How to Empty the Trash in Yahoo Mail

Purge Deleted Emails Permanently in Yahoo Mail

Trashcan
Adam Gault/Getty Images
by Heinz Tschabitscher
An independent writer who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
Updated October 13, 2018

While old messages are removed from Yahoo Mail's trash periodically and automatically, emptying it manually isn't hard. To permanently delete messages in your Yahoo Mail's Trash folder:

  1. Click the Empty the Trash folder button (which looks like a trashcan) next to Trash in the Yahoo Mail folder list.

  2. Click OK under Empty the Trash folder.

Emptying the Trash in Yahoo Mail Basic

To purge all mail from the Trash folder in Yahoo Mail Basic:

  • Click the Empty link next to Trash in the Yahoo Mail Basic folder list to empty the Trash folder and permanently delete the emails in it without further confirmation.

Undelete Mail After You've Emptied Your Yahoo Mail Trash

If you act quickly, you might be able to recover it messages from your deleted trash can. Simply download all the messages that came through your Yahoo Mail account, or forward them to a different email address automatically or manually. You're not technically undeleting as much as you're racing against time before Yahoo's servers fully synchronize your deletions across all the devices you use to access the system.

If you must recover an important message after it's been purged from the trash:

  2. Select Recover lost or deleted emails from the list.

  3. Enter your Yahoo ID or email address where prompted and follow the steps specified in the form.

Yahoo can only recover some (not all!) messages, and only if they've been purged within the last seven days.