The fastest way to delete an email in Outlook

To delete a single email, select it in your inbox and press the Delete key on your keyboard, or click the trash icon in the toolbar. The email moves to your Deleted Items folder. If you want to permanently remove it instead of moving it to trash, select the email and press Shift + Delete — this bypasses the Deleted Items folder entirely.

On the web version of Outlook, click the email to open it, then click the trash icon at the top of the message. On Outlook for Mac, select the email and press Command + Delete, or click the Delete button in the toolbar.

Key Takeaways

  • Press Delete to move emails to Deleted Items, or Shift + Delete to permanently remove them without going to trash.
  • You can select multiple emails at once by holding Ctrl (or Command on Mac) and clicking each one, then delete them all together.
  • Emails in your Deleted Items folder stay there for 30 days before Outlook removes them automatically, but you can empty it sooner.
  • Use search or filters to find and delete groups of emails by sender, subject, or date instead of deleting them one at a time.
  • Permanently deleted emails cannot be recovered, so double-check before using Shift + Delete or emptying your Deleted Items folder.

Deleting multiple emails at once

If you need to remove several emails, select them all before deleting. Click the first email, then hold Ctrl (or Command on Mac) and click each additional email you want to delete. All selected emails will highlight. Once you have selected them, press Delete or click the trash icon.

You can also select a range of emails by clicking the first one, holding Shift, and clicking the last one in the group. This selects everything between those two emails. Then press Delete to move them all to Deleted Items at once.

Understanding Deleted Items and permanent deletion

When you press Delete, emails move to your Deleted Items folder but are not gone from your account. Outlook keeps them there for 30 days by default, then removes them automatically. If you change your mind within those 30 days, you can open Deleted Items, find the email, and move it back to your inbox.

If you press Shift + Delete instead, the email skips Deleted Items and is permanently removed right away. You cannot recover it after that. Some organizations set their own retention policies, so the 30-day window may be shorter or longer depending on your workplace or email provider.

Emptying your Deleted Items folder

To clear out your Deleted Items folder manually, right-click on it in the folder list on the left side of Outlook and select "Empty Folder." A confirmation window will appear asking if you are sure. Click "Yes" to permanently remove all emails in that folder.

On Outlook for the web, click the Deleted Items folder, then click the trash icon at the top and select "Empty Deleted Items." On Outlook for Mac, right-click Deleted Items and choose "Empty Deleted Items Folder." Once you confirm, those emails are gone permanently and cannot be recovered.

Using search and filters to delete emails in bulk

For large groups of emails, search is faster than selecting them one by one. Click the search box at the top of Outlook and type what you are looking for — a sender's name, a subject line, or a date range. Outlook shows only the matching emails. Select all of them by clicking the checkbox at the top of the list (or pressing Ctrl + A), then press Delete.

You can also use filters to narrow down emails. Click the filter icon (usually a funnel shape) and choose criteria like sender, subject, or date. Once Outlook shows only the emails you want to remove, select them all and delete them together. This method works well for clearing out old newsletters, notifications, or messages from a specific person.

Recovering deleted emails before they are gone for good

If you deleted an email by mistake and it is still in your Deleted Items folder, open that folder and find the email. Right-click it and select "Move" or "Move to Folder," then choose your inbox or another folder where you want it to go. On Outlook for the web, click the email and select "Move to" from the toolbar.

Once you empty your Deleted Items folder or the 30-day retention period ends, recovery becomes much harder. Some organizations keep backups that IT support can restore, but this is not may provide. The safest approach is to check Deleted Items before emptying it, and to be careful with Shift + Delete since that removes emails immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete emails automatically based on rules?

Yes. In Outlook, you can create rules that automatically move or delete emails based on sender, subject, or other criteria. Go to Settings, then Rules, and create a new rule. You can set it to move emails to Deleted Items automatically, though most people prefer to move them to a folder first rather than delete them outright, in case the rule catches something by mistake.

What happens if I delete an email that was forwarded to me?

Deleting an email from your inbox does not affect the original sender or anyone else who received it. It only removes it from your account. The sender still has their copy, and anyone else who received it still has theirs. You are only deleting your own copy.

How do I delete emails on my phone or tablet?

On the Outlook mobile app for iPhone or Android, swipe left on an email to reveal the delete button, or tap and hold the email to select it, then tap the trash icon. Multiple emails can be selected the same way. Deleted emails go to your Deleted Items folder just like on desktop, and the same 30-day retention period applies.

Will deleting emails free up storage space on my account?

Moving emails to Deleted Items does not free up space yet — they still count toward your storage limit. Only when you empty your Deleted Items folder or the 30-day retention period ends are they truly removed and your storage space is freed up. If you are running out of storage, emptying Deleted Items is one of the fastest ways to get space back.

Can my organization see emails I delete?

If your email is through a workplace, your organization's IT department may have access to deleted emails through backup systems, depending on their policies. Personal email accounts like Outlook.com are not monitored this way. Check your organization's email policy if you have concerns about privacy.