you delete an email in Outlook, it moves to your Deleted Items folder — it is not gone yet. To permanently remove it, you have to empty the Deleted Items folder. If you delete something by mistake, you have a window to recover it before that folder empties, which usually happens automatically after 30 days (though this varies by whether you use Outlook.com, Outlook on your desktop, or Outlook through your work).

The steps differ slightly depending on which version of Outlook you use. Desktop Outlook (the program you read) works differently from Outlook.com (the web version). Both let you delete individual emails or entire folders, but the recovery window and the exact button locations change.

Key Takeaways

  • Deleting an email in Outlook moves it to Deleted Items, where it stays for about 30 days before the folder empties automatically.
  • To permanently delete an email right away, select it and press Delete, then go to Deleted Items and empty that folder.
  • In Outlook.com, you can recover deleted emails for up to 93 days by going to Deleted Items and moving them back to your inbox.
  • Desktop Outlook lets you recover items for 30 days through Deleted Items, but once you empty that folder, recovery becomes much harder.
  • If you delete a folder by mistake, you can recover it from Deleted Items within the recovery window, but individual emails inside that folder may not be recoverable once the folder is emptied.

Deleting a single email in Outlook.com

Open Outlook.com in your browser. Find the email you want to delete and click on it to open it. At the top of the email, you will see a trash icon (it looks like a bin). Click that icon. The email moves to your Deleted Items folder.

If you change your mind within 93 days, go to your Deleted Items folder, find the email, right-click it, and select Move. Choose Inbox or any other folder where you want it to go. After 93 days, Outlook.com empties the Deleted Items folder automatically, and recovery becomes impossible through the normal interface.

Deleting a single email in Outlook desktop

Open Outlook on your computer. Find the email in your inbox or any folder. Click on it once to select it, then press the Delete key on your keyboard. The email moves to your Deleted Items folder.

To permanently delete it right away instead of waiting, select the email, then press Shift + Delete. A window will ask you to confirm. Click Yes. The email is now in a harder-to-recover state, though your IT department (if you use Outlook through work) may still be able to restore it from a backup.

Emptying your Deleted Items folder

In Outlook.com, click on Deleted Items in the left sidebar. At the top of the folder, you will see an option that says "Empty folder" or a trash icon. Click it. A window will ask you to confirm. Click Empty Folder. Everything in that folder is now permanently deleted.

In Outlook desktop, right-click on Deleted Items in the left sidebar and select "Empty Deleted Items Folder". A window will ask you to confirm. Click Yes. Once you do this, recovery through Outlook itself is no longer possible.

Deleting an entire folder and recovering it

If you delete a folder by mistake (not just the emails inside it, but the folder itself), the process depends on your Outlook version. In Outlook.com, the folder moves to Deleted Items. Go to Deleted Items, find the folder name, right-click it, and select Restore. The folder and any emails still in it return to your folder list.

In Outlook desktop, right-click on the folder you want to delete and select Delete Folder. It moves to Deleted Items. To recover it, go to Deleted Items, find the folder, right-click it, and select Move. Choose where you want it to go. This works within the 30-day recovery window. After that, you will need to contact your IT department or email provider.

Bulk deletion: removing many emails at once

If you need to delete hundreds of emails, selecting them one at a time is slow. In Outlook.com, use the checkbox at the top left of your email list to select all emails on the current page, then click Delete. To select emails across multiple pages, click the checkbox, and a prompt will appear asking if you want to select all emails in the folder — click that option.

In Outlook desktop, click on the first email you want to delete, then hold Shift and click on the last email in the range you want to delete. All emails between them are now selected. Press Delete. If the emails are not in a continuous range, hold Ctrl (or Cmd on Mac) and click each email individually, then press Delete.

Recovering deleted emails after you have emptied the folder

Once you empty Deleted Items, recovery through Outlook itself is not possible. However, if you use Outlook through your work or school, your IT department may be able to restore emails from a server backup — but this usually takes days or weeks and may not be available for personal accounts.

If you use Outlook.com with a Microsoft account, you have no recovery option after the folder empties. This is why it is worth checking Deleted Items before you empty it, especially if you delete emails in bulk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover an email after I empty Deleted Items?

Not through Outlook itself. If you use Outlook at work, contact your IT department — they may restore it from a backup, though this is not may provide. If you use Outlook.com, recovery is not possible once the folder empties.

How long do emails stay in Deleted Items before they disappear?

In Outlook.com, about 93 days. In Outlook desktop, usually 30 days, though this depends on your email provider and account settings. Check your account settings to see the exact timeframe for your version.

What is the difference between Delete and Shift + Delete?

Delete moves the email to Deleted Items, where you can recover it. Shift + Delete removes it from Deleted Items when ready, making recovery much harder. Use Shift + Delete only when you are certain you do not need the email.

If I delete a folder, do the emails inside it get deleted too?

Yes. When you delete a folder, the emails inside it move to Deleted Items along with the folder. You can recover both the folder and its contents if you act within the recovery window (93 days for Outlook.com, 30 days for desktop).

Can my email provider see emails I have deleted?

Your email provider can see deleted emails on their servers for a limited time, usually matching the recovery window. After that, they are removed from backups. This is different from your own recovery — once you empty Deleted Items, you cannot get them back, but the provider may still have them briefly.