Delete a message

Delete messages you no longer need or want to see in your Inbox or mail folders.

• In the message list, when you point to or select a message, the icon appears. To delete the message, press .

• If a message is open in its own window, click Message > Delete.

When a message is deleted in Outlook 2013, it's moved to the Deleted Items folder.

If you want to bypass the Deleted Items folder and permanently delete a message, press Shift+Delete or Shift+ . You won't have an opportunity to change your mind later and recover the message.

Wait! I changed my mind

If the message you want to keep is still in the Deleted Items folder, drag the message from the Deleted Items folder to another folder. When the Deleted Items folder is emptied for POP3, IMAP, and Outlook.com or other Exchange ActiveSync accounts, the message is permanently gone.

There's an exception for some Microsoft Exchange Server accounts. If enabled, you can retrieve deleted messages for a limited time period. See how. The time period is set by your Exchange admin.