How To Recover Permanently Deleted Emails In Outlook

Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: How To Recover Permanently Deleted Emails In Outlook. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Accidentally deleting an important email can feel stressful, but in most cases, Microsoft 365 keeps deleted messages available for recovery even after they have been removed from your Deleted Items folder. Messages moved to the Recoverable Items folder can typically be restored within a retention window set by your organisation, often up to 30 days. This guide walks small business users through recovering permanently deleted emails in Outlook, including when to escalate to your IT support provider.

Quick Fix Steps

1. Open Outlook (desktop app or Outlook on the web).
2. Navigate to your Deleted Items folder.
3. Select the email you want to recover.
4. Use the Recover Deleted Items option to restore the message.
5. Check your Inbox or Deleted Items folder to confirm the email has been restored.

Detailed Instructions

Outlook for Windows

1. Open Outlook and select your email account in the folder pane.
2. Click the Deleted Items folder in the folder list.
3. Ensure you are connected to the internet and synced with the Microsoft 365 server.
4. In the ribbon, select the Home tab.
5. Click Recover Deleted Items From Server. If the button is greyed out, ensure you have an item selected or that your account supports this feature.
6. In the Recover Deleted Items window, select the email or emails you want to restore.
7. Choose Restore Selected Items and click OK.
8. Recovered messages are moved back to your Deleted Items folder by default. Move them to Inbox or another folder as needed.

Outlook on the Web (Outlook.com / Microsoft 365)

1. Sign in to Outlook on the web at outlook.office.com.
2. In the left navigation pane, expand the Deleted Items folder if necessary.
3. At the top of the deleted items list, select Recover items deleted from this folder.
4. Select the email or emails you want to recover.
5. Click Recover.
6. Items are restored to their original folder if it still exists; otherwise, they are moved to Inbox.

Outlook for Mac

1. Open Outlook for Mac and select your Microsoft 365 account.
2. Click the Deleted Items folder in the sidebar.
3. From the top menu bar, select Tools > Recover Deleted Items.
4. Choose the message or messages you want to restore.
5. Click Recover.

Troubleshooting

Recover Deleted Items option is missing or greyed out

• Ensure you are using a Microsoft 365 or Exchange account. This feature is not available for POP or IMAP accounts.
• Confirm you are connected to the internet and Outlook is fully synced with the server.
• Try Outlook on the web if the desktop app option is unavailable.

Email is not in Recoverable Items

• The retention period may have expired. Items are typically purged permanently after the organisation's retention policy window ends.
• The email may have been purged manually by an administrator.
• If the item was deleted from a shared mailbox or archive, different permissions and retention policies may apply.

Recovered email cannot be found

• Check the Deleted Items folder first, as restored items often return there.
• Use Outlook search to locate the message by sender, subject, or keyword.
• Check if the item was restored to a different folder, such as Inbox or a custom subfolder.

When to Open a Ticket

Contact your IT support provider if:

• The email is outside the standard recovery window and is business-critical.
• You need to recover items from a shared mailbox, archive mailbox, or former employee's account.
• The Recover Deleted Items option is unavailable and you suspect an account or licence issue.
• You require an administrator-level recovery or legal hold search.

To request assistance, contact your IT support provider through your usual support channel.

Still Having Issues?