To recover an email in Gmail that has been deleted or is missing, start by checking the Trash and Spam folders first. Often, emails are moved there temporarily instead of being permanently erased. Emails in Trash are stored for 30 days before automatic deletion, and Spam messages are also kept for a limited time. Accidentally deleting important messages or landing in spam is common, so don’t skip this step.
Follow these steps:
- Open your Gmail account on your computer or phone.
- Look for the folders on the left sidebar. If you don’t see Trash or Spam, click on “More” to expand the list.
- Click on Trash or Spam.
Browse through the emails carefully once you open these folders. If you find the message you need, you can move it back to your inbox or recover it. If it’s in Spam but you want to keep it, mark it as “Not Spam” to prevent future filtering.
How to recover an email from Trash or Spam
- Open the email you want to recover.
- Click the move icon (a folder with an arrow) or the “Move to” option.
- Select Inbox or another folder where you want to save the email.
If you cannot find the email in these folders, it may have been permanently deleted. Check your Google account’s data recovery options or contact support if it’s very important.
Helpful tips
- Always check Trash and Spam before assuming an email is lost forever.
- If you regularly delete emails, consider creating filters to organize important messages from the start.
- Beware of phishing scams in Spam: do not click on suspicious links.
By developing this habit, you can save time and avoid frustration when recovering deleted messages in Gmail. Many emails are recoverable if checked promptly!
