junk mail auto delete

To stop Outlook from automatically deleting junk emails, you need to change the settings in the Junk E-mail Options. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open the Junk E-mail Options dialog box:
   • For Outlook 2010 and later versions: On the Home tab on the Ribbon, select Junk, and then select Junk E-mail Options.
   • For Outlook 2007 or Outlook 2003: On the Tools menu, select Options, and then select Junk E-mail.
2. In the Options tab, clear the option that says Permanently delete suspected junk e-mail instead of moving it to the Junk E-mail folder.
3. Click OK to save your changes.

By doing this, Outlook will no longer permanently delete emails it considers junk, and instead, it will move them to the Junk E-mail folder for you to review.

References:

• Junk e-mail messages are permanently deleted
• New email messages automatically move to the Junk folder in Microsoft Outlook
• Configure junk email settings on Exchange Online mailboxes

Dear @STEVE GARD,

Thank you for contacting the Microsoft 365 Q&A Forum Community Support team. I understand you want to ensure that suspected junk emails are moved to your Junk folder for review rather than being permanently deleted immediately. 

The solution depends on which version of Outlook you are currently using, as the interface and available settings have changed in the "New Outlook." 

For New Outlook (and Outlook on the Web) 

In the New Outlook, Microsoft has removed the "Permanently delete" toggle to protect users from "False Positives" (legitimate emails incorrectly marked as spam). By default, all suspected junk is moved to the Junk Email folder, so you have a chance to recover important mail. 

For more details, refer to:  

Filter junk email and spam in Outlook - Microsoft Support 

Mail goes to the Junk folder by mistake - Microsoft Support 

1. Click the Settings (gear icon) in the top-right corner. 
2. Navigate to Mail > Junk email. 
3. Review your Filters. Note that there is no longer an option to "Permanently delete" here because the system enforces a 30-day grace period. 

Important: Any mail in the Junk folder will be automatically deleted by the system after 30 days. This is a standard Microsoft retention policy and cannot be disabled. 

For Classic Outlook (2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, or 365 Desktop) 

If you still want to use the auto-delete feature, consider reverting to classic Outlook. 

You are using the classic desktop application; you can manually toggle this setting: 

1. Go to the Home tab, click Junk, and select Junk E-mail Options. 
2. In the Options tab, locate the checkbox: "Permanently delete suspected junk e-mail instead of moving it to the Junk E-mail folder." 
3. Uncheck this box. 
4. Click OK. 

For more details, refer to:  

Junk emails are permanently deleted - Outlook | Microsoft Learn 

I would like to clarify that Microsoft transitioned to a Server-side filtering model for the New Outlook. The "Permanently delete" option was removed as a safety measure. If the system deleted these emails instantly, you would never have the opportunity to recover a misclassified message.

By moving messages to the Junk folder for 30 days instead of immediate deletion, Microsoft ensures a balance between a clean inbox and data protection. 

Note: If you find legitimate mail in your Junk folder, select the message and click "Not Junk" to train the filter for future deliveries. 

I hope this clarifies the situation. Please let me know if you have any further questions. 

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".   

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.