Delete a Single Email in Outlook

To delete one email, open it and look for the trash or delete icon — usually a trash can symbol in the toolbar at the top. Click it once. The email moves to your Deleted Items folder, where it stays for 30 days before Outlook removes it permanently.

If you cannot see the delete button, you may be in a preview pane (a small window showing the email content). Click the email once to select it instead of opening it fully, then press the Delete key on your keyboard. This works the same way.

On Outlook.com (the web version), the delete button appears as a trash icon in the toolbar. On Outlook desktop (the program you install on your computer), it is in the same place. Both send the email to Deleted Items first.

Delete Multiple Emails at Once

Selecting several emails at once saves time if you want to clear out old messages or remove a batch of similar emails. Click the first email you want to delete, then hold Ctrl (on Windows) or Command (on Mac) and click each additional email. A checkmark appears next to each selected email.

Once you have selected all the emails you want, click the delete button or press Delete on your keyboard. All selected emails move to Deleted Items together.

If the emails are next to each other in a list, you can click the first one, hold Shift, and click the last one. Outlook selects everything in between automatically. This is faster than clicking each one individually when you have 10 or 20 emails in a row.

Key Takeaways

  • Deleted emails go to the Deleted Items folder first and stay there for 30 days before Outlook removes them permanently.
  • You can delete a single email by clicking it and pressing Delete, or by clicking the trash icon in the toolbar.
  • Select multiple emails at once using Ctrl+click (or Command+click on Mac) to delete several in one action.
  • Permanently remove emails from Deleted Items by opening that folder, selecting the emails, and deleting them again.
  • Emptying your Deleted Items folder removes all emails in it at once, so review what is there before you do.

Empty Your Deleted Items Folder Completely

Emails in Deleted Items do not take up much space, but if you want to remove them permanently instead of waiting 30 days, you can empty the folder yourself. Open Outlook and find Deleted Items in the folder list on the left side. Right-click on Deleted Items and select Empty Folder (on desktop) or look for an empty button in the toolbar (on Outlook.com).

A confirmation message appears asking if you are sure. Click Yes or Confirm. All emails in Deleted Items are removed permanently and cannot be recovered.

If you only want to delete some emails from Deleted Items, do not empty the whole folder. Instead, click Deleted Items to open it, select the specific emails you want to remove, and press Delete again. They disappear permanently without affecting the rest.

Recover a Deleted Email Within 30 Days

If you delete an email by mistake, you have 30 days to get it back. Open Deleted Items and look for the email you want to restore. Right-click it and select Move, then choose the folder where you want it to go (usually Inbox). The email reappears in that folder.

On Outlook.com, click the email and look for a Move button in the toolbar instead. Select your destination folder from the list that appears.

After 30 days, Outlook removes deleted emails permanently. If you cannot find an email in Deleted Items and it has been more than a month, it is gone. This is why it helps to check Deleted Items occasionally if you are unsure whether you deleted something important.

Delete Emails Automatically With Rules

If you receive many emails from the same sender or with the same subject line that you do not want, you can set up a rule to delete them automatically. On Outlook desktop, right-click an email from that sender and select Rules, then Create Rule. Check the box next to the sender's name and select Delete.

On Outlook.com, open an email from the sender you want to block, click the three dots (more options), and select Create Rule. Set the rule to delete or move emails from that sender automatically.

Rules are useful for filtering out newsletters you no longer read or emails from addresses you do not recognize. You can modify or turn off a rule anytime if you change your mind.

Permanently Delete Without Using Deleted Items

Normally, deleting an email sends it to Deleted Items first. If you want to skip that step and remove an email permanently right away, hold Shift and press Delete on your keyboard instead of just pressing Delete. The email disappears when ready without going to Deleted Items.

This is useful when you are certain you do not want an email and do not need the safety net of the Deleted Items folder. Use it carefully, because the email cannot be recovered after this action.

On Outlook.com, this shortcut may not work the same way. Stick with the regular delete method and empty Deleted Items when you are ready to remove emails permanently.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover an email after I empty Deleted Items?

No. Once you empty the Deleted Items folder, those emails are gone permanently. Before you empty the folder, take a moment to look through it and make sure nothing important is there. If you are not sure, leave it alone and let Outlook remove old emails automatically after 30 days.

What happens if I delete an email by mistake?

Check your Deleted Items folder right away. If the email is there, you can move it back to your Inbox or another folder. You have 30 days to recover it. After 30 days, Outlook removes it permanently and you cannot get it back.

Do deleted emails take up storage space?

Emails in Deleted Items still count toward your storage limit while they are there. If you are running out of space, emptying Deleted Items frees up room. On Outlook.com, you get 50 GB of storage, which is usually enough for years of email.

Can I delete all emails from one sender at once?

Yes. Click the sender's name in the From field of any email from them, then select all emails from that sender. You can also create a rule to delete future emails from that sender automatically, so you do not have to delete them manually each time.

Why are some emails still in Deleted Items after 30 days?

Outlook removes emails from Deleted Items after 30 days, but the exact timing depends on your account settings and how often you use Outlook. If an email is still there after 30 days, you can delete it manually to remove it right away.