find deleted email draft

Question

How do I find the draft of an email i accidentally deleted

Answer 1

Hello, I’m Virginia a fellow Windows user.

If the email isn’t in the Drafts folder then check the deleted items/trash folder or try searching for the email. if it isn’t there then it’s been permanently deleted.

Answer 2

In Outlook on the web or Outlook.com, deleted items (including drafts) can be recovered if they are still in Deleted Items or Recoverable Items.

1. Check the Drafts folder first
   • In the folder list, open Drafts and look for the message. Drafts are kept there until sent or deleted.
2. Check Deleted Items
   • In the left pane, select Deleted Items.
   • Look for the draft message there. If found, select it and either:
     • Drag it back to Drafts or another folder, or
     • Right‑click it and choose Move > Drafts (or another folder).
3. Recover from Recoverable Items (if it’s no longer in Deleted Items)
   • In the left pane, select Deleted Items.
   • At the top of the message list, select Recover items deleted from this folder.
   • In the Recoverable Items list, select the draft (it will be marked as a message, often with “Draft” in the list if it was a draft reply/forward).
   • Select Restore.
   • The item will be restored to its original folder when possible; if that folder no longer exists, it will go to Inbox.

If the draft does not appear in Deleted Items or Recoverable Items, it has likely been permanently removed and cannot be restored.

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References:

• Recover and restore deleted items in Outlook
• Create and respond to messages in Outlook Web App