Recovery of permanently deleted emails from 2-5 February from Junk folder

Hi! If emails were deleted from the Junk folder, unfortunately, they cannot be recovered. Outlook and Exchange typically allow recovery from the Recoverable Items folder for a limited time, but the Junk folder messages are no listed there; they are considered permanently removed and cannot be restored through Outlook.

For Outlook.com and Outlook on the web, recovery depends on where the messages are now and how long ago they were deleted.

1. How long Junk and Deleted Items are kept

For Outlook.com / Outlook on the web:

• Email in Junk Email is kept for 30 days, then automatically and permanently deleted.
• Email in Deleted Items is kept for 30 days, then removed from that folder.
• Items removed from Deleted Items can still be recoverable for another 30 days from the Recoverable Items folder.

If the emails from 2–5 February were deleted more than these retention periods ago, they are likely permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.

2. Step-by-step: Check Junk Email

1. Sign in to Outlook.com or Outlook on the web on a PC or Mac (not a mobile browser if you need Recoverable Items later).
2. In the left folder pane, select Junk Email.
3. Look for the messages dated 2–5 February.
4. If found:
   • Select the message(s) by hovering and ticking the checkbox.
   • On the ribbon, select Report > Not junk to mark them as not junk, or
   • Use Move to move them to Inbox or another folder.

If the messages are not in Junk Email, continue.

3. Step-by-step: Check Deleted Items

1. In the left pane, select Deleted Items.
2. Look for the messages from 2–5 February.
3. If found:
   • Select the message(s) using the checkboxes.
   • On the Home tab, select Move, then choose Inbox or another folder, or drag them to a folder.

If the messages are not in Deleted Items, continue.

4. Step-by-step: Check Recoverable Items (after Deleted Items is emptied)

If the emails were removed from Deleted Items, they may still be in the hidden Recoverable Items folder.

Note: The Recoverable Items folder cannot be accessed from a mobile browser. Use a PC or Mac browser.

1. In the left pane, select the Deleted Items folder.
2. At the top of the message list, select Recover items deleted from this folder.
3. A Recoverable Items list opens.
4. Use sorting (Subject, Deleted On, From) to help locate the messages:
   • Sort by Deleted On to find items removed around the time you deleted the February messages.
5. Select the messages you want to recover:
   • Use Ctrl+Click to select individual items.
   • Use Shift+Click to select a range.
6. Select Restore.

5. Where recovered items go

When items are restored from Recoverable Items:

• Email messages go back to their original folder when possible.
• If the original folder no longer exists, messages are restored to the Inbox.

6. When recovery is no longer possible

If all of the following are true:

• Messages are not in Junk Email.
• Messages are not in Deleted Items.
• Messages do not appear under Recover items deleted from this folder in Deleted Items.

Then the emails have likely been permanently deleted from the mailbox and cannot be recovered.

Additionally, if more than the configured retention period has passed (for example, 30 days in Deleted Items plus the additional Recoverable Items period), the items are no longer recoverable.

References:

• Recover and restore deleted items in Outlook