The fastest way to clear your inbox
You can delete all mail on iPhone in two ways: select them one folder at a time using the built-in Mail app, or use the "Edit" button to mark multiple messages and delete them together. The Mail app does not have a single "delete all" button that works across your entire account at once, so the method depends on whether you want to clear one folder or multiple folders.
If you have thousands of old messages, deleting on your phone will be slow. A faster route is to sign into your email account on a computer—Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and most other providers let you select hundreds of messages at once and delete them in seconds. But if you want to work from your iPhone, the steps below will get you there.
Key Takeaways
- The Mail app's "Edit" button lets you select multiple messages in one folder and delete them together, but you have to repeat this for each folder.
- Deleting mail on iPhone moves messages to the Trash folder first; they stay there for 30 days before disappearing permanently.
- If you have more than a few hundred messages to delete, signing into your email account on a computer is much faster than using your phone.
- Deleting mail from your iPhone does not delete it from other devices or from your email provider's servers unless you also empty the Trash folder.
How to delete multiple messages in one folder
Open the Mail app and tap the folder you want to clear—for example, "Inbox" or "Archive". Tap "Edit" in the top left corner. Your messages will now show a circle next to each one.
Tap the circle next to each message you want to delete, or tap "Select All" if it appears at the bottom of the screen. Once you have selected the messages you want, tap "Trash" or "Delete" at the bottom right. The messages move to your Trash folder.
Repeat this process for each folder you want to clear. The Mail app does not let you select messages across multiple folders at the same time, so you will need to go into each one separately.
How to permanently delete messages from Trash
When you delete a message, it goes to the Trash folder, not gone forever. To permanently remove messages, open the Mail app and find the Trash folder (sometimes called "Deleted Items" or "Bin" depending on your email provider).
Tap "Edit" and select the messages you want to remove permanently, or tap "Select All". Then tap "Delete" or "Trash" again. The messages are now permanently deleted from your account and cannot be recovered.
If you want to empty the entire Trash folder at once, some email providers let you do this from the folder itself. Look for an "Empty Trash" button or option in the Trash folder menu. Not all providers offer this on iPhone, so you may need to use a computer if you have thousands of messages in Trash.
Why deleting on your phone is slower than a computer
The Mail app on iPhone loads messages in groups as you scroll, so selecting hundreds of messages one by one takes time. Most email providers—Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, Apple Mail—let you select 50, 100, or even all messages at once when you sign in on a web browser.
If you have more than a few hundred messages to delete, open your email account in Safari or another browser on your iPhone, or use a computer. Go to your email provider's website, sign in, and look for a "Select All" option. You can usually delete hundreds of messages in one or two clicks this way.
What happens when you delete mail from your iPhone
Deleting mail on your iPhone only removes it from the Mail app on that device. The message stays on your email provider's servers and appears in the Mail app on your other devices (iPad, Mac, or another iPhone) unless you also delete it there.
If you use multiple devices and want to clear mail everywhere, you have two options. First, delete the messages on each device separately. Second, and faster: sign into your email account on a computer, delete the messages there, and they will disappear from all your devices within a few minutes.
How to avoid losing important messages by accident
Before you delete a large batch of messages, take a moment to check if any are important. The Mail app does not have an "undo" button that works after you empty Trash, so once messages are permanently deleted, they are gone.
If you are not sure whether you need a message, move it to a folder instead of deleting it. Create a folder called "Old Mail" or "Archive" and drag messages there. You can delete them later once you are certain you do not need them. This gives you a safety net if you change your mind.
For messages you want to keep but do not want to see every day, use the Mail app's search function to find them later. Search by sender name, subject line, or date, and the message will come up even if it is buried in an old folder.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I undo a delete if I already emptied the Trash?
No. Once you empty the Trash folder, the messages are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered from your iPhone. Some email providers keep deleted messages on their servers for a short time (usually 30 days), so you could contact your email provider's support team to ask if they can restore them, but this is not may provide.
Will deleting mail on my iPhone delete it from Gmail or Outlook on my computer?
No. Deleting mail on your iPhone only removes it from the Mail app on that device. To delete it everywhere, sign into your email account on a computer and delete it there, or delete it on each device separately. Changes usually sync within a few minutes.
How long do deleted messages stay in the Trash folder?
Most email providers keep deleted messages in Trash for 30 days before permanently removing them. After 30 days, they are gone even if you did not manually empty the Trash. Check your email provider's policy to confirm the exact timeframe for your account.
Is there a way to delete all mail at once without doing it folder by folder?
Not in the Mail app itself. The fastest way on iPhone is to sign into your email account in a web browser (Safari), where most providers let you select all messages at once. On a computer, this is even faster. If you must use the Mail app, you will need to go into each folder and delete messages separately.
What is the difference between archiving and deleting mail?
Archiving moves messages out of your inbox but keeps them in your account so you can search for them later. Deleting moves them to Trash and eventually removes them permanently. If you might need a message someday, archive it instead of deleting it.