Sometimes you cannot delete an email in the iOS Outbox mailbox on your iPhone or iPad because the email is stuck in the outbox and the ‘Edit’ button is greyed, meaning not accessible for deleting. In this case, you have to power off your iOS device (iPhone, iPad or iPod touch), restart it and then you can edit and delete the stucked email message in the outbox folder. Deleting email stuck in outbox on iphone works for iOS 11, iOS 10 and iOS 9.
Here’s a stuck email message in the outbox mailbox on an iOS device (iPhone 6 running on iOS 9, native iOS mail app):
iOS_delete stuck email in outbook on iPhone and iPad_01_non-edible unsent message in iOS outbox
The unsent email message cannot be deleted because the ‘Edit‘ function is greyed meaning not accessible, it is stuck in the email outbox folder.
Here’s how to delete a stuck unsent email in the outbox mailbox on iPhone and iPad (iOS 9, iOS 10 and iOS11):
Notes:
- If it doesn’t worked, try to switch on airplane mode before rebooting in step 2 (Kudos to Dave!).
Stuck unsent emails in the outbox mailbox on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch mail app can be easily delete after switching off and on the iOS device running on iOS 11, iOS 10 and iOS 9. However, you have to take care to do the described work around immediately after rebooting to get rid of the greyed ‘Edit’ function.
Stay tuned! 😉
About Gee Are Pabst
Hi there,
my name is Gee Are, blogger and analyst. Blogging is my Passion! I’m the founder and owner of the two blogs called pabst.socialmedia and miapple.me - Tech.Blog.
My work experience as a blogger and analysist (Internet Intelligence, SEO and social media) is the basis of the services of pabst.socialmedia.
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iOS: How To Delete Stucked Unsent Email in Outbox On iPhone And iPad https://t.co/lXpEcVzO9I https://t.co/uK5hGORXtc https://t.co/gQJtt8vPmK
Just had the same issue “email stuck in sent box on iphone 4s”… followed procedure of turning on airplane mode, then powering off, then power on, opened email app, went to sent box, “edit was highlighted” deleted email, powered off again, powered on, turned off airplane mode, checked email… perfect, thanks for your info / advice…
Worked beautifully. Actually powering off was the key. I had forgotten how to do that 🙁
I did as instructed and still the unsent message is stuck in the outbox
Hi Ari,
what iOS device do you have and which iOS version is running? Step 3 is crucial meaning you have to do it immediately.
Cheers,
Gee Are
I too repeatedly did as instructed, but you are absolutely correct-when restarting your phone, you have to delete or edit to delete IMMEDIATELY! Thank you so much!!!
Hi Susan,
you’re welcome! Many thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
IMMEDIATELY was key for IPhone X, IOS 12.1.2 Beating the phone to auto-finding the wifi, even though airplane mode and wifi were off at shutdown, took a couple tries to master my speed…but it worked 🙂
Great! 🙂
yes you are right same problem i am facing
It has worked in airplane mode thank
Genuis!!! This was plaguing me for weeks. Rebooted, airplane mode and DELETED! Thanks!!!
Hi Saul,
You’re welcome! Thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
It only worked for me by switching airplane mode on before rebooting. Then I could delete the outbox item. All good now – Thanks!
Hi Dave,
you’re welcome. Many thanks for your hint! OP updated.
Cheers,
Gee Are
thanks. this worked when I put the phone in Airplane.
Hi Bill,
you’re welcome. Many thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
Wow awesome it worked ! Thank so so much ! Finally I don’t have to stare at the thing rotating anymore !!! Here
Wow! Thank you so much for the tip to first turn it in airplay mode and then switch on and off! My 70MB pdf was stuck in the outbox for 10 days!
Hi Ingeborg,
you’re welcome. Many thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
It worked. I had to use the airplane mode, power down, then restart. Thanks!
Hi Yvonne,
you’re welcome. Many thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
Had this problem for a couple weeks now. This solution worked for me. Thanks!
Hi Anon,
you’re welcome. Many thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
Worked great for me. Was stocked with this problem for a week. Even went to Apple Store and they couldn’t help. You’re the man!!
Hi Jacques,
You’re welcome! Thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
I had the same problem and thanks so much.
Hi Liz,
You’re welcome! Thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
Brilliant!! I tried several options over the past 3 weeks after draining a lot of battery and taking up much cellular data usage I was desperate and searched on web…saw your recommendation worked perfectly!!
Hi Steve Norris,
You’re welcome! Thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
worked for me …. thanks
Hi Ravi Shah,
You’re welcome! Thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
Didn’t work even in airplane mode
Hi Jim,
Did you try immediately go to the iOS mail app and open the Outbox folder after the iOS device is completely booted?
Cheers,
Gee Are
Airplane mode trick doesn’t work. I also tuned of the email on my iPhone, deleted all drafts using my laptop and again tried the airplane mode. Really frustrating. And I think it’s sucking all my power. Also no Outbox on iCloud…? And of course nothing will send from my phones mac mail…..
you should quit Mail app if it’s open or running in the background. Then you turn on airplane mode. It will work.
Otherwise, you have a mail server issue. Try to sign out Mail account and back in
No need to restart your device. Just simply quit Mail app if it’s running. Then turn on Airplane Mode. Re-open Mail App and now you can Delete your stuck outgoing mail. It will shown an exclamation mark (!)
Just hit OK if iOS says you need to turn on Data / Wifi, etc
The point is, make your device offline from Internet while opening the Mail App to delete it. Otherwise it will try to sending it forever.
I’ve tried restarting my iPhone, it does not work. The stuck mail still there and greyed out.
Hope it helps
Hi VFX,
Many thanks for your comment. I really appreciate it.
Cheers,
Gee Are
It worked…thanks!!!
You’re welcome!
legend! re-starting in plane mode worked! I could delete! hooray! THANK YOU!
Hi Jayne,
you’re welcome! Many Thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
Did not work!!!
Hi Doug,
have you already tried a hard reset and proceed the entire work-around again?
Cheers,
Gee Are
Ahhhh thank you soooooo much! This has been annoying me for several weeks! Worked in airplane mode!!! You’re a genius! Thanks for the tip!
Hi Jenn,
you’re welcome! Many thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
I also had the same problem for weeks. It worked! I didn’t have to put it in airplane mode, it just worked as soon as I turned it on again. Thank ou SO much!!
Hi Elena,
you’re welcome! Many thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
It did not work for me until I tried it with phone in Airplane mode before restarting, as you suggested. Then it worked like a charm!
Hi DeAnne,
you’re welcome! Many thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
worked perfectly ..many thanks
Hi James,
you’re welcome! Many thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
Wow! Worked the first time (iPhone 6s). Did airplane mode before shutting down. Just wished I would’ve found your solution earlier! 😊 Thanks much!!!
Hi Ann,
you’re welcome! Many thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
Thank you so much. The airplane mode gone. OCD gone. Yes!
Hi Monique,
you’re welcome! Many thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
After many tries, the airplane trick in conjunction with original instructions worked. Thanks!
Hi Kirk Oliver,
you’re welcome! Many thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
Worked! Thank you
Hi Carsten,
you’re welcome! Many thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
Just wanted to say thank you. This has been driving me crazy for weeks!
You’re welcome!
Thanks! airplane mode trick worked for me also.
Yep, worked for me too. I switched to Airplane mode immediately after reboot to enable me to do it.
Hi Andy,
you’re welcome! Many thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
Yippee! Thanks for that! (Been bugging me for weeks.) …. Airplane mode. Turn off. Turn on. Edit. Delete. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you. The airplane mode was key!
Hi Caroline,
you’re welcome! Many thanks for your feedback!
Cheers,
Gee Are
Worked for me by simply closing Mail, turning off Wi-Fi/mobile data and re-opening Mail.
Time to join the chorus of praise and gratitude. Thanks!