How to Undelete a Message Quickly in Outlook

Updated September 08, 2016

It happens to me all the time: I hit Del and the message is gone. In the very same nanosecond, I spot something in the email that sparks my interest. Too late.

Too late? No, because Outlook makes it really easy to recover a message you have just deleted. It works just like undoing something in Word, for example.

Undelete a Message Quickly in Outlook

To undelete a message fast from the keyboard in Outlook:

  • Press Ctrl-Z.

Undelete Deleted Messages in Outlook (Even if You Have Emptied the Trash)

If you have mistakenly deleted a message previously, you can move it from the Deleted Items folder to any other folder to restore it.

Emails deleted even from the Deleted Items folder are a bit more difficult to recover, but not all is lost. Tools such as Recover My Email can often help.