How to Delete Multiple Emails in Outlook at Once

Clearing out hundreds of old newsletters one by one is nobody's idea of fun. Outlook lets you select and delete emails in bulk with a couple of keys, whether you want a whole block, a handful scattered through your inbox, or an entire folder. Here's every method, plus the step people forget that stops a clear-out from freeing any space at all.

Delete a block of emails in a row

1. Click the first email in the run.
2. Hold down Shift.
3. Click the last email in the run. Everything in between is selected.
4. Press Delete.

Delete emails that aren't next to each other

1. Click the first email you want to delete.
2. Hold down Ctrl (Cmd on a Mac).
3. Click each other email you want gone.
4. Press Delete.

Picked one by mistake? Keep holding Ctrl and click it again to unselect it. It's my favourite way to clean an inbox while keeping the few emails I still need.

Delete every email in a folder

Press Ctrl+A inside a folder to select all its emails, then Delete. Or, in the folder pane, right-click the folder, choose Delete All, and confirm with Yes to move everything into Deleted Items. Microsoft says there's no single button to delete all email in all folders; you have to do it folder by folder.

Quick reference

What you want	How
A run of emails	Click first, Shift-click last, Delete
Scattered emails	Ctrl-click each one, Delete
Everything in a folder	Ctrl+A, then Delete, or right-click the folder and Delete All
Space back in your mailbox	Right-click Deleted Items and choose Empty Folder

The step that frees up space

Here's what catches people out. Deleting doesn't remove emails straight away, it moves them to Deleted Items. Microsoft is clear that items aren't permanently deleted until that folder is emptied, and if you're trying to free up mailbox space, you need to empty it before you get the room back.

1. In the folder pane, right-click Deleted Items.
2. Select Empty Folder.
3. Confirm with Yes.

Do a quick scan of Deleted Items before you empty it. Once it's emptied, getting an email back is harder, though not always impossible.

Delete multiple emails on your phone

1. In the Outlook app, long-press an email, or tap the circle next to it.
2. Tap each of the other emails you want to select.
3. Tap the bin icon to delete, or the archive icon to archive instead.
4. To cancel, tap the arrow at the top left.

The three-dot menu also offers Select All, plus moving, flagging or marking emails as read in one go.

Delete multiple emails in Outlook on the web

In Outlook.com or Outlook on the web, hover over an email and tick the circle that appears next to it, then tick the others you want. Shift-click works here too for selecting a run. When you've picked them, select Delete at the top of the reading pane. To select everything visible, tick the circle at the very top of the message list. It's the same idea as the desktop app, just with checkboxes instead of keyboard shortcuts.

Use Sweep for repeat offenders

If one sender fills your inbox every day, Outlook on the web has a Sweep option that can delete all email from that sender and keep doing it automatically. Select an email from them, choose Sweep, and pick whether to remove everything from them now or keep only the latest. It's a lifesaver for daily deal emails you never read but can't quite bring yourself to unsubscribe from.

Delete or archive?

Before you bulk delete, ask whether you might need any of it. Archiving moves emails out of your inbox but keeps them searchable, which is safer for client conversations, receipts and anything with a paper trail. I delete newsletters and notifications and archive everything to do with clients. If old newsletters are the main culprit, it might be time to unsubscribe from the ones you never read.

Speed up a big clear-out

Set aside twenty minutes rather than an afternoon. A focused session with the shortcuts above clears more than a day of half-hearted scrolling, and you can repeat it once a month to keep things under control.

• Sort by sender, then Shift-select everything from one noisy sender at once.
• Search for a word like unsubscribe to surface newsletters, then select and delete the results.
• Sort by size to find emails with huge attachments that eat your storage.
• Work folder by folder rather than trying to tame your whole mailbox in one go.

If you send newsletters yourself, a clear-out is a good reminder of how quickly readers delete unread email. My welcome sequence swipe file helps you write emails people keep, and this piece on why fewer emails get read explains what's changed.

My verdict

Shift-click for a run, Ctrl-click for scattered emails, Ctrl+A for a whole folder, then Delete. If you're doing it to free up space, empty Deleted Items afterwards, and archive anything to do with clients rather than deleting it.

Frequently asked questions

How do I select all emails in Outlook?

Click inside the folder and press Ctrl+A to select every email in it.

How do I delete multiple emails that aren't together in Outlook?

Hold Ctrl and click each email, then press Delete.

Why hasn't deleting emails freed up space in Outlook?

Deleted emails sit in Deleted Items until you empty it. Right-click Deleted Items and choose Empty Folder.

Can I delete all emails in all folders at once?

No. Microsoft says you need to right-click each folder and choose Delete All.

How do I delete multiple emails in the Outlook app?

Long-press an email, tap the others you want, then tap the bin icon.