Removing emails by date in Outlook helps you clear out old conversations without affecting recent messages. Learning how to delete emails in outlook by date is essential for managing your inbox efficiently, especially when you need to free up storage space or comply with data retention policies.
Outlook doesn’t make this process obvious, but once you know the steps, it becomes a quick routine. This guide covers all Outlook versions—desktop, web, and mobile—so you can clean your inbox regardless of your setup.
Why Delete Emails By Date In Outlook
Your inbox fills up fast. Old newsletters, expired promotions, and completed project threads pile up. Deleting by date lets you remove entire chunks of older emails while keeping everything from this week or month intact.
This method is perfect for quarterly cleanups or when you’re approaching your mailbox storage limit. It’s also useful if you’re migrating to a new account and want to leave behind irrelevant messages.
How To Delete Emails In Outlook By Date (Desktop Version)
The desktop version of Outlook offers the most control. Here’s the step-by-step process for Windows and Mac.
Step 1: Open The Folder You Want To Clean
Click on the folder containing the emails you want to delete. This could be your Inbox, Sent Items, or any custom folder.
Step 2: Use The Search Bar To Filter By Date
Click inside the search box at the top of your message list. A new “Search” tab will appear in the ribbon. Click on it.
In the Search tab, look for the “Refine” group. You’ll see options like “From,” “Subject,” and “Has Attachments.” Click on “This Week” or “This Month” to see a date filter. But for precise control, use the “Received” field.
Type a date range directly into the search bar. For example: received:01/01/2023..12/31/2023
This syntax tells Outlook to show only emails received between January 1 and December 31, 2023. You can adjust the dates to match your needs.
Step 3: Select All Filtered Emails
Once the search results appear, press Ctrl + A (Windows) or Command + A (Mac) to select every email in that date range. You’ll see all messages highlighted.
Double-check the selection. If you accidentally included some recent emails, hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) and click on them to deselect.
Step 4: Delete The Selected Emails
Press the Delete key on your keyboard. Alternatively, right-click on the selected emails and choose “Delete.”
The emails move to your Deleted Items folder. They aren’t permanently gone yet.
Step 5: Empty The Deleted Items Folder
To permanently remove the emails, go to your Deleted Items folder. Select all messages there (Ctrl + A) and press Delete again. Or right-click the folder and choose “Empty Folder.”
Confirm the action when prompted. The space is now free.
How To Delete Emails In Outlook By Date (Web Version)
Outlook on the web (OWA) works slightly differently. The search syntax is similar, but the interface is simpler.
Step 1: Sign In To Outlook.com
Go to outlook.com and log in with your Microsoft account.
Step 2: Use The Search Bar
Click the search bar at the top of the page. Type your date range using the same format: received:01/01/2023..12/31/2023
Press Enter. Outlook will display all emails from that period.
Step 3: Select And Delete
Click the checkbox at the top of the message list to select all visible emails. If you have more than one page of results, you’ll see a banner saying “All conversations on this page are selected.” Click “Select all” to include emails from all pages.
Then click the trash can icon to delete them.
Step 4: Permanently Remove
Go to your Deleted Items folder. Click “Empty folder” at the top. Confirm the deletion.
How To Delete Emails In Outlook By Date (Mobile App)
The Outlook mobile app (iOS and Android) doesn’t have a built-in date filter for bulk deletion. But you can use a workaround.
Step 1: Use The Search Function
Tap the search icon (magnifying glass) at the bottom of the screen. Type received:01/01/2023..12/31/2023 in the search box.
Step 2: Select Emails Manually
The app will show filtered results. Tap and hold on an email to enter selection mode. Then tap each email you want to delete. Unfortunately, there’s no “select all” option in the mobile app for search results.
Step 3: Delete Selected Emails
Once you’ve selected all desired emails, tap the trash icon at the bottom. They move to Deleted Items.
Step 4: Empty Deleted Items
Open the Deleted Items folder. Tap “Edit” in the top right, then “Select All,” and finally “Delete All.”
This method is slower than desktop or web, but it works for small batches.
Using Rules To Automate Deletion By Date
If you regularly need to delete old emails, set up a rule to do it automatically. This saves time and prevents inbox clutter from building up.
Step 1: Open Rules In Desktop Outlook
Go to the “File” tab. Click “Manage Rules & Alerts.” Then click “New Rule.”
Step 2: Create A Rule For Date-Based Deletion
Choose “Apply rule on messages I receive.” Click “Next.”
Scroll down to “with specific words in the subject” or “sent to people or public group.” But for date-based rules, you need to use the “received after” condition. Check the box for “received after a certain date.”
In the bottom pane, click the underlined link “a certain date” and set your cutoff date. For example, if you want to delete emails older than 90 days, set the date to 90 days ago.
Step 3: Choose The Action
Check “delete it” under the actions list. Click “Finish.”
The rule will now automatically delete incoming emails that are older than your specified date. Note that this only applies to new messages, not existing ones.
Step 4: Run The Rule On Existing Emails
To apply the rule to emails already in your inbox, go back to “Manage Rules & Alerts.” Select your rule and click “Run Rules Now.” Choose the folder and click “Run.”
Outlook will process all existing messages and delete those matching the date condition.
Using Search Folders For Quick Access
Search Folders are virtual folders that show emails matching specific criteria. You can create one for old emails to delete them quickly.
Step 1: Create A Search Folder
In desktop Outlook, go to the “Folder” tab. Click “New Search Folder.”
Step 2: Choose Criteria
Scroll down to “Custom” and select “Create a custom Search Folder.” Click “Choose.”
Name your folder something like “Old Emails.” Click “Criteria.”
Step 3: Set Date Criteria
Go to the “Advanced” tab. Click “Field,” then “Date/Time fields,” then “Received.”
In the “Condition” dropdown, select “on or before.” In the “Value” field, enter your cutoff date. Click “Add to List.”
Click “OK” three times to save the Search Folder.
Step 4: Delete From The Search Folder
Open your new Search Folder. You’ll see all emails older than your cutoff date. Select all (Ctrl + A) and delete them.
This method gives you a persistent view of old emails without running a search every time.
Common Mistakes When Deleting Emails By Date
Avoid these pitfalls to prevent accidental data loss.
- Forgetting to check the date range. Double-check your search query before hitting delete.
- Not emptying Deleted Items. Deleted emails still count toward your storage until they’re permanently removed.
- Deleting from the wrong folder. Make sure you’re in the correct folder (Inbox, Sent Items, etc.) before selecting all.
- Overlooking subfolders. If you have nested folders, you may need to clean each one separately.
- Using the wrong date format. Outlook uses your system’s date format. If you’re unsure, use the full month name (e.g., January 1, 2023).
Recovering Deleted Emails
If you accidentally delete important emails, you have a short window to recover them.
From Deleted Items
Open the Deleted Items folder. Find the email, right-click it, and select “Move” > “Inbox.”
From Recoverable Items
If you’ve already emptied Deleted Items, go to the “Folder” tab in desktop Outlook. Click “Recover Deleted Items.” Select the emails you want and click “Recover.”
This feature is available for most Microsoft 365 and Exchange accounts. It’s not available for personal POP3 or IMAP accounts.
Alternative Methods For Bulk Deletion
Sometimes the search method doesn’t work well for very large mailboxes. Here are other approaches.
Using VBA Scripts
Advanced users can write a VBA script to delete emails by date. This requires enabling macros in Outlook. Here’s a simple example:
Sub DeleteOldEmails()
Dim olFolder As MAPIFolder
Dim olItem As MailItem
Dim cutoffDate As Date
cutoffDate = Date - 90 ' Delete emails older than 90 days
Set olFolder = Application.ActiveExplorer.CurrentFolder
For Each olItem In olFolder.Items
If TypeOf olItem Is MailItem Then
If olItem.ReceivedTime < cutoffDate Then
olItem.Delete
End If
End If
Next olItem
End SubRun this script from the VBA editor (Alt + F11). It deletes all emails in the current folder older than 90 days.
Using Third-Party Tools
Several third-party add-ins offer advanced email management features. Tools like MailCleaner or Clean Email can delete emails by date with a few clicks. These are useful for non-technical users.
Be cautious when granting permissions to third-party tools. Only use reputable ones with good reviews.
Best Practices For Inbox Maintenance
Regular deletion by date is just one part of inbox management. Combine it with these practices for a cleaner mailbox.
- Set up automatic archiving. Outlook can move old emails to an archive folder automatically.
- Use folders and categories. Organize emails as they arrive, so cleanup is easier.
- Unsubscribe from newsletters you don't read. This reduces incoming volume.
- Schedule monthly cleanups. Set a reminder to delete emails older than a certain date.
- Monitor your mailbox size. Check your storage usage regularly to avoid hitting limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Delete Emails In Outlook By Date Without Using Search?
Yes, you can use Search Folders or rules to automate the process. These methods don't require manual search queries.
Does Deleting Emails By Date Free Up Space Immediately?
No, the space is freed only after you empty the Deleted Items folder. Until then, the emails still count toward your storage.
How Do I Delete Emails Older Than 6 Months In Outlook?
Use the search query received:before:01/01/2024 (adjust the date to 6 months ago). Select all and delete. Or create a rule with a 180-day cutoff.
Can I Recover Emails Deleted By Date?
Yes, if you haven't emptied the Deleted Items folder. If you have, check the Recoverable Items folder (available for Exchange and Microsoft 365 accounts).
Does The Date Deletion Method Work For Shared Mailboxes?
Yes, but you need appropriate permissions. Open the shared mailbox in Outlook, then use the same search and delete steps.
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to delete emails in outlook by date is a valuable skill for anyone managing a busy inbox. Whether you use the desktop app, web version, or mobile app, the process is straightforward once you understand the search syntax.
Start with small date ranges to test the method. Once you're comfortable, you can tackle larger cleanups. Combine manual deletion with rules and Search Folders for ongoing maintenance.
Your inbox will stay lean, your storage will remain available, and you'll spend less time searching for important messages. Give it a try today—your future self will thank you.