files are being deleted in my email

Question

files are being deleted in my email

Jennifer Evans 0

How to you get files to stop being deleted in your email? I have read all your posts on how to stop this, but when I click on the file tab (as you suggested) there is no "options" option for me to click, there is just account information and settings (which when I open those there is not an "options" found here). There is also no "properties" option when I click on the folder which was another thing you have said to try.

Hendrix-V 19,470 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-10-03T23:39:11.5766667+00:00
Hi Jennifer Evans,

Since you're using New Outlook, some of the menu paths commonly referenced for Classic Outlook are not available. To help narrow down the cause, could you please check the following:

Open Settings > Mail > Rules and review whether any rules are automatically moving or deleting messages.

Check your Archive, Deleted Items, and Junk Email folders to see if the missing messages are being relocated rather than permanently removed.

Sign in to Outlook on the web and verify whether the same messages are missing there as well. This can help determine whether the behavior is account-related or specific to the Outlook app.

If possible, please let me know:

Whether entire emails are disappearing or only their attachments/files.

The type of account you're using (Outlook.com, Microsoft 365, Gmail, or another provider).

That information will help the community provide more targeted troubleshooting steps. I look forward to your update and will be happy to assist further.

1 answer

Your answer

Hendrix-V 19,470 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-10-03T23:39:11.5766667+00:00

Hi Jennifer Evans,

Since you're using New Outlook, some of the menu paths commonly referenced for Classic Outlook are not available. To help narrow down the cause, could you please check the following:

Open Settings > Mail > Rules and review whether any rules are automatically moving or deleting messages.

Check your Archive, Deleted Items, and Junk Email folders to see if the missing messages are being relocated rather than permanently removed.

Sign in to Outlook on the web and verify whether the same messages are missing there as well. This can help determine whether the behavior is account-related or specific to the Outlook app.

If possible, please let me know:

Whether entire emails are disappearing or only their attachments/files.

The type of account you're using (Outlook.com, Microsoft 365, Gmail, or another provider).

That information will help the community provide more targeted troubleshooting steps. I look forward to your update and will be happy to assist further.

Answer 1

In new Outlook for Windows, the File > Options path is not available. Use the new Outlook settings path instead.

To stop Outlook from automatically clearing deleted email:

Open new Outlook.
Select View > View Settings.
Select Mail > Message handling.
Under When closing Outlook, clear Empty deleted items folder.

If mail is being deleted when signing out in Outlook on the web, check this setting too:

Select Settings.
Select Mail > Message handling.
Under Message options, clear Empty my deleted items folder.
Select Save.

If messages are being moved out of the Inbox by mistake instead of only being emptied from Deleted Items, check for automatic handling:

In Outlook on the web, go to Settings > Mail > Message handling to review delete behavior.
Check whether a rule is moving messages: select a message in the inbox, then review Create rule / existing rules.
Check whether the sender is in Blocked senders or whether an Inbox Rule is deleting mail.

If the account is Outlook.com, messages in Junk Email are automatically deleted between 10 and 30 days after they arrive.