How to Recover Deleted Emails from Junk Folder in Outlook

In today’s world, email is an integral part of our daily communication, especially when it comes to the workplace. With the enormous amount of information that comes through it, it’s not uncommon to accidentally delete important emails, and further regret it later. While most users know how to recover deleted emails from their inbox, recovering deleted emails from the Junk folder in Outlook can be a bit trickier. Fortunately, there are various methods to recover deleted emails from the Junk folder in Outlook, and we’ll cover them in this post.

Video Tutorial:

Why You Need to Recover Deleted Emails from Junk Folder in Outlook

Outlook’s Junk folder is infamous for collecting hundreds of spam emails every day. However, legitimate email messages can sometimes also end up in this folder, either by accident or due to incorrect spam filtering. Retrieving such emails from the Junk folder can be crucial, especially in situations such as:

• The email contains important information, such as passwords, receipts, or scheduling details.
• The email contains attachments that may be required later.
• The email contains vital discussions or agreements that need to be referred to again.
• The email is valuable to you for personal or professional reasons.

Method 1: Recover Deleted Emails Directly from the Junk Folder

The Junk folder in Outlook behaves just like any other folder. When you accidentally delete an email in the Junk folder, it usually gets moved to the Deleted Items folder. Here’s how you can recover such emails directly from the Junk folder:

1. Open Outlook and navigate to the Junk folder in the email pane on the left.
2. Check for the deleted email message in the Junk folder view.
3. If you find the email, click on it to select it. If not, you may need to look in the Deleted Items folder.
4. Right-click on the email and select the "Move" option from the drop-down menu.
5. From the sub-menu that appears, click "Other Folder."
6. In the "Move Items" dialog box, select the folder where you want to move the email and click "OK."

Pros:

• Quick and straightforward.
• Doesn’t require any external tool/built-in function in Outlook.

Cons:

• Require manual effort to search for the deleted email each time.
• Doesn’t ensure complete recovery if the email has already been permanently deleted from the Deleted Items folder.

Method 2: Recover Deleted Emails Using the Recover Deleted Items in Outlook

Outlook has a built-in feature called "Recover Deleted Items," which can be used to recover deleted emails from any folder, including the Junk folder.

1. Open Outlook and navigate to the Junk folder in the email pane on the left.
2. Go to the "Folder" tab and click on the "Recover Deleted Items" option.
3. Recover Deleted Items window will appear, listing all deleted items, including emails and attachments from the Junk folder.
4. Select the deleted email you want to recover from the list and click the "Recover Selected Items" button.
5. The email will be restored back to the Junk folder or the location it was initially deleted from.

Pros:

• Recovers even items purged from the "Deleted Items" folder, that are not recoverable through other means.
• Can recover multiple emails at once from different folders (not just Junk).

Cons:

• May take time and patience to find the email that needs to be restored.
• There’s no guarantee that the email will be fully recovered. It may appear corrupt or partially deleted, especially if it originally contained attachments.

Method 3: Use a Third-party Tool to Recover Deleted Emails from Junk Folder in Outlook

If the above two methods don’t satisfy your requirements, you can opt for third-party recovery tools, such as Stellar Data Recovery for Outlook. These tools are specifically designed to recover deleted emails from Outlook and restore them back to their original state. Here’s how you can recover deleted emails from the Junk folder in Outlook by using this tool:

1. Download and install Stellar Data Recovery for Outlook.
2. Launch the application and select the Outlook mailbox from which you want to recover deleted emails and click on "Next."
3. Select the "Junk Mail" option in the "Select Folder" list and click the "Next" button.
4. Choose the "Deleted Items Folder" from the Select Folder list, and click the "Next" button to scan the folder for deleted emails.
5. Choose the deleted email message that you want to recover, then click the "Recover" button.
6. The application will ask for the recovery destination. Select the folder location to which you want to save the recovered email and click on "OK" to start the recovery process.

Pros:

• Quick, reliable, and high-performing recovery rate.
• Offers more advanced and extensive recovery options.

Cons:

• Requires a paid subscription or one-time purchase.
• May be challenging for non-technical users to use the tool.

What to Do If You Can’t Recover Deleted Emails from Junk Folder in Outlook

If you’re still unable to recover the deleted emails from the Junk folder in Outlook, you might try some of the following fixes:

• Check the "Trash" or "Deleted Items" folder again to see if the email got moved there instead.
• Look for the email in other folders where you might have moved it to in a hurry.
• Check if the email is present on another device or computer that might be connected to the same email account.
• After exhausting all options and if no progress, contact Microsoft support for advanced troubleshooting.

Bonus Tip – How to Prevent Emails from Going to Junk Folder in Outlook

Emails can land in the Junk Folder due to various reasons, including filters, junk settings, and outlook’s spam detection algorithm. However, you can take the following steps to help ensure important emails avoid the Junk Folder:

• Add email addresses or domains to the safe senders’ list.
• Create rules to automatically filter out certain emails to specified folders.
• Use the "Safe Senders" option to mark incoming emails from selected sources as safe.
• Check your Junk email folder regularly and move any misplaced messages to the inbox.

5 FAQs

Q1. Can I recover permanently deleted emails from the Junk folder in Outlook?

A1. Yes, but it depends on the time frame in which the email was purged from the Deleted Items folder.

Q2. Can I recover deleted emails from the Junk folder on my iPhone?

A2. Yes, you can recover deleted emails from the Junk folder on your iPhone, but the procedure will depend on the email application you are using.

Q3. What should I do if there is no ‘Recover Deleted Items’ option in Outlook?

A3. This option may be disabled by default. You can enable it by following the instructions here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/recover-deleted-items-in-outlook-for-windows-49e81f3c-c8f4-4426-a0b9-c0fd751d48ce

Q4. How long does Outlook keep deleted emails in the Junk folder?

A4. By default, Outlook will keep deleted items in the Deleted Items folder for 30 days, after which they will be permanently deleted. This can be modified in the mailbox settings.

Q5. What should I do if the deleted email has important attachments?

A5. Check all folders, including Junk, Deleted Items, and Sent mail folders. If you still can’t find the email, use a recovery tool to search for and restore the deleted attachment files.

Final Thoughts

Recovering deleted emails from the Junk folder in Outlook is simple if you follow the right steps. In this post, we’ve covered the three primary methods, including recovering emails directly from the deleted items folder, using the "Recover Deleted Items" option, and employing third-party tools. Additionally, we’ve highlighted some useful tips to help prevent emails from landing in the Junk folder and what to do if the above methods fail. Whatever the reason for your lost emails, there’s always a way to get them back.