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How to recover deleted/archived Outlook messages

Shaun M Jooste

Shaun M Jooste

  • Updated:

Have you ever looked for an email in your Microsoft Outlook folder and wondered why you can’t find it? Perhaps you urgently need it back, as you need to reply to it? Fortunately, you’ll be able to recover the message if you haven’t permanently removed it.

There are specific items folders the emails go to, depending on how they were removed in the first place. We’ll show you how to easily recover deleted or archived Outlook messages by finding these respective folders.

How to recover deleted/archived Outlook messages

Where do your Outlook messages go?

Sometimes, we’re in a hurry and delete batches of emails at a time when we don’t have time to work through them. Other times, it’s an accidental click of the button. The messages usually head to the Deleted Items folder.

You may not be aware of it, but there’s also an auto-archive function in Outlook. It saves space on the cloud server by archiving old messages, which land up in the Archive folder. If you’re looking for a really old email, the chances are it will be there.

Various ways to recover deleted/archived Outlook messages

There are different methods to recover deleted or archived messages in Outlook. The first two rely on navigating to folders in two Outlook platforms, while the third is when you need some outside help to retrieve the content you can’t find using the first two methods.

  1. Recover deleted/archived Outlook messages on Windows

    How to recover deleted archived Outlook messages

    Firstly, let’s tackle how you can recover messages using the Outlook app on Windows 10 or Windows 11. You’ll need an Exchange account if you want to retrieve your deleted items, but the steps are as follows:

    – Open the app and log in to your account

    – Select Mail Folder and then Deleted Items

    – Right-click on the message you want to recover

    – Select Move to folder

    – Tell the app to move it back to the Inbox

    There’s a chance that the Outlook email you’re looking for isn’t there but in the Recoverable Items folder. When you clear the Deleted Items folder, or the app does so automatically, the items usually go to this second location. It’s hidden by default, but you can still access it:

    – Head back to the Deleted Items folder

    – Hit the Home tab, and then select Recover Deleted Items From Server

    You should find your message here, so click on it

    • You can now select Restore Selected Items to recover it
  2. Recover deleted/archived messages on the Outlook web app

    How to recover deleted archived Outlook messages

    If you want to work from the Outlook web app on browsers, the technique is almost the same with only slight differences. When you want to recover deleted emails, you can also head to the Deleted Items folder and select the message to tell it to move to the Inbox. Another option is to right-click on the Deleted Items label and ask it to recover all messages.

    The process is also the same for recovering archived messages. However, you can also search for a term from the email to see if it appears. If you see it appear, you can right-click on it and select Recover.

  3. Use free software to recover deleted/archived Outlook messages

    How to recover deleted archived Outlook messages

    Sometimes, the reason you can’t access your Outlook messages is that the files or emails are corrupted. In this scenario, you’ll need a third-party application to help you. Two examples include Stellar Repair for Outlook and Outlook PST Repair.

    While these apps have several benefits and uses, the one you’ll focus on is repairing your Outlook messages. They can also help you retrieve emails you’re lost due to auto-archiving. All you need to do is download the program you want to use, install it, and then select the task you want it to perform. Make sure you understand how it works before you try it out.

Retrieve your emails easily

As you can see, recovering your deleted or archived messages in Outlook doesn’t mean you need to spend hours in frustration or tears. The steps are easy to follow, even if you need another app to help retrieve them. It may also be good practice to save any important emails you’ll need in a different location.

Make sure that any files you retrieve don’t have any malware or viruses, which could be why Outlook removed them in the first place. When you do recover them, ensure you use an antivirus program to scan the messages first. There have been many phishing attacks lately, more than ever, so be sure to read our guide on how to remain safe online.

Shaun M Jooste

Shaun M Jooste

I live in South Africa, Cape town, as a father of two children. I've been gaming almost all my life, with plenty of experience writing reviews and articles on the latest titles. With 15 years of experience in local government performing Facilities Management functions, I moved towards becoming CEO of my own company, Celenic Earth Publications, which serves to publish author's books, including my own. I'm a published author of horror and fantasy novels, while I also dabble in game and movie scriptwriting.

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