---
title: "How to Delete All Emails at Once on iPhone"
description: "Delete all emails on iPhone: Open Mail, tap Edit, Select All, then Trash. Works for individual accounts. Empty the Trash folder to permanently free storage."
url: https://dblabsapps.com/how-to/delete-all-emails-at-once-iphone/
date: 2026-03-16
---

Updated April 7, 2026

By Jack Smith, iOS Developer at DB Labs

# How to Delete All Emails at Once on iPhone

Thousands of unread emails clogging your inbox and eating storage? Here is how to bulk delete them all in a few taps and free up space.

March 16, 2026  ·  5 min read

## Quick 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):

1. In your inbox, use the **search bar** to find emails from a specific sender

2. Tap **Edit > Select All** on the search results

3. 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](https://dblabsapps.com/guides/complete-iphone-storage-guide/) or learn [how to free up storage without paying](https://dblabsapps.com/questions/how-to-get-more-storage-on-iphone-without-paying/).

## Clean Up More Than Just Email

Photos take up far more space than emails. Swype Photo Cleaner helps you reclaim gigabytes from your camera roll.

Free · iPhone · iOS 16+ · 100% on-device, zero uploads

Free · iPhone · iOS 16+

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How do I delete all emails at once on iPhone?

Open Mail, go to your inbox, tap Edit > Select All > Trash. Then empty the Trash: Edit > Select All > Delete. Repeat for each email account.

### Does deleting emails free up iPhone storage?

Yes, but only after you empty the Trash folder. Emails with large attachments take the most space. iCloud Mail deletions also free iCloud storage.

### Can I recover deleted emails on iPhone?

Yes, if they are still in the Trash folder (usually kept for 30 days). Open Trash, find the email, and move it back to your inbox. Once permanently deleted, recovery is not possible.