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How to Purge Deleted Messages Automatically in Outlook

Automatic purge of emails works when you're online

By Heinz Tschabitscher Heinz Tschabitscher Writer University of Vienna A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on May 15, 2022 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email MS Office Outlook Word Excel Powerpoint

What to Know

Open Outlook and select Deleted Items folder. In Folder tab > AutoArchive Settings.In Deleted Items Properties box, select Archive this folder using these settings.Change the Clean out items older than setting > select Permanently delete old items > OK. This article explains how to automatically purge deleted messages in Outlook. Instructions in this article apply to Outlook 2019, Outlook 2016, Outlook 2013, and Outlook for Microsoft 365.

Automatically Purge Deleted Messages in Outlook

To automatically purge messages in the Outlook Deleted Items folder: Open Outlook and select the Deleted Items folder. Go to the Folder tab and select AutoArchive Settings. In the Deleted Items Properties dialog box, select Archive this folder using these settings. Change the Clean out items older than setting to increase or decrease the amount of time before deleted items are permanently purged. Give yourself time to recover messages that were accidentally deleted. Set a purge delay of a few days, a week, or a month depending on how long you want to keep deleted messages in the Deleted Items folder. Select Permanently delete old items. Select OK to finish and save the settings. Messages you delete are moved to the Deleted Items folder and are marked for deletion. After the time interval you've set, the messages are purged automatically. Outlook does not purge messages automatically when you're working offline. Messages are purged when you open Outlook when you're working online.

Manually Purge Deleted Messages

If you don't want to automatically purge messages, use the manual approach: Right-click the Deleted Items folder. Select Empty Folder. In the confirmation dialog box, select Yes. All items in the Deleted Items folder are purged immediately. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Purge Deleted Outlook Email How to Recover Deleted Emails in Outlook How to Empty Deleted Items and Junk Folders Fast in Outlook.com How to Auto Empty Trash in Outlook How to Archive Emails in Outlook Forward Multiple Emails Individually in Outlook How to Streamline Conversations in Outlook How to Hide Strikethrough Messages in Outlook How to Fix It When Outlook Folders Are Missing How to Recall an Email in Outlook How to Recover Deleted Messages on Facebook Messenger How to Access Archived Emails in Outlook How to Download Only the Headers for Large Messages in Outlook How to Delete and Mute a Conversation in Outlook How to Clear the Outlook Cache How to Empty the Trash in Mail for macOS Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies