DB LabsQuick Answer
Open the Mail app, go to the inbox you want to clear, tap Edit (top right), then Select All (top left), then tap Trash (or Archive). This moves all emails to Trash. Then go to the Trash folder and repeat: Edit > Select All > Delete to permanently remove them and free storage. Do this for each email account separately.
Step-by-Step: Delete All Emails
1 Open Your Inbox
Open the Mail app. If you have multiple email accounts, tap Mailboxes in the upper left to go back to the account list. Select the specific inbox you want to clear (Gmail, iCloud, Outlook, etc.).
2 Tap Edit, Then Select All
Tap Edit in the top right corner. Then tap Select All in the top left. Every email in the current view gets selected. If you have thousands of emails, this may take a moment.
3 Tap Trash (or Archive)
With all emails selected, tap Trash at the bottom right. If you see Archive instead of Trash, you can change this in Settings > Mail > Accounts > [account] > Account > Advanced > Deleted Mailbox.
4 Empty the Trash Folder
Go back to Mailboxes and open the Trash folder. Tap Edit > Select All > Delete to permanently remove all trashed emails. This is the step that actually frees up storage.
Delete Emails from Specific Senders
If you only want to delete emails from certain senders (like newsletters):
- In your inbox, use the search bar to find emails from a specific sender
- Tap Edit > Select All on the search results
- Tap Trash to delete only those emails
Prevent Inbox Buildup
- Unsubscribe from newsletters: Look for the "Unsubscribe" link at the top of promotional emails in the Mail app
- Use Notify Me: In iOS 18, Mail can surface important emails and group less important ones
- Auto-delete trash: Settings > Mail > Accounts > [account] > Advanced > Remove > After one week
For a complete storage cleanup, see our complete iPhone storage guide or learn how to free up storage without paying.