Have you noticed that your sent items duplicating in Outlook, even though you might have sent only one email? If so, then this can be very confusing, especially when it comes again and again.
However, duplication has occurred after sending it from Outlook. This happens when Outlook and your IMAP mail server simultaneously sync your sent messages, which results in them being saved multiple times. Also, duplicate sent items can be due to IMAP account settings or to Outlook being incorrectly configured on multiple devices.
In this blog, we will explain why sent items are appearing two or multiple times and how to delete duplicate sent items in Outlook that are already present in folder. Also, we will discover how to prevent them for safe and secure future. Let’s quickly begin with article.
Why Do Sent Items Appear Double in Outlook?
There can be multiple reasons why Outlook is showing duplicate sent items. It can vary depending on your type of account, your mail server, and your Outlook configuration. Here are some of listed below:
- IMAP Syncing Error
- Multiple Devices or Other Applications
- Wrong Sent Folder Settings
- Same Account Configuration
- Corrupted Outlook Profile
If you are using an IMAP account, then both your Outlook and your mail server might save your sent message at same time. It can duplicate your sent items, resulting in multiple copies in your sent items folder.
Someone who has connected their Outlook account to several devices. This synchronizes account between these applications, which can further create duplicate copies.
If you have configured your Outlook account to store every copy of sent items when your mail server saves at the same time. This might result in appearance of two or more copies in sent folder.
Adding duplicate profile in Outlook more than once can also cause duplicate sent messages due to an unexpected synchronization problem in your profile.
If there are any damaged or misconfigured Outlook accounts, then this can also lead to synchronization errors that might result in sent items duplicating in Outlook error.
How to Check Where Duplicate is Coming From?
Before anyone jumps into solutions, it is important to find out whether duplicates occur only in Outlook or on server. Follow steps listed below:
- Open mailbox in Webmail provided by your email, then open its Sent folder.
- Search for items that appear more than once in Outlook.
- Now, compare both platforms:
Duplicate Sent Items in Webmail: If they are present on server, then it is due to an Outlook account synchronization issue.
Duplicates in Classic Outlook (Desktop): If present, then they are related to Outlook profile configured on Desktop.
Now, it is time to fix sent items duplicating in Outlook using some proven fixes. Let’s walk through them.
How to Fix Duplicate Sent Items in Outlook Quickly?
Method 1: Synchronization Error
If using classic Outlook, then navigate to:
File > Account Settings > Account Settings
Now, choose affected account and its type, i.e., IMAP. If it is an IMAP profile. One should be very careful while disabling its sent message copies option.
Follow steps:
- Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings.
- Select IMAP account > Change.
- Turn off “Do Not Save Copies of Sent Items” option > Next.
Tip: Users are recommended not to change settings without knowing where their provider stores all sent messages. This will provide an extra backup so that you do not lose sent items.
Method 2: Check Sent Folder or Webmail
Compose test message and send it. Later, check your sent folder via your email provider’s webmail interface. If there is only one existing online but duplicate sent items in Outlook, then server might not be creating doubles.
This is direct point towards your desktop Outlook account syncing error. If two copies are appearing online too, then you have to analyze both your Outlook profile and server end more carefully.
Method 3: Verify Multiple Devices
One can review that even other applications have the same access to mailbox. For example:
- Webmail
- Another Email Client
- Mobile
- Configured Shared Mailbox
Try sending test message after turning off unwanted applications. If duplication process stops, then enable it again once to detect source.
Method 4: Review Configured Outlook Profile
Check whether your affected email ID has been configured multiple times. Additionally, ensure that you are looking at correct sent items folder.
It is equally important when Outlook contains several accounts of personal, business, enterprise, IMAP, or M365.
Method 5: Make New Outlook Account
To prevent sent items duplicating in Outlook error, then create new testing profile. Check if duplicates are appearing only in classic Outlook, which helps users to find out which profile is actually responsible for them.
One can make new profile by using steps:
Start Outlook > Hold Shift > Select Options > Create New Profile.
Now, if duplicate sent items disappear after configuring a new Outlook profile, then it is clear that original account is responsible for issue.
Method 6: Check Outlook Add Ins
If someone is using third party add ins, check them once, as they can interfere with your daily Outlook work tasks.
Verify whether issue appears after uploading Outlook add in, then try running Outlook in safe mode. This will help to detect problematic add ins in your Outlook. It is usually helpful when duplicates are only on one desktop.
Method 7: Remove Already Existing Duplicate Items
After fixing all technical issues that occur in Outlook, it is time to delete duplicate sent items present in sent items folder. But problem is that there is no built in option offered by Outlook to clean up already existing messages in the sent folder.
If you have small number of duplicate sent messages, then you can manually remove them. However, in cases of multiple repeated sent items in Outlook, users cannot rely on manual removal, as it does not support bulk deletion.
In those cases, we recommend using SysTools Outlook Duplicate Items Remover ODIR, which scans and eliminates duplicate copies of sent items from Outlook mailbox using advanced filters.
Users can download demo version and give it free run for better understanding. Let’s check its working steps listed below to fix sent items duplicating in Outlook.
How to Delete Duplicate Sent Items in Outlook? Complete Steps
- Install and run aforementioned software on your system.
- Click Add Files or Folder option to upload Outlook data files.
- This offers dual modes for removing duplicates, that is, Within or Across Folders.
- Now, select Destination Path to save cleaned output files.
- Choose all mailbox sent items to delete existing duplicates.
- Click Specify Duplicate Criteria option to remove duplicate items in Outlook.
- Finally, tap OK button when you are done with cleaning process.
How to Stop Sent Items Duplicating in Outlook?
After removing, users are advised to follow these best practices to avoid creating same copies multiple times in Outlook. Here are some of them mentioned below:
- Always check your IMAP account settings and ensure that your Outlook and server are not saving sent messages at same time.
- Try not to configure Outlook profiles on different devices, as this will prevent syncing issues.
- Verify that Outlook stores sent messages only in Sent Items folder, thereby avoiding folder mapping errors.
- If your profile is corrupted, then make new Outlook account. Otherwise, use SysTools PST Repair to recover your account.
- Keep your mailbox clean by removing duplicate sent items in Outlook using dedicated software.
Conclusion
In this article, we have explained why these sent items duplicating in Outlook and how we can fix it using 7 effective techniques. Users can check their account and its issues by following above fixes. Additionally, we have discovered how to delete duplicate sent items in Outlook using expert recommended software, which allows users to keep their Outlook mailboxes safe and clean. If you are still facing any query, contact our support team via 24*7 live chat.