How to Remove Duplicate Emails in Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013?

Outlook is a popular email app that lets you manage multiple email accounts in one place. Sometimes, it creates duplicate emails, which can take up unnecessary space. This article will guide you on how to easily remove duplicate emails in Outlook by using tried and tested methods. So, if you are having the same query, check out this blog to delete duplicate emails in Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, etc.

Let’s begin this article by knowing the causes behind duplicate emails in Outlook.

Why am I Getting Duplicate Emails in Outlook?

Before trying to remove duplicate emails in Outlook, it’s important to understand why they happen. Once you know the cause, you can easily delete duplicates for free using the right method.

Here are some common reasons why duplicate emails appear in Outlook:

• Incorrect Rule Setup: If rules are set up incorrectly, it can cause emails to be duplicated.
• Merging Multiple PST Files: When merging multiple PST files into one, duplicate emails can occur.
• Frequent Email Syncing: If your inbox updates frequently, it may lead to synchronization issues, resulting in duplicates.
• Mailbox Settings: Incorrect settings in your mailbox configuration can cause emails to be received multiple times.
• Server Issues: Mail server problems, such as leaving messages on the server, can also result in duplicate emails.
• Multiple Device Setup: Setting up the same email account on multiple devices can cause emails to sync repeatedly, leading to duplicates.

No matter the cause of duplicate emails in Outlook, they can create problems in your work.

Now, let’s look at some simple and effective solutions to remove duplicate emails in Outlook. Before that, you need to identify duplicate emails in Outlook. Let’s see how to do that.

How to Find Duplicate Emails in Outlook?

Before you remove duplicates, it’s essential to identify them. You can check for duplicate emails in Outlook by searching using the following criteria:

• Subject
• Sender
• Recipient
• Attachments

You can perform a search using these criteria and find duplicate emails. Once identified, you can delete them manually. However, if there are too many duplicates, using other methods might be more efficient.

How to Remove Duplicate Emails in Outlook Free?

In this section, we are going to discuss how to delete duplicate emails in Outlook. Duplicate emails can clutter your inbox and take up unnecessary space, but with the right methods, you can easily get rid of them.

#1. Use the “Do Not Import Duplicate Items” Option

When importing Outlook items, always choose the “Do Not Import Duplicate Items” option. This helps prevent duplicates from being imported in the first place.

2. Adjust Send/Receive Frequency

By adjusting the frequency of your inbox updates, you can reduce the chances of email duplication.

1. Open Outlook and go to the Send/Receive tab.
2. Click on Send/Receive Groups, then select Define Send/Receive Groups.
3. Choose the group you want to edit (e.g., “All Accounts”) or create a new one.
4. Click Edit, and under Schedule an automated send/receive every minute, select the desired interval.
5. Adjusting the update frequency can help avoid frequent synchronization issues and reduce duplicates.

3. How to Mass Delete Duplicate Emails in Outlook?

Outlook offers a built-in Clean Up Tool to help remove duplicate emails.

1. Open Outlook and go to the Inbox folder containing the duplicate emails.

2. Click on the Clean Up button in the menu.

3. Select one of the following options:

• Clean Up Conversation: Removes duplicate messages from a conversation.
• Clean Up Folder: Removes duplicates from a specific folder.
• Clean Up Folders and Sub-Folders: Cleans up both folders and subfolders.

4. After cleaning up, go to the Deleted Items folder and click Empty Folder to permanently delete the duplicate emails.

Concluding Words

Seeing duplicate emails in Outlook can be frustrating, but there are several ways to fix it. In this article, we’ve shared the best methods to remove duplicate emails in Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, etc. Just follow these easy steps to get rid of duplicate emails in Outlook. All of these solutions are simple to use and understand to delete duplicate emails in Outlook.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How do I mass delete duplicate emails in Outlook?

Ans. You can use the Clean Up Tool in Outlook to mass delete duplicate emails. Go to the “Home” tab, select “Clean Up,” and choose “Clean Up Folder” to remove duplicates automatically.

Q2. How to find duplicate emails in Outlook?

Ans. Use Outlook’s search function to find duplicates by searching for emails with the same subject, sender, or other details like attachments.

Q3. Why am I getting duplicate emails in Outlook?

Ans. Duplicate emails can happen due to syncing issues, incorrect account settings, or when multiple devices are set up to receive the same emails.

Q4. How to get rid of duplicate emails in Outlook?

Ans. You can remove duplicates manually by deleting them or use the Clean Up Tool in Outlook to automatically clean up duplicate emails from folders.