How to Delete Emails in Outlook for iOS

Email & Messaging

Updated June 10, 2019

If you have a cluttered Inbox, delete unneeded emails from your iPhone or iPad Outlook app. Delete one message at a time or delete several. To use swipe motions, change the swipe settings in the Outlook for iOS app to delete messages instead of archiving messages when you swipe. Then, if you accidentally delete a message, recover it.

Instructions in this article apply to Outlook for iOS.

How to Delete Emails in Outlook

To delete individual emails with the Outlook app for iPhone and iPad

In the Message list, tap and hold the email you want to delete. To delete more than one message, tap the other messages that you want to delete.

If the email is open and displays the message, tap the Trash can icon to delete the message.
Go to the bottom of the Message list and select the Trash bin icon.

Swipe to Delete Emails

By default, Outlook for iOS archives emails when you swipe to the left on the message. Here's how to change that setting:

Go to the upper-left side of the Outlook app and tap the avatar.
Select Settings (the gear icon).
In the Settings screen, scroll to the Mail section, then tap Swipe Options.
In the Swipe Options screen, tap the Swipe Left icon.
In the Swipe Left screen, select Delete.
Select the Back arrow to return to your emails.
Swipe left on the email you want to swiftly delete. Do this for any email in your account, in any folder, and as many times as you like to immediately send emails to the trash.

Recover a Deleted Email

If you accidentally remove emails that you intended to keep, here's how to get them back:

Tap the menu (avatar) icon.
Go to the Trash or Deleted Items folder, then open the email message.
Select the three dots (...) and select Move to Folder.
In the Move Conversation screen, select the folder where you want to move the email.