If iPhone Mail won’t delete emails, the account is usually set to archive messages instead of deleting them, so they disappear from the inbox but stay in the Archive or All Mail folder. Go to Settings > Apps > Mail > Mail Accounts, open the account’s advanced settings, and choose Deleted Mailbox under Move Discarded Messages Into. If deleted emails keep coming back, the problem is usually syncing with the mail server.
Below: the archive fix, a one-off delete, the “cannot move message to Trash” error, emails that reappear, emptying the Trash, and recovering something you deleted by mistake.
Make the Trash Button Delete Instead of Archive
- Open Settings, tap Apps, then tap Mail.
- Tap Mail Accounts, then tap the account.
- For iCloud, tap iCloud, then Mailbox Behaviors. For another account, tap Account Settings, then Advanced.
- Under Move Discarded Messages Into, select Deleted Mailbox instead of Archive Mailbox.
- Go back and tap Done if you see it. Expected result: the button at the bottom of an email shows a trash can instead of an archive box, and swiping left offers Trash. To pick the other actions that appear when you swipe a message, see how to change Mail swipe options on iPhone.
Apple explains this setting in Delete emails on your iPhone or iPad and its guide to deleting and recovering emails.
Delete One Email Without Changing the Setting
- Touch and hold the Archive button and tap Trash Message, or Trash Selected Messages when several are selected.
- Or touch and hold the email in your inbox and tap Trash Message.
- To delete many at once, tap More, then Select, and swipe down through the checkboxes. Apple notes that for a very large number, your email provider’s website can be easier.
If You See “Cannot Move Message to Trash”
This usually means Mail doesn’t know which folder on the server is the Trash. In the account’s Advanced settings (or Mailbox Behaviors), tap Deleted Mailbox and choose Trash under On the Server, not On My iPhone. Do the same for Drafts and Sent while you’re there, then go back and tap Done. If the error mentions your password, tap the account and re-enter it.
If Deleted Emails Keep Coming Back
- Check your connection. Deletes are sent to the mail server. On weak Wi-Fi or cellular, they may not go through. Try turning Airplane Mode on and off to reset the connection.
- Force quit Mail by swiping it away in the app switcher, then reopen it. See how to close and restart an app on iPhone for the steps.
- Check the server’s own settings. Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo have web settings that control what happens when a mail app deletes a message. Sign in on the web and check whether deleted mail is kept or archived.
- Remove and re-add the account. Go to Settings > Apps > Mail > Mail Accounts, remove the account, then add it again. For IMAP accounts like Gmail, Outlook, and iCloud, your mail stays on the server and downloads again. With an older POP account, messages stored only on the iPhone could be lost, so check first.
- Update your iPhone in Settings > General > Software Update.
Empty the Trash to Free Up Space
- Open Mail and tap Mailboxes, then the account’s Trash.
- Tap Edit or Select, then Delete All. Expected result: the Trash is empty.
You can set how long deleted emails stay in Trash in the same advanced settings under Remove. Apple notes that some services override this. For example, iCloud doesn’t keep deleted messages longer than 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get back an email I deleted by mistake?
Open Mailboxes, tap Trash, open the message, tap the move button, and choose another mailbox. If you archived it instead, look in Archive or All Mail.
Where do archived emails go?
To the account’s Archive folder, or All Mail for Gmail. They aren’t deleted and still count toward your storage.
Mail has other problems. Where can I get help?
See how to fix “connection to the outgoing server failed” or Yahoo Mail not working on iPhone. If you changed your email password, see how to update an email password on iPhone.
Looking for big emails to clear out? Our guide shows how to get an Attachments folder in Mail on an iPhone so you can find them quickly.
To read long email threads more easily, here’s how to put the most recent email at the top of an iPhone Mail conversation.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
Read more about Matthew and how Solve Your Tech writes and updates its guides, or report a correction.