Having trouble deleting emails on your iPhone or iPad? Here’s a quick fix if you see an error message when trying to remove them.
Note: This issue was common with iOS 9, 10, and 11. If you’re on iOS 12 or later (we recommend iOS 14+), go to Settings > Mail > Accounts, select your account, tap Re-Enter Password, and enter your credentials to resolve the problem.
How to Delete Emails on iPhone or iPad (Step-by-Step Guide)
Open Settings
- Tap the Settings (gear icon).
- iOS 9 and earlier: Select Mail, Contacts, Calendars.
- iOS 10: Select Mail.
- iOS 11: Select Accounts & Passwords.
Access Your Account Settings
- Choose your email account.
- Tap the Account line to open the settings page.
- Scroll down and tap Advanced (you may need to hide the keyboard to see it).
Set Mailbox Behaviors (On the Server)
- Under Mailbox Behaviors, configure each folder to use the correct server mailbox:
- Drafts Mailbox: Select Drafts under On the Server (not On My iPhone).
- Deleted Mailbox: Select Trash under On the Server.
- Sent Mailbox: Select Sent under On the Server.
- For Gmail: You can also map Archive Mailbox to the All Mail folder.
Save and Exit
- Tap Advanced (top left) to go back.
- Tap Account Info, then tap DONE (do not tap Cancel).
- Restart your iPhone or iPad if necessary to apply the changes.
