How to Recover Deleted Emails in Outlook 2019/2016/2013

Outlook stores a large part of our daily communication, so losing an important email can create real stress. You might delete a message by mistake, or it may disappear due to syncing or technical issues. In such cases, Outlook offers several built-in ways to bring it back. The good thing is that Microsoft provides different recovery options in Outlook 2019, 2016, and 2013, and each method works smoothly to recover deleted emails in Outlook.

In this guide, you will explore simple and reliable steps that help you recover deleted emails from the Deleted Items folder, Recoverable Items folder, and even from permanently deleted space. You will also see when these methods work, their limitations, and the best alternative to restore emails without data loss. This gives you a complete and easy recovery process that anyone can follow.

Why Do Outlook Emails Get Deleted?

Emails can disappear for many reasons, and understanding them helps you recover them quickly. Here are some common causes:

• Accidental deletion happens when you press the Delete or Shift + Delete keys.
• Rules and filters may move emails to another folder or delete them directly.
• IMAP sync issues sometimes remove emails from the local Outlook folder.
• PST corruption damages Outlook data and hides or removes emails.
• System crashes or malware may also remove important mailbox items.

Since many things can cause data loss, checking every possible folder becomes important.

Simplified Methods to Recover Deleted Emails in Outlook

Outlook stores deleted emails in different locations depending on how and when you removed them. Therefore, you can recover Outlook mailbox items using:

• Deleted Items folder
• Recoverable Items folder
• Server-based recovery option
• Backup PST files
• PST file repair using ScanPST

Let’s explore each method in an easy and detailed way.

Method 1: Recover Emails From the Deleted Items Folder

The Deleted Items folder is the first place you should check. Whenever you delete an email normally, Outlook moves it here.

1. Open Outlook on your system.
2. Move to the Deleted Items folder from the left navigation panel.
3. Look for the email you removed recently.
4. Right-click on the email and pick Move > Other Folder.
5. Choose the folder where you want to recover deleted emails in Outlook.

If you find the email here, the recovery becomes quick and simple. However, if you don’t see it, move to the next option.

Method 2: Restore Emails From the Recoverable Items Folder

When a user removes an email permanently (using Shift + Delete), the email does not stay in the Deleted Items folder. Instead, Outlook moves it to a hidden folder called Recoverable Items. Here is how you can restore such items:

1. Open the Deleted Items folder.
2. Click the Recover Deleted Items from Server option at the top ribbon.
3. A window will appear with a list of permanently removed emails.
4. Select the email you want.
5. Tap Restore Selected Items and click OK to save the recoverable Items folder Outlook.

Your restored emails will appear in the Deleted Items folder. So, you can move them anywhere afterward.

Method 3: Recover Using Server-Based Recovery Option (Outlook With Exchange/Microsoft 365)

If your Outlook connects with Exchange or Microsoft 365, you get an extra recovery option. Therefore, you can use server-side recovery to restore deleted items. Follow these steps:

1. Go to the Folder tab in the menu bar.
2. Click Recover Deleted Items.
3. Select the items you want to bring back.
4. Finally, click Restore Items.

This method works only for server-linked accounts like Office 365 or Exchange. POP or IMAP users may not see this option.

Method 4: Restore Deleted Emails From a Backup PST File

If you regularly back up your Outlook data, you can safely recover deleted emails from your backup PST file. This method works well when emails were deleted long ago.

1. Open Outlook and go to File > Open & Export.
2. Choose Open Outlook Data File.
3. Browse your backup PST file and open it.
4. Now check the email folders inside the backup file.
5. Drag and drop the required emails into your active mailbox.

This method restores emails without affecting your current data.

Method 5: Repair PST File to Recover Missing or Deleted Emails

A damaged PST file may hide emails or make them disappear. Therefore, repairing the PST file helps restore the missing items. You can use the built-in ScanPST (Inbox Repair Tool) for Outlook deleted email recovery.

1. Close Outlook before running the tool.
2. Search for SCANPST.EXE on your system.
3. Launch the tool and click Browse.
4. Choose your PST file.
5. Click Start to begin the repair process.
6. After the repair completes, reopen Outlook to check recovered emails.

This tool works best for small or mildly corrupted PST files.

Limitations of Manual Methods

Although the above steps help recover many deleted emails, they still have some limits.

• Deleted emails stay for a limited time only.
• Permanently deleted emails may not always appear in the Recoverable Items folder.
• IMAP users have fewer recovery options.
• Severely corrupted PST files may fail during repair.
• Large mailboxes take more time to scan and restore.

Due to these limits, users must act as early as possible.

Best Automated Way to Recover Deleted Emails in Outlook

Manual methods help in many cases, but they do not always recover permanently deleted or corrupted emails. Additionally, these steps can become confusing when the Outlook data file is damaged or when the deleted items no longer appear in the Recoverable Items folder. Therefore, many users prefer an automated solution that restores emails quickly and safely.

Aryson Outlook PST Recovery Tool gives you a reliable way to recover deleted emails in Outlook 2019, 2016, and 2013. It scans the PST file deeply and restores emails without losing formatting, attachments, or metadata. Moreover, the tool works even when the PST file is corrupted or inaccessible, which makes it far more effective than manual options.
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Key Features of Aryson Outlook PST Recovery Tool

• Restores permanently deleted emails, along with contacts, calendars, tasks, and other mailbox items.
• Recovers data from corrupted or damaged PST files, even those that Outlook cannot open.
• Maintains the original folder structure, which helps you access your restored emails easily.
• Saves recovered mailbox data in multiple formats, including PST, MSG, EML, MBOX, and more.
• Supports all Outlook versions, including Outlook 2019, 2016, 2013, and earlier editions.
• Offers a preview option, so you can check your deleted emails before saving them.

Conclusion

Outlook offers many options to recover deleted emails in Outlook. You can first check the Deleted Items folder. Then, you can restore from the recoverable Items folder or use server-based recovery if you use Exchange or Microsoft 365. Moreover, backup PST files and ScanPST also help in several cases. As long as you act quickly and follow the correct steps, Outlook makes email recovery easier.

FAQs: Recover Deleted Emails in Outlook

About The Author:

Rohan Wiese

Rohan Wiese is a Technical Content Writer at Aryson Technologies, specializing in databases, e-mail recovery, and e-mail migration solutions. He enjoys conducting research and generating information that assists database administrators, businesses, and novices in resolving issues with MS SQL Server, MySQL databases, Cloud Computing, and Microsoft Exchange.

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