Uh oh. We’ve all felt that heart-stopping moment when we’ve accidentally deleted emails we meant to keep. After a rush of panic, you accept it may be gone forever.
Or is it?
Today, we’ll learn how to recover deleted emails – so any vital information contained may not be consigned to oblivion.
Recover deleted emails from Outlook
Outlook makes it easy to recover emails within 30 days of deletion. After this time, Outlook permanently removes any items in your Deleted Emails or Junk Email folder.
How to retrieve deleted emails in Outlook:
- Go to the left pane and click on the Deleted Items folder or the Junk Email folder.
- If your message is in the Deleted Items folder, highlight it, select ‘Move To,’ and file it in the folder of your choice.
- If your item is in the Junk Email folder, select it and click on ‘Not Junk’.
If you can’t find your email, check the Recoverable Items Folder:
- Click the Folder tab and then ‘Recover Deleted Items.’
- Search for your message, highlight it and click ‘Recover Selected Items.’
- The message will now be in your Deleted Items folder. You can then move it back to your inbox.
Recover deleted emails from Gmail
How to restore deleted emails from your Gmail account? Any deleted messages remain in your Gmail Bin folder for 30 days, after which time, it will be permanently deleted.
If your item is in the Bin, recover deleted Gmail messages by clicking on this folder in the left pane, find your item and select ‘Move To Inbox’, or the folder of your choice.
The Bin folder may be hidden from view, if so:
- Click on the cog icon above the messages and select ‘See All Settings.’
- Open the Labels tab and scroll down to the Bin label, click ‘Show.‘
- You will now be able to view the Bin folder and recover any emails found within.
If you still can’t find your email, you can contact Gmail Support.
Recover deleted emails from Yahoo
Start by checking your Yahoo Mail Trash folder. If you’ve found the accidentally deleted item, click on ‘Move’ from the options above your email list and select a new folder.
If you’ve deleted your message within the past 24 hours, take advantage of Yahoo’s Mail Restore feature:
- Click on the ‘Help’ button at the top of the screen and again from the options that appear
- From the list of Help topics, click on ‘Emailing: The Basics’, then, ‘Deleting and Recovering Mails’
- Select ‘Restore Lost or Deleted Emails’. Follow the instructions, complete the required form, and submit.
If more than 24 hours have passed, Yahoo offers a restore request service, providing the message was deleted within the past 7 days.
Recover deleted emails from Hotmail
You can retrieve deleted emails in Hotmail by saving any deleted items in the Deleted folder for up to 30 days. Check this folder, select the item you wish to restore, and click ‘Recover Deleted Items. Use the search bar if you’re having trouble finding your message.
If your message cannot be found here, check the ‘Recoverable Items’ folder:
- Head to Outlook.com and log in to your Hotmail account.
- In the left pane, select the ‘Deleted Items’ folder.
- At the top of the message list, click on the ‘Recover Items’ folder. Select your message, click on ‘Recover Items Deleted From This Folder’, and it will be restored to its original folder.
While most email platforms feature a safety net for accidentally deleted emails, not all mechanisms are foolproof. The earlier you attempt to restore your email, the better your chances are of finding the message you want to recover.
Here at Crossware, we can show you more than how to retrieve deleted emails. You can design consistent, eye-catching email signatures and create unforgettable marketing promotions from our centrally managed platform. Find more email tips and tricks on our blog or sign up for a free trial to see how our signature management software can help boost your business.
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