How to Recover Permanently Deleted Emails in OutlookLosing important emails can be stressful — especially when they appear to be permanently deleted. Fortunately, Outlook offers several recovery options depending on how and where the message was deleted (local Deleted Items, Recoverable Items, server-side retention, backups, or third-party tools). This guide explains step-by-step methods for recovering permanently deleted emails in Outlook, what works for different versions (Outlook for Microsoft 365 / Outlook 2019 / Outlook 2016 / Outlook on the web), and best practices to prevent future data loss.
Quick overview: where deleted emails go
- When you delete a message in Outlook, it first moves to Deleted Items (or Trash in Outlook on the web).
- If you empty Deleted Items or remove a message from there, Outlook may move it to the Recoverable Items folder (also called “Recover Deleted Items” on Exchange/Office 365) for a limited retention period.
- After the Recoverable Items retention expires (or if retention isn’t enabled), messages may still be retrievable from server backups, local OST/PST files, or specialized recovery tools — but success is less certain.
Before you start: check these basics
- Search Deleted Items folder: Use the search box and filters (From, Subject, Date).
- Check other folders: A rule or accidental move might have relocated the message.
- Confirm account type: IMAP, POP, Exchange/Office 365, or Outlook.com behave differently for deletions. Exchange/Office 365 and Outlook.com keep Recoverable Items; POP often deletes locally.
- Act quickly: Retention windows vary; the sooner you try to recover, the better the chance.
Method 1 — Recover from Deleted Items (Outlook desktop & Outlook on the web)
- Open Outlook (desktop) and click the Deleted Items folder.
- Use the search field or sort by Date to locate the message.
- Right-click the message → choose Move → select Inbox (or drag it back).
In Outlook on the web: open the Trash/Deleted Items, select the email, and choose Restore or Move.
If you can find the message here, recovery is immediate and complete.
Method 2 — Recover from “Recoverable Items” (Exchange / Office 365 / Outlook.com)
When an item is removed from Deleted Items, Exchange often places it in Recoverable Items for a retention period (default often 14–30 days; admins can change this).
Outlook desktop:
- Select the Deleted Items folder.
- On the ribbon, click Home → Recover Deleted Items From Server (or, in some versions: Folder → Recover Deleted Items).
- In the dialog, select the messages you want and click Restore Selected Items. They’ll be returned to Deleted Items (move them to Inbox).
Outlook on the web:
- Open Deleted Items.
- At the top, click Recover items recently removed from this folder.
- Select items and click Restore.
Notes:
- If “Recover Deleted Items From Server” is greyed out, your account may not be using Exchange/Office 365 or your admin disabled the feature.
- Items in Recoverable Items may appear with original folder info; use search to find them.
Method 3 — Restore from a local PST or OST backup
If you or your organization periodically export or backup Outlook data to PST files, you can restore from those backups.
Restore from PST:
- File → Open & Export → Open Outlook Data File.
- Browse to your backup PST and open it.
- Search the PST for the missing messages and drag them back into your active mail profile.
Recovering from OST:
- OST is a cache of an Exchange mailbox. If emails were removed from the server they won’t be in a synced OST unless the OST contains older cached content. Tools exist to convert OST to PST, but success depends on whether the OST includes the deleted items.
Method 4 — Restore via Exchange Online/Office 365 admin (for org mailboxes)
If you’re using Office 365 and cannot recover items yourself, your IT admin may be able to restore mailbox items from retention or backups.
Admin actions:
- Use the Microsoft 365 admin center or Exchange admin center to run Recover Deleted Items for the user.
- Search mailbox audit logs, litigation hold, or eDiscovery if the mailbox is on hold.
- Restore from backups if the organization maintains third-party backup solutions.
Ask your admin to check the retention policies, litigation hold settings, or backups.
Method 5 — Use third-party recovery tools
When native methods fail (especially for PST/OST corruption or long-past deletions), professional recovery software can scan PST/OST files and attempt to recover messages.
Common capabilities:
- Scan corrupted PST/OST for recoverable items.
- Recover permanently deleted items not present in Recoverable Items.
- Export recovered emails to PST/EML/MSG formats.
Choose reputable tools, read reviews, and if data is critical consider professional data-recovery services. Always run recovery tools against copies of your files, not originals.
Method 6 — Restore from system-level backups (Windows/macOS or server backups)
If you or your organization back up the machine or mail server, restore the Outlook data file (PST/OST) or server mailbox from backup.
Steps:
- Locate the backup containing the mailbox or PST.
- Restore the file to a safe location (do not overwrite current files).
- Open the restored PST in Outlook and extract the needed emails.
Troubleshooting tips and special cases
- IMAP accounts: Deleted mails sync with server. Recover via the email provider’s web interface (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.).
- POP accounts: Mail is often downloaded locally; check local PST files or system backups.
- Corrupted PST: Use Microsoft’s Inbox Repair tool (scanpst.exe) to attempt repair before third-party tools.
- Greyed-out recovery options: Verify account type (Exchange needed), and contact your admin.
Prevention: reduce future risk
- Enable and verify mailbox retention and server backups.
- Regularly export important mail to PST or archive mailboxes.
- Use mail rules carefully and turn on confirmation for deletions if needed.
- Consider third-party backup solutions for Office 365/Exchange for longer retention windows.
- Empty Deleted Items manually only after confirming nothing important is there.
When recovery isn’t possible
If Recoverable Items retention has expired and no backups exist, recovery may be impossible. In that case, check whether senders still have copies or recipients saved the message; ask them to forward copies or search their mailboxes.
Summary checklist
- Check Deleted Items and other folders.
- Use Recover Deleted Items (Exchange/Office 365) or Outlook on the web restore.
- Open backups/PST files or ask your admin to restore from server backups.
- Use reputable recovery tools as a last resort.
- Put retention and backups in place to avoid repeat loss.
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