How to Recover Emails That Have Been Deleted from Trash
Losing important emails can be stressful, especially if they’ve been permanently deleted from the Trash or Recycle Bin. Fortunately, there are several ways to recover these emails, depending on your email service provider and the steps you take immediately after deletion. In this guide, we’ll explore proven methods to restore deleted emails and introduce a reliable professional solution that helps you recover deleted emails in Outlook for users.
Can You Recover Emails Deleted from Trash?
Yes, in many cases, you can recover emails even after they’ve been removed from the Trash folder. However, the success of recovery depends on:
- The email service you use (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, etc.)
- How long ago the emails were deleted
- Whether backups or cached copies exist
Methods to Recover Deleted Emails from Trash
Here are the methods to recover emails that have been deleted from trash due to formatting or corruption.
1. Check “Recoverable Items” or “Trash” Retention Period
Most email services keep deleted emails for a limited time before permanent removal:
- Gmail: Emails stay in Trash for 30 days before deletion.
- Outlook/Exchange: Deleted items go to the "Recoverable Items" folder for up to 30 days (or longer, depending on admin settings).
- Yahoo Mail: Emails remain in Trash for 7 days.
Steps for Outlook:
- Open Outlook and go to the "Deleted Items" folder.
- If empty, click "Recover Deleted Items from Server" (for Exchange accounts).
- Select the emails and click "Restore".
2. Use Email Client Backups (PST/OST Files for Outlook)
If you use Microsoft Outlook, your emails may be stored in a local PST or OST file. Even if emails are deleted from the server, they might still exist in these files.
How to Access PST Files:
- Open Outlook and go to File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
- Choose "Import from another program or file" and select a backup PST file.
3. Restore from a Backup (Google Workspace/Microsoft 365 Admins)
If you’re using a business account (Google Workspace or Microsoft 365), administrators can often recover emails from backups within a set retention period.
4. Use a Third-Party Email Recovery Tool
If the above methods fail, a dedicated email recovery tool like SysTools PST File Recovery can help retrieve permanently deleted emails from corrupted or archived PST/OST files.
Why Choose This Solution?
- Recovers Permanently Deleted Emails: Retrieves emails even after emptying the Trash.
- Repairs Corrupt PST/OST Files: Fixes damaged Outlook data files.
- Supports Batch Recovery: Recovers multiple emails at once.
- User-Friendly Interface: No technical expertise required.
How to Use SysTools to Recover Emails that have been Deleted from Trash:
- Download and install the software.
- Select the corrupted or archived PST/OST file.
- Scan and preview recoverable emails.
- Save the recovered emails in PST, EML, MSG, or other formats.
Prevention Tips: Avoid Losing Emails in the Future
- Regularly back up important emails (use PST exports or cloud backups).
- Enable email retention policies in business accounts.
- Avoid permanent deletion unless absolutely necessary.
Final Thoughts
Recovering emails deleted from Trash is possible if you act quickly. While built-in recovery options work in some cases, SysTools Outlook Recovery provides a powerful solution for Outlook users needing deep email retrieval.