How to Hide Strikethrough Messages in Outlook

This article explains how to hide deleted messages that appear as grayed out and with a strikethrough line in Outlook folders. This information applies to Outlook 2019, Outlook 2016, Outlook 2013, Outlook 2010, and Outlook for Microsoft 365.

Hide Strikethrough Messages in Outlook

In IMAP accounts, messages are not deleted immediately when you press the Delete key or moved to a Trash folder. Instead, they are marked for deletion until you purge the folder. Messages that are marked for deletion in Microsoft Outlook are grayed out with a strikethrough line but are still visible. If you don't want to see these messages, tell Outlook to hide them.

1. Open the folder where you want to hide strikethrough messages, such as the Inbox folder.

2. Go to the View tab.

3. In the Current View group, select Change View.

4. Select Hide Messages Marked for Deletion.

5. Select Apply Current View to Other Mail Folders if you want this change to work with your other email folders and subfolders.