To quickly delete all sent items on your iPhone, simply open your Mail app, go to the Sent folder, tap Edit, select all emails, and then choose ‘Trash’. This action will move all your sent emails to the Trash folder, from where you can delete them permanently.
After completing this action, your Sent folder will be empty. All the emails that were once in the Sent folder will now be in the Trash folder, and you will have the option to either leave them there or delete them permanently.
Introduction
Ever gazed at your iPhone’s Sent Items folder and thought, “Why on earth do I have emails from 2012 in here?” It’s a common scenario for many iPhone users. Accumulating sent emails can quickly clutter your Mail app, making it challenging to navigate and find important sent messages. Plus, let’s not forget the storage space these messages take up. But fear not, dear reader, because there’s a simple solution to this digital mess: deleting all sent items on your iPhone.
Whether you’re a minimalist seeking to declutter your digital space or someone who’s conscious about privacy and wants to ensure their sent emails aren’t just hanging around, knowing how to delete all sent items on your iPhone is a handy skill. This article is perfect for iPhone users of all stripes – from the tech-savvy to those who just use their phone for the basics.
Step by Step Tutorial: Deleting All Sent Items on iPhone
Before we dive into the steps, let’s clarify what we’re setting out to achieve. By following these instructions, you will remove all the emails from your Sent folder, leaving it completely empty. This can help declutter your Mail app and free up some storage space on your device.
Step 1: Open the Mail App
Open your Mail app on your iPhone.
Upon opening the Mail app, you’ll see a list of mailboxes. You’ll find your Sent folder here, typically located under the ‘Mailboxes’ section or within your email account folder.
Step 2: Go to the Sent Folder
Tap on the Sent folder to view all sent emails.
Once you’re in the Sent folder, you’ll see a list of all the emails you’ve sent from your iPhone. Depending on how often you clear out this folder, there could be a lot to sift through.
Step 3: Tap Edit
Tap ‘Edit’ in the top-right corner of your screen.
When you tap ‘Edit,’ you’ll notice small circles appear next to each email in your Sent folder. These are selection circles that you’ll use in the next step to select all the emails you want to delete.
Step 4: Select All Emails
Select all the emails in your Sent folder.
You can either tap each email individually, or there might be an option to ‘Select All’ at the top of your screen, depending on your iOS version. If the ‘Select All’ option isn’t available, you’ll need to select each email manually.
Step 5: Choose ‘Trash’
With all emails selected, choose ‘Trash’ or the trash can icon.
After selecting ‘Trash,’ all the chosen emails will move to your Trash folder. They aren’t entirely deleted yet – this is a precaution in case you accidentally delete something important.
Step 6: Empty the Trash Folder
Go to the Trash folder and empty it.
To completely delete the emails, navigate to your Trash folder, repeat the selection process, and then choose ‘Delete All.’ This will remove the emails permanently from your iPhone.
Pros
| Benefit | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Frees Up Storage Space | By deleting all sent items, you’ll free up storage space on your iPhone, allowing your device to perform better and store new data. |
| Decreases Clutter | An empty Sent folder means a more organized Mail app. You’ll be able to find important emails more easily without sifting through old, irrelevant ones. |
| Enhances Privacy | Deleting sent emails can protect your privacy by ensuring sensitive information isn’t just sitting in your Sent folder, where it could potentially be accessed by others. |
Cons
| Drawback | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Permanent Deletion | Once you empty the Trash folder, there’s no going back. Make sure you don’t need any of those sent emails before you delete them permanently. |
| Time-Consuming | If the ‘Select All’ option isn’t available, selecting each email manually can be a time-consuming process. |
| Potential for Mistakes | In the process of selecting emails to delete, you might accidentally select and delete an important email. Always double-check before finalizing the deletion. |
Additional Information
When you delete all sent items on your iPhone, keep in mind that this action only affects emails stored on your device. If you’re using an IMAP email account, like Gmail or Yahoo, the emails will still be available on the email server unless you’ve set your iPhone to delete them from the server as well. It’s also worth noting that if you have multiple devices, you’ll need to repeat this process for each device unless your email settings are configured to sync deletions across all devices.
Another tip is to consider whether you need to archive emails rather than delete them. Archiving allows you to move emails out of your main inbox without permanently deleting them, which can be a middle ground between keeping everything and deleting everything.
Lastly, remember that regular maintenance of your Sent folder can prevent the need to do mass deletions in the future. Consider setting a monthly reminder to go through and delete any unnecessary sent emails, keeping your Mail app lean and mean.
Summary
- Open the Mail app.
- Go to the Sent folder.
- Tap ‘Edit.’
- Select all emails.
- Choose ‘Trash.’
- Empty the Trash folder.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will deleting sent items on my iPhone delete them from the server?
It depends on your email settings. If you’re using an IMAP account, the server may still have the emails unless you’ve set your iPhone to delete them from the server as well.
What if I accidentally delete an important email?
Before emptying your Trash folder, take a moment to review the emails you’ve trashed. If you find an important one, you can move it back to the Sent folder or another folder of your choice.
Can I recover deleted emails after emptying the Trash folder?
Once you’ve emptied the Trash folder, emails are permanently deleted and cannot be recovered.
How often should I delete sent items on my iPhone?
It’s a personal preference, but regularly maintaining your Sent folder can help prevent clutter. Consider doing a monthly clean-up.
Is there a way to automatically delete old sent emails?
Some email providers offer settings to automatically delete emails after a certain period. Check your email account’s settings to see if this is an option.
Conclusion
Knowing how to delete all sent items on your iPhone can be a game-changer for managing your digital space. It helps to declutter, free up storage, and maintain privacy. While there are some potential drawbacks, such as the permanent nature of deletion and the risk of accidentally deleting important emails, the benefits typically outweigh the risks.
Remember to regularly maintain your Sent folder, consider archiving instead of deleting, and ensure that your email settings are in line with your preferences. With these tips in mind, you’re now equipped to keep your iPhone’s Mail app tidy and efficient.
Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.
After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.
His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.