how to recover permanently deleted emails from gmail

how to recover deleted emails from Gmail Trash

  1. 1. On your computer, go to Gmail.
  2. 2. On the left side of the page, scroll down, then click "More >Trash".
  3. 3. Check the box next to any messages you want to recover.
  4. 4. Click "Move to".
  5. 5. Choose where you want to move the message to...Read More>>

5 Solutions to Recover Permanently Deleted Emails from Gmail

Many users have experienced the problem of mistakenly deleting emails or messages from their Gmail to free up space or declutter the account. Then, you aren't sure how to recover deleted emails from Gmail account. Don't worry. In this guide, we will talk about how to recover deleted emails in Gmail with details, even recovering permanently deleted emails.

Workable Solutions Step-by-step Troubleshooting
Fix 1. Recover Deleted Emails from Gmail Trash Open Gmail. In the search box, click "Down arrow" > "All Mail", then select "Mail & Spam & Trash"....Full steps
Fix 2. Use Editing/Deleting Filter Open Gmail from a browser. In the top right, click the Settings icon and then select "Settings"...Full steps
Fix 3. Unhide Gmail Trash Folder Open your Gmail account and sign in > click on "Settings" > "Labels" > "Show" to display your Trash folder...Full steps
Fix 4. Check Gmail Server Open your Gmail. Click the drop-down arrow on the left of your search box at the top of the screen...Full steps
Fix 5. Turn to the Support Team Sign in to your Gmail account. Fill in the form with all the necessary information...Full steps
Fix 6. Recover permanently deleted emails  from Gmail on iPhone Turn on your iPhone or iPad and open the Gmail app.  At the top left of your screen, tap "Menu"...Full steps

Here is the video tutorial on recovering permanently deleted emails from Gmail. The key moments in this video are:

  • 0:00 Introduction
  • 1:25 how to recover deleted emails
  • 1:53 how to restore permanently deleted emails in Gmail
Recover Permanently Deleted Emails from Gmail-Can I Recover Deleted Emails
 

How to Restore Deleted Emails in Gmail Within 30 Days

If you delete an email, it stays in your Trash folder for 30 days. Or, if you mark an email as spam, it also stays in the Spam folder for 30 days. During this period, you can recover deleted emails in Gmail through the ways below. 

Method 1. Recover Deleted Gmail Emails from Mail & Spam & Trash

Gmail's "Mail & Spam & Trash" option can be very helpful in finding emails among the spam. It's better to search for emails on a computer rather than via a mobile app since some of the features aren't available in the latter.

Step 1. On your computer, open Gmail. In the search box, click the down arrow.

Step 2. Click the "All Mail" drop-down, then select "Mail & Spam & Trash".

Find deleted email from Gmail.

Step 3. Enter some information that's in the missing email. For example, "From who", or "To who". (Here, we take Google as an example.) If you're unsure about exact words or details, leave the fields blank.

Step 4. At the bottom of the box, click "Search". Then, all of your deleted emails will be revealed. You can get them back easily.

Find deleted Gmail email.

Method 2. Retrieve Deleted Gmail Emails by Using Editing/Deleting Filter

You may have created a filter that automatically archives or deletes certain emails. You can check your filter with the steps below:

Step 1. Open Gmail from a browser. In the top right, click the "Settings" icon and select "Settings".

Step 2. At the top, click the "Filters and Blocked Addresses" tab. Look for filters that include the words "Delete it" or "Skip Inbox".

Restore deleted email file from Filter.

Step 3. To the right, click "Edit" or "Delete". If you choose "Edit", click "Continue" to edit the Filter.

​​Edit to remove email from Filter.

Step 4. Uncheck "Skip the Index" and "Delete it > "Update filter".

Release Email from filter.

Step 5. If you choose "Delete", select "Delete" > click "OK" to confirm.

Delete Filter to restore deleted email.

Method 3. Restore Deleted Emails from Gmail by Unhiding Trash

Some users might have hidden their Gmail trashes, and this method will help you unhide them and restore deleted emails in Gmail from Trash.

Step 1. Open your Gmail account and sign in > click on "Settings" > "Labels" > "Show". This will show your Trash folder on the left pane of the Gmail window.

Recover deleted email from Gmail.

Step 2. Now, you can see all deleted email files in the "Trash" folder. Select or check the wanted email and files, then click on the mail icon at the top of the window with the "Move To" words to move your deleted emails to the Inbox.

Recover deleted Gmail email files.

The above methods help to retrieve deleted emails in Gmail, if you want to know how to recover Gmail account and password, here are the solutions.

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How to Recover Gmail Account and Password

Many users forget the Gmail password and can't access their accounts. You can recover Gmail password with or without a recovery email. 

Gmail account recovery

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Emails from Gmail After 30 Days [2 Ways]

As said above, if you delete an email, it goes to the Trash folder for 30 days. After 30 days, emails are permanently deleted from the Trash. Is it possible to recover permanently deleted emails in Gmail? Yes, if the deleted emails are not located in the Trash folder. Your email host may have a copy of your emails. Learn how to do it with the step-by-step guides below.

Method 1. Recover Permanently Deleted Emails from Gmail Server

Notice:
  • If your emails are deleted from the server, Gmail (free version) cannot restore them for you. If you are a Google Apps user, they do offer that option. 
  • There's only one copy of every Gmail email. If you delete an email from one place, like a label or a device, it is deleted from Gmail entirely. 
  • Gmail groups all replies to an original email together in a single conversation. The entire conversation is deleted when you click or tap delete, including the original email and any replies.

The steps we discuss are similar to Method 1 in the first part. You can go back to access the detailed steps.

how to recover permanently deleted emails from gmail from server

Method 2. Recover Permanently Deleted Emails in Gmail with Gmail Support Team

Another way to recover permanently deleted emails in Gmail is by requesting the Gmail Support Team to ask it to recover your deleted emails. This method is not 100% effective. It usually works for Gmail accounts that are attacked.

Step 1. Sign in to your Gmail account. Then, open the following form

how to recover permanently deleted emails from gmail from support

Step 2. Fill in the form with all the necessary details. Make sure to describe your problem well.

Step 3. Click "Submit" after all the information is filled in.

How to Recover Permanently Deleted Emails from Gmail on iPhone

Take the following steps to recover permanently deleted emails from Trash in Gmail on your iPhone or iPad.  

First, find the deleted emails in your Gmail Trash.

Step 1. Turn on your iPhone or iPad and open the Gmail app.

Step 2. At the top left of your screen, tap "Menu".

Step 3. Tap "Trash" to check the emails you need to restore. 

Then, recover emails from the Trash in Gmail 

Step 4. Select the emails. Then, tap "More" at the top right of your screen. 

Step 5. On the window that pops up, select "Move to" and choose where you want to move your emails. You can choose the Inbox folder or other categories. 

How to Recover Deleted Emails from Gmail on Android 

You can recover deleted emails from Gmail on Android phones with the methods below. Retrieve Gmail emails out of the Trash folder if you deleted them in the last 30 days.

Step 1. Open the Gmail app on your Android device.

Step 2. Tap the Menu button at the top left. Then, tap "Trash" to recover messages from the Trash. 

Step 3. Tap the letter or photo next to the email you want to restore. 

Step 4. Tap the three dots More button at the top right of the screen.

Step 5. Tap "Move to". Select a new folder, like Inbox to move the email to. 

recover deleted emails from gmail on android

Once done, the email in Gmail will be recovered from deletion and will not be removed from the Inbox for 30 days.  

Is It Possible to Recover Permanently Deleted Gmail Emails with Data Recovery Software

What about using any of the data recovery products to recover deleted emails in the Gmail account? Unfortunately, it's impossible to recover deleted emails from Gmail, Thunderbird, or other email applications by using data recovery software, let alone restore the permanently deleted messages. The reasons are explained below.

1. Emails are not files; they are stored in the email database file.

The data recovery software can only scan and find lost files saved on your local drive inside your PC or storage devices.

2. Removing these emails only changes the contents of the database file.

It's similar to how you edit a word document. Deleting one or a few words inside it and saving the changes, but the text itself is still there, and it is not lost.

3. No data recovery software can retrieve deleted emails from the database file. 

As far as we know, no data recovery software can currently retrieve deleted emails from existing database files. 

Conclusion 

This post covers the full ways to restore deleted files from Gmail. You can restore lost Gmail emails from Trash or the Editing or Deleting Filter. Two ways are possible if you want to recover permanently deleted emails from Gmail or retrieve permanently deleted emails from Trash in Gmail. You can try to restore emails from Gmail server or turn to Gmail support team.

Recover Permanently Deleted Emails Gmail FAQs

Read the following questions and answers to get more information on deleted email recovery. 

1. Can you retrieve permanently deleted emails?

You can easily recover a deleted email folder if it's in the Trash folder. To restore deleted emails, find the Trash, check files, and recover the lost emails you need. 

2. How to undelete emails from Gmail after 2 years?

The deleted emails in Gmail will go to the Trash folder and stay there for 30 days. You can recover deleted emails from Trash if they are still in Trash. After 30 days, emails and messages will be permanently deleted from the Trash and can't be restored normally. However, you can check with the Gmail Support Team to see if they can help you recover the permanently deleted emails.

3. How to recover permanently deleted emails in Outlook 2016/365?

You can recover Outlook emails with a file recovery tool. EaseUS Data Recovery Wizard can help restore deleted Outlook emails from your local PC or storage devices in two types: .pst and .ost.

This tool enables you to recover permanently deleted files from HDD, SSD, external hard drives, USB flash drives, etc.

 Download for Win Recovery Rate 99.7%
 Download for Mac Trustpilot Rating 4.7

Step 1. Choose the drive or partition where you lost email files, and click "Scan".

Step 2. The software will initiate a scanning process immediately. Wait patiently until the scanning process completes. To locate the email files quickly, click "Others" in the left panel. Then, look for PST or Outlook files in the file type list.

Step 3. Then, choose the desired email files and click "Recover". Save the files to another location instead of the original one.

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Updated by Dany

Dany is an editor of EaseUS who lives and works in Chengdu, China. She focuses on writing articles about data recovery on Mac devices and PCs. She is devoted to improving her writing skills and enriching her professional knowledge. Dany also enjoys reading detective novels in her spare time.

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Approved by Mahesh Makvana

Mahesh is an experienced computer tech writer. He's been writing tech how-to guides for about 8 years now and has covered many topics. He loves to teach people how they can get the most out of their devices.

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