OL97: Options Available for Deleting Items

MORE INFORMATION

When you click to select an item in the Information Viewer area, you have several methods available for deleting the item.

• On the Standard Toolbar, click the Delete button.
• On the Edit menu, click Delete.
• Press CTRL+D.
• Press DELETE.
• Hold down SHIFT and on the Standard Toolbar, click the Delete button.
• Drag the item to the Deleted Items on the Outlook Bar or in the Folder List.
• Drag the item to the Windows Recycle Bin.

The behavior of Outlook varies, depending on which method you use to delete the item.

Permanently Deleting the Item Without Moving it to the Deleted Items Folder

• Press SHIFT+DELETE.

After an item is in the Deleted Items folder, using any of the methods in the previous section permanently deletes the item.

Automatically Emptying the Deleted Items Folder by Quitting Outlook

If you set an option to empty the Deleted Items folder when quitting Outlook, all items in the folder are permanently deleted whenever you quit Outlook. To set this option, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. Click the General tab.
3. Click to select the "Empty the Deleted Items folder upon exiting" check box and then click OK.

Using AutoArchive Settings to Delete Items in Deleted Items Folder

You can set AutoArchive to delete items from the Deleted Items folder after a set number of days. To do this, you must not select the option to empty the Deleted Items folder when quitting Outlook. Because AutoArchive acts on the last modified date, re-opening and modifying the items in the Deleted items folder delays the permanent deletion. The following steps set up the AutoArchive to delete items from the Deleted Items folder after seven days:

1. On the Standard toolbar, click the Folder List button to turn on the Folder List.
2. Right-click the Deleted Items folder, and on the shortcut menu, click Properties.
3. Click the AutoArchive tab.
4. Click to select "Clean out items older than 7 days," and then click "Permanently delete old items."
5. Click OK.

How to Set Outlook to Warn You Before Permanently Deleting Items

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. Click the General tab.
3. Click to select the Warn before permanently deleting items check box, and then click OK.