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Can’t Delete a Folder in Outlook? Try 6 Easy Solutions

Learn how to get rid of Outlook folders for good

3 min. read

Updated onOctober 4, 2023

updated onOctober 4, 2023

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Key notes

If you frequently sendemails, especially in a business environment, you probably know Microsoft Outlook.

This emailclientcomes pre-installed with Microsoft Windows 10 and manages emails from many email services.

The problem is thatemailspile up over time, and eventually, you may need to delete entire folders.

Users havebeen reportingthat they are having issues deleting folders inOutlook.

I’m using outlook 2016 and have an IMAP account set up on it I have created a sub folder underInbox, which I no longer need. I keep trying to delete this folder, but after a few seconds it reappears.

Many users are having a hard time deleting email folders, which can get quite annoying.

Do note thatonce you delete an email folder, allemailsinside it will also be deleted. As such, check the folder’s content before proceeding with any of the following steps.

How can I delete Outlook folders permanently?

How can I delete Outlook folders permanently?

1. Try a different email client

Before going on and trying the troubleshooting steps listed below, you should also consider switching from Outlook altogether.

There are plenty of worth-mentioning alternatives. The emerging email clients these days integrate all the features you can find in Outlook, including scheduled emails, keyboard shortcuts, task management, and more.

We recommend looking for anemail client with integrated productivity features. Many options are very similar to Outlook regarding user experience, so you won’t have to spend too much time learning how to use them.

2. Try accessing Outlook from your browser

Several users reported that accessing Outlook through your browser can be a viable workaround. If you’re looking for a proper browser for that, we recommend you look into thebest browsers for Windows 10.

The most important asset of a browser is security, so make sure you pick an option that has that in place. There are many browsers with built-in VPNs and malware scanners.

Good security and encryption ensure that the content of your emails and your online activity stays private.

Other things to consider are the management features, navigation controls, and page loading speed.

3. Check whether the folder is on theIMAP email account server

A folder on the IMAP email account server (created by the server administrator) must be deleted on a server level.

But if a folder is simply one you created in your client, you can delete without many issues.

4.Remove the IMAP email accounts from your Outlook

IMAPemail accountstored on yourclientmay make their IMAP folders visible for all accounts stored on them.

Here’s how you can remove anemailaccount from your Outlookclient:

5. Unsubscribe from the IMAP folders

6. Delete folders from the web app

  1. Close theMicrosoft Outlook client if it is opened.

  2. Go toOutlook.comvia a browser.

  3. Loginto your account.

4.Right-click the folder you want to delete.

  1. SelectDeletefolder.

  2. When theDelete folderdialogue box appears, pressOK.

  3. Re-open the Microsoft Outlook client and check whether the folder is truly deleted or not.

An easy method to delete folders in Outlook is to delete them from the web version of the application. All you need to do is access the web version through any browser you want and then manually delete the folder you want gone.

To learn more about deleting folders, our guide onremoving RSS feeds from Outlookcan provide you with more useful information.

There you go, we hope that you found our solutions helpful. If you did, feel free to let us know by leaving a comment below.

More about the topics:Outlook Errors,Outlook Guides

Teodor Nechita

Eager to help those in need, Teodor writes articles daily on subjects regarding Windows, Xbox, and all things tech-related.

When not working, you may usually find him either at the gym or taking a stroll in the park, trying to find inspiration for the next articles he may write.

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