This article explains how to delete all items in your Deleted Items folder and Junk Email folder on Outlook.com.

What to Know

  • In folders pane, right-click Deleted Items > Empty Folder. Or right-click Junk Email > Empty folder.In the Delete dialog box, select Delete all to confirm.Restore deleted message: Go to Deleted Items > Recover items deleted from this folder select message > Restore.

Permanently Delete All Items in the Deleted Items Folder

When you delete messages in your Outlook.com account, Outlook moves those messages to the Deleted Items folder. Before you rid your account of junk and deleted items, go through them to make sure you haven’t missed anything important.

To empty the Junk Email and Deleted Items folders:

  • Open Outlook.com.
  • In the Folders pane, right-click the Deleted Items folder.
  • Select Empty Folder.
  • To delete email from the Junk Email folder, right-click the folder and select Empty folder.
  • In the Delete dialog box, select Delete all to confirm that you want to delete everything in the folder permanently.

Restore Deleted Items

If you delete a message by mistake, or if you set up your account to empty the Deleted Items folder when you exit your session, and you want to get an email back, retrieve the message.

Open Outlook.com.

In the Folders pane, right-click the Deleted Items folder.

Select Empty Folder.

To delete email from the Junk Email folder, right-click the folder and select Empty folder.

In the Delete dialog box, select Delete all to confirm that you want to delete everything in the folder permanently.

  • Go to the Deleted Items folder and select Recover items deleted from this folder.
  • Select the message you want to recover and choose Restore.
  • Outlook moves the message to the Inbox.

Go to the Deleted Items folder and select Recover items deleted from this folder.

Select the message you want to recover and choose Restore.

Outlook moves the message to the Inbox.

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