Outlook Office 365 is one of the most popular email clients preferred by millions of users worldwide. From personal to professional, people rely on Outlook to send and receive emails. However, sometimes we accidentally delete important emails, which can lead to disastrous consequences. Fortunately, recovering deleted emails in Outlook Office 365 is possible, and in this blog, we will guide you through several methods to recover your lost emails.
Video Tutorial:
What’s Needed
Before we start, you need to have access to your Outlook Office 365 account and know the date range of the emails you want to recover. It is recommended to recover emails as soon as possible because the longer you wait, the harder it will be to retrieve them.
What should I pay attention to?
Before recovering your deleted emails, there are some precautions you should take to reduce the risk of losing them forever. First, avoid permanently deleting any emails from the Deleted Items folder until you are sure that you no longer need them. Second, if you are not sure about the exact date range of the emails, start by recovering emails from the earliest possible date. Finally, remember that not all emails can be recovered, especially if they were deleted a long time ago.
Method 1: Recover Deleted Emails from the Deleted Items Folder
If you have accidentally deleted your emails, the first place you should check is the Deleted Items folder. Here’s how you can recover your deleted emails from the Deleted Items folder:
1. Sign in to your Outlook Office 365 account.
2. Select the Deleted Items folder from the left-hand panel.
3. Locate and select the email you want to recover.
4. Right-click on the email and select "Move" from the drop-down menu.
5. Choose the folder where you want to move the email to.
Method 2: Recover Deleted Emails from the Recoverable Items Folder
If you can’t find the deleted email in the Deleted Items folder, don’t worry. Outlook Office 365 automatically stores deleted emails in the Recoverable Items folder. Here are the steps to recover emails from the Recoverable Items folder:
1. Go to the Home tab and select "Deleted Items" from the left-hand panel.
2. Select the "Recover Deleted Items" option from the menu.
3. A new window will open with all the deleted items. Locate the email you want to recover.
4. Right-click on the email and select "Restore" from the drop-down menu.
5. The email will be restored to the Deleted Items folder.
Method 3: Recover Deleted Emails from the Server
If the above two methods fail to recover your deleted emails, you can try recovering them from the server. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Log in to your Outlook Office 365 account via a web browser.
2. Go to the Deleted Items folder and select "Recover Deleted Items" from the menu.
3. A new window will open with all the deleted items. Select the emails you want to recover.
4. Click on the "Recover Selected Items" button.
5. The emails will be restored to the Deleted Items folder.
Method 4: Recover Deleted Emails from a Backup
If all the above methods fail, you can recover your deleted emails from a backup. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Search for the backup files on your computer or server.
2. Locate the backup file that contains the email you want to recover.
3. Restore the backup file to your computer.
4. Launch Outlook Office 365 and go to the folder where you want to restore the email.
5. Click on the "File" tab, select "Open & Export", and select "Import/Export".
6. Select "Import from another program or file" and click "Next".
7. Choose the file type that you want to import, and click on "Next".
8. Browse to the location where you have stored the backup file and select it.
9. Follow the on-screen instructions to import the emails.
Why can’t I recover my deleted emails?
There can be several reasons why you cannot recover your deleted emails. Some common reasons include not recovering the emails soon enough, permanently deleting the emails, or the server not storing deleted emails for a long time. To fix these issues, try to recover the emails as soon as possible, avoid permanently deleting the emails, and regularly back up your emails.
Suggestions
It’s always a good practice to back up your emails regularly to avoid losing them forever. You can use third-party backup and recovery tools like CodeTwo Backup or mailStore Server to back up your emails. Additionally, be cautious while deleting emails and accidentally deleting them in haste. Finally, always recover your emails as soon as possible to avoid facing any complications.
5 FAQs
Q1. How long are deleted emails stored in Office 365?
A1. Deleted emails are stored in the Recoverable Items folder for up to 14 days. After that, they are permanently deleted from the server.
Q2. Can I recover permanently deleted emails in Office 365?
A2. Unfortunately, once an email is permanently deleted from Office 365, it cannot be recovered. However, you can use third-party tools to recover permanently deleted emails.
Q3. Can a deleted email be recovered from a shared mailbox in Office 365?
A3. Yes, deleted emails from a shared mailbox can be recovered using the same methods mentioned above.
Q4. Can I recover deleted emails from the Outlook mobile app?
A4. Yes, you can recover deleted emails from the Outlook mobile app, but the process may vary depending on the mobile operating system you are using.
Q5. Can I recover emails deleted before configuring backups?
A5. Unfortunately, if you have not configured any backup before the emails were deleted, it’s highly unlikely to recover them. However, you can try the above methods, and you might get lucky.
Conclusion
Losing important emails can be a frustrating experience, but with the methods mentioned above, you can recover your deleted emails in Outlook Office 365. Remember, always recover your emails as soon as possible and back them up regularly to avoid losing them forever. With these precautions and the right method, you can recover your lost emails in no time.