The fastest way depends on your email service
Most email services let you select all messages from one sender and delete them in a batch, but the steps differ between Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and others. The general approach is the same: search for the sender's address, select all results, then delete. This takes seconds instead of clicking each email individually.
If you want to prevent future emails from that sender, you can also block them so new messages go straight to spam or a folder you never see. Some services let you do both at once — delete the old messages and block the sender in a single action.
Key Takeaways
- In Gmail, search for "from:sender@example.com", click the checkbox at the top to select all results, then click Delete All to remove every message from that sender at once.
- In Outlook, use the search box to find the sender, select all results with Ctrl+A (or Cmd+A on Mac), then press Delete.
- Yahoo Mail requires you to click the sender's name or address in a message, then choose "Block" or "Delete all from this sender" from the menu that appears.
- After deleting, check your Trash or Deleted Items folder to confirm the messages are gone, since most services keep them there for 30 days before permanent removal.
- Blocking a sender prevents new emails from them, but does not delete messages already in your inbox — you must delete those separately.
How to delete all emails from one sender in Gmail
Open Gmail and click the search box at the top. Type from:sender@example.com, replacing "sender@example.com" with the actual email address you want to delete from. Press Enter or click the search icon. Gmail will show every message from that sender.
At the top of the results, you will see a checkbox next to "Select all". Click it. A message will appear saying "All X conversations in Search are selected" — this means Gmail has selected not just the ones on the current page, but every single message from that sender, even if there are hundreds. Click the trash icon or press the Delete key. The emails move to your Trash folder.
If you want to block this sender so future emails do not arrive, click the three-dot menu icon at the top right of any message from them, then select "Block [sender name]". New messages from that address will go straight to spam.
How to delete all emails from one sender in Outlook
Open Outlook and click the search box at the top. Type the sender's email address or name and press Enter. Outlook will display all messages from that person. Click the checkbox at the top left to select all visible messages on the current page first.
Then use Ctrl+A (Windows) or Cmd+A (Mac) to select all results, including those not visible on screen. Press the Delete key or click the trash icon. The messages move to your Deleted Items folder. To block future emails from this sender, right-click any message from them and select "Block" or "Junk" depending on your Outlook version.
How to delete all emails from one sender in Yahoo Mail
Open Yahoo Mail and use the search box to find the sender's address. Type their email or name and press Enter to see all their messages. Click on one message from that sender to open it.
Look for the sender's name or address at the top of the email. Click it to open a small menu. Select "Delete all from [sender name]" if that option appears, or click "Block" to prevent future emails and then manually delete the old ones. If you do not see a "Delete all" option, select the first message, press Ctrl+A to select all results, then click Delete.
What happens after you delete
When you delete emails, they do not disappear when ready. Most services move them to a Trash, Deleted Items, or Bin folder where they stay for 30 days. During that time, you can recover them if you change your mind — just open the Trash folder, find the message, and move it back to your inbox.
After 30 days, the messages are permanently removed and cannot be recovered. If you need to keep a record of emails from someone but do not want to see them, consider moving them to a folder or label instead of deleting them. In Gmail, you can create a label called "Archive" or "Old Senders" and move messages there. In Outlook, you can create a folder and move them instead of deleting.
Blocking a sender versus deleting their emails
Deleting removes messages that are already in your inbox. Blocking prevents new messages from arriving. These are two separate actions, and you may need to do both.
When you block a sender, their future emails usually go to your spam or junk folder instead of your inbox. You will not see them unless you specifically check spam. However, blocking does not touch the old emails already sitting in your inbox — you must delete those separately using the steps above. Some email services let you block and delete in one step, but most require you to do them separately.
Recovering deleted emails if you change your mind
If you deleted emails by mistake, you have about 30 days to get them back. Open your Trash folder (Gmail), Deleted Items folder (Outlook), or Bin (Yahoo). Find the messages you want to restore, select them, and look for a "Restore" or "Move to Inbox" button. Click it to bring them back.
After 30 days, most services permanently delete messages and do not offer recovery. If you need emails from a sender for legal or financial reasons, do not delete them — move them to a separate folder instead so you can find them later if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will blocking a sender delete their old emails?
No. Blocking only stops new emails from arriving. You must delete old messages separately using the search and select method described above. After you delete them, they go to Trash for 30 days before permanent removal.
What if the sender uses multiple email addresses?
You will need to repeat the delete process for each address. Search for the first address, delete all results, then search for the second address and delete those. If you want to block multiple addresses from the same person, block each one separately in your email settings.
Can I undo a delete after 30 days?
No. Once the 30-day Trash period ends, emails are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered. If you think you might need emails from someone, move them to a folder instead of deleting them.
Does deleting emails from one sender affect my storage space?
Yes, but only after they are permanently removed from Trash. While they sit in Trash, they still count toward your storage limit. Permanently deleting them frees up space. If you are running low on storage, emptying your Trash folder will recover space faster than waiting 30 days.
What if I want to keep some emails from a sender but delete others?
Use your email service's search and filter tools to find only the emails you want to delete. For example, in Gmail you can search "from:sender@example.com before:2024-01-01" to find only old messages from that person, then delete just those. This way you keep recent emails but remove the old ones.