Outlook plays a crucial role in our daily communication, both in personal and professional settings. However, with continuous email influx, your mailbox can easily get piled up with tons of unread emails. Deleting some of these messages can free up some space in your mailbox. However, even after hitting the delete button, deleted emails may still exist in your mailbox and continue to take up space. In this article, we will show you how to permanently delete all deleted emails in Outlook.
Video Tutorial:
What’s Needed
To successfully delete all deleted emails in Outlook, you need to have the following:
- A computer or laptop with Outlook installed.
- An active email account.
- Basic knowledge of using Outlook.
What requires your focus?
Before proceeding with any of the methods below, you should focus on the following points:
- Ensure you do not delete any important emails in your mailbox.
- Remember to empty the Deleted Items folder manually, so that the deleted emails do not remain in it.
- Back up your mailbox before proceeding with the deletion process. This is imperative, especially if you have crucial emails you would like to keep.
Method 1: Permanently Delete Emails from Deleted Folder
Permanently deleting emails from the Deleted Items folder is one of the easiest and fastest ways to free up space in your mailbox. Follow these steps:
1. Open Outlook and navigate to the Deleted Items folder.
2. Select the emails you want to delete permanently.
3. Right-click on the selected emails and click on Delete.
4. A dialogue box will appear asking, "Are you sure you want to permanently delete these items?" Click Yes.
5. The deleted emails are now permanently deleted and cannot be retrieved.
Pros:
– Quick and easy process.
– Deleted emails cannot be retrieved.
Cons:
– You may accidentally delete an important email.
– The deleted emails cannot be retrieved even if they were important.
Method 2: Use Shift + Delete Key Combination
Using the Shift + Delete key combination permanently deletes selected emails or a whole folder. Follow these steps:
1. Open Outlook and navigate to the Deleted Items folder.
2. Select the emails you want to delete permanently.
3. Press and hold the Shift key on your keyboard.
4. While still holding the Shift key, press the Delete key on your keyboard.
5. A dialogue box will appear asking, "Are you sure you want to permanently delete these items?" Click Yes.
6. The deleted emails are now permanently deleted and cannot be retrieved.
Pros:
– The Shift + Delete key combination saves time.
– Deleted items cannot be retrieved.
Cons:
– You may accidentally select and delete the wrong folder or email.
– The deleted emails cannot be retrieved even if they were important.
Method 3: Use the Outlook Cleanup Tool
The Outlook Cleanup Tool is an inbuilt feature in Microsoft Outlook that allows you to remove unnecessary emails and free up space in your mailbox. Follow these steps:
1. Open Outlook and navigate to your Mail tab.
2. Click on the File tab and select Options.
3. In the Options window, select Advanced.
4. Scroll down to the Outlook Start and Exit section and click on the AutoArchive Settings button.
5. In the AutoArchive window, click the Run AutoArchive every __ days checkbox.
6. Set the number of days to 1 or 0. This will start the AutoArchive process every day you open Outlook or log in to your account.
7. Click on the OK button to save the changes.
Pros:
– Automatically deletes old email and frees up space in your mailbox.
– Saves time and effort.
Cons:
– May accidentally delete important emails.
Why Can’t I Permanently Delete All Deleted Emails in Outlook?
1. Deleted emails may still be retained in the Deleted Items folder, taking up space.
2. Outlook may have a retention policy that does not allow permanent deletion of emails.
3. Corrupted data files may affect email deletion in Outlook.
Fixes:
1. Check the Deleted Items folder and select all emails to delete.
2. Update your Outlook settings to enable permanent deletion of emails in accordance with your organization’s email retention policies.
3. Repair corrupted Outlook data files using the inbuilt repair tool.
Implications and Recommendations
Permanently deleting emails in Outlook has its implications, especially if you accidentally delete important emails. Before proceeding with any deletion, ensure you back up your mailbox and double-check that you are deleting the right items. Additionally, regularly deleting unnecessary emails ensures your mailbox is organized and free of clutter.
We recommend using the Outlook Cleanup Tool as it automatically deletes old emails, saving time and effort. It is also important to check your email retention policy and ensure it allows for permanent deletion of emails in your mailbox.
FAQs
Q: Can deleted emails be retrieved from Outlook?
A: No, permanently deleted emails cannot be retrieved from Outlook.
Q: Can deleting emails from Outlook free up space on my computer?
A: Yes, deleting emails from Outlook frees up space in your mailbox, which in turn frees up space on your computer.
Q: Can I select multiple folders for permanent deletion in Outlook?
A: Yes, the Shift + Delete key combination allows you to select multiple folders or emails to permanently delete.
Q: How can I reduce the size of my Outlook mailbox?
A: You can reduce the size of your Outlook mailbox by permanently deleting unnecessary emails, archiving emails to a PST file, and using the Outlook Cleanup Tool.
Q: Can permanently deleted emails be recovered through third-party software?
A: It is highly unlikely to recover permanently deleted emails through third-party software.
In Conclusion
Permanently deleting all deleted emails in Outlook can help free up space in your mailbox and organize your email correspondence. However, you need to be cautious during the deletion process to ensure you do not permanently delete important emails. The methods outlined above are easy to follow and effective in permanently deleting emails in Outlook. We recommend using the Outlook Cleanup Tool as it automatically deletes old emails, saving time and effort.