When you delete an email from your inbox, it’s not gone forever. Instead, it’s stored in the Trash folder. Emptying your trash in Gmail is a necessary step to manage your inbox size or remove any sensitive information you don’t want in your inbox.
In this article, we'll discuss how to empty your trash in Gmail from both your computer and mobile device. We will also cover some of the benefits of keeping your trash clean!
Let’s get started!
How to empty your trash in Gmail on your Windows computer or Mac
Step 1: Go to Gmail
The first step is to open your Gmail account on your computer.
Step 2: Go to Trash
Once you are logged in, click on the ''More'' option in the left sidebar.
From the drop-down menu, select ''Trash''.
Step 3: Click “Delete forever” for individual messages
You will see all the messages that are in your trash. To delete a message forever, select the message you want to delete and click on the ''Delete forever'' option. When you delete an individual message from your Trash, you will no longer be able to access it again. The nice part is the same is true for hackers!
Step 4: Click “Empty Trash now” for all messages in trash
If you want to delete all the messages in your trash, click on the ''Empty Trash now'' option. It'll ask for confirmation and once you confirm, all your messages in the trash will be deleted forever. Doing so often can keep anyone from accessing sensitive information that might still exist there.
So, emptying your trash in Gmail on your computer is a simple process. Let's explore how you can delete your Gmail trash on your mobile device.
How to delete trash in Gmail on Android
Step 1: Click the three parallel lines
First, open your Gmail app. Then, click on the three parallel lines in the top left corner of your screen. This will open up a menu with several options.
Step 2: Go to Trash/Bin
Once you have the menu open, scroll down until you see the "Trash” (or “Bin" option and click it. This will take you to a page that only shows the emails currently in your trash.
Step 3: Click “Empty Bin now”
At the top of the trash page, there is a button that says "Empty Bin now." Click this button and it'll ask you to confirm that you want to delete all the emails in your trash. Once you click "Empty," all of the emails will be permanently deleted.
And that's it! You've now successfully emptied your trash in Gmail on mobile.
Why you should keep your Gmail trash folder clean
It takes 30 days for messages in trash to delete automatically
One of the main reasons you should keep your trash clean is that Gmail doesn't delete messages in the trash automatically. Instead, messages will stay in your trash for 30 days before being deleted. If the trash folder in Gmail is left unchecked for a while, your storage can quickly clutter up.
Overcapacity storage can cause emails to bounce
If your Gmail account is over its storage capacity, you may start to experience issues with messages bouncing back or not being delivered at all. This is because Gmail puts a limit on the amount of storage you can have in your account.
Once you reach this limit, new messages will start to bounce back until you free up some space. By emptying your trash, you can free up this valuable storage space and keep your account running smoothly.
Sensitive information remains in trash until deleted
It is not only important for you to know how to clear your trash in Gmail but to also do it regularly because this will keep any sensitive information in your Gmail account safe. This is because messages in the trash are not immediately deleted and can still be accessed by anyone who has access to your account.
It’s rare for hackers to access your account, as Google has best-in-class security features to prevent that. However, it can still happen if someone has access to your login credentials. To be better safe than sorry, empty your trash often (and enable two-factor authentication if you haven’t).
So there you have it! Everything you need to know about how to delete your trash in Gmail. Whether you're using a computer or mobile device, these instructions will help make sure that your trash is emptied quickly and easily.