How to Remove Duplicate Emails in Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016
Are you having duplicate emails in your Outlook? If your answer is yes, then you have reached the right place. This blog will let you know how to remove duplicate emails in Outlook. In addition to this, what are all the possible causes of duplicates in Outlook?
Deleted duplicate emails from Outlook can enhance performance and manage data file size. Be careful while removing duplicate emails. Because it can lead to data loss, this post is written with the intent to provide verified methods and easy follow instructions.
In every organization, emails are really important as most of the communication is done via them only. Microsoft Outlook is among the top choices of users when it comes to an email client. Basically, Outlook comes with various advanced features to manage emails efficiently. But, like any other mailbox, Outlook users also suffer from duplicate email issues. So, it becomes necessary to deleted duplicate emails from Outlook mailbox.
On a daily basis, the number of emails is increasing in our mailboxes. Above this, if there are some duplicates also, the management of email messages becomes a tedious task. Apart from this, it hampers the workflow of users in multiple ways. For example, storage space issues, slowing down Outlook performance, etc. Hence, it is very important to deal with the duplicates so in the upcoming section we are going to discuss the methods to remove duplicate emails in Outlook.
Table of Content
Possible Causes of Duplicate Emails in Outlook
Now, before going towards the solution part let’s find out the causes of duplicate emails in Outlook and why it is very important to remove duplicate emails from Outlook. So, have a look at the reasons behind this.
- Mistakes in Outlook Rules: It might be possible that incorrect rules are configured. This might result in data duplication in the Outlook mailbox.
- Short Send/Receive Intervals: If the frequency of Inbox updates is set short, the emails and mailbox components will not get synchronized properly. This might also result in data duplication.
- Incorrect Account Settings: If you have configured the same email account multiple times, then the incoming data will get synchronized again and again. It can also lead to duplicate email messages in the Outlook mailbox.
- Improper Mailbox Setup: It can also be possible that you have incorrectly set your mailbox while creating an account. Therefore, you might be receiving the same email message, calendar, and contacts again and again.
- Due to Antivirus: In some cases, even an anti-virus installed on the system can intercept the Send/Receive process of Outlook.
All such reasons make users think twice about how to deal with these duplicate emails in Outlook. Thus, to make this task easier, multiple ways to remove duplicate emails in Outlook.
Quick Tool Tip- Looking for a simple, reliable, and instant solution to deal with duplicate emails in Outlook? Try Professional Tool , it is totally safe and secure method to delete duplicate emails in Outlook PST/OST/BAK files
How to Remove Duplicate Emails in Outlook Manually
There are multiple ways to delete duplicate emails in Outlook. You can choose between them as per your requirements.
Important: Make sure to take backup of your Outlook mailbox before performing any of these methods. This way if something goes wrong, you will have the original mailbox file.
Method-1: Import/Export Option to Delete Duplicate Emails
With the help of the Import/Export feature, you can also remove duplicate email messages in Outlook. Follow the steps mentioned below in two stages:
Stage 1: Export without duplicates
- Open Outlook.
- Now, go to File, then Open & Export, then Import/Export.
- Here, select “Export to a File” and then choose Outlook data file (PST).
- Select all the folders that you want to deduplicate.
- Finally, choose “Do not export duplicate items” and finish the procedure.
Stage 2: Import without duplicates
1. Open Microsoft Outlook and navigate to File → Open & Export → Import/Export option
2. In Import and Export Wizard window, choose Import from another program or file option and click on the Next button
3. Now, choose Outlook Data File (.pst) on Import a file window and click on the Next button
4. On the Import Outlook Data File window, simply Browse the .pst file and check Do not import duplicates option → Next button
5. Now, choose Outlook Data File and select “Import to the same folder in:”. At last, select the mailbox from which the emails were exported in Stage 1 and click Done.
Method-2: Clean Up Tool of Outlook to Remove Duplicate Emails from Outlook
Microsoft Outlook has one Clean Up Tool that let you delete duplicated items from Outlook. To use it in a proper way, follow the steps mentioned below:
- First of all, open the MS Outlook application
- Then, click on the Clean Up tool from the ribbon bar and expand all the options.
- As you expand it, three options will be displayed i.e., Clean Up Conversation, Clean Up Folders, Clean Up Folders & Subfolders
- Here, you have to choose Clean Up Folders & Subfolders option
- Now, a Clean Up Folder dialog box will pop up, asking you whether to proceed with clean up or cancel? Simply, click on the Clean Up Folder option
- After that, click on the Settings option to enter Deleted Items folder location manually
- As you click on the Settings, an Outlook Options window will open. Click on the Browse button to add the PST file
- Now, the Select Folder pop-up will appear in front of you. Choose Deleted Items → OK button
- Finally, click on the Clean Up Folder option to remove duplicate emails in Outlook mailbox.
Drawbacks of the Manual Method
All the above-discussed manual solutions are useful only when there is a small size PST file containing only hundreds of emails. But, if you have a large number of emails in Outlook, you might face the following limitations while using manuals.
- Unable to identify the exact number of duplicates in the Outlook mailbox. So, locating and removing duplicate emails from Outlook via manual solution will not be an option.
- Clean Up tool starts generating error messages like “No messages were cleaned up. Only messages that satisfy your clean up settings will be moved to the trash folder.” during the duplicate removal process.
Remove Duplicate Emails from Outlook Professionally
If a user is looking for a simple solution or wants to avoid the manual solution limitations, go for the professional solution. Outlook Duplicates Remover Tool is one such application that can help you removing duplicate emails in Outlook.
The software is designed by keeping all requirements of users in mind. One can find and remove duplicate emails in Outlook by matching particular attributes. For example, subject, to, cc, from, etc. In addition, a user can also delete duplicates from multiple PST files in bulk via Add Folder option. It can be treated as a one-stop solution to fulfill all basic requirements of users. Along with this the tool also offers the facility to remove duplicate attachments from Outlook.
Working of This Tool
- Download and Install the tool on the local machine.
- Upload PST file(s) by clicking on “Add File(s)” or “Add Folder” button.
- Choose between the two options to delete duplicates: Within or Across Folder.
- Click Change to choose the location to save the resultant PST file.
- Choose data items, i.e., Emails, Contacts, Calendars, Journals, Tasks, and Notes to remove duplicates.
- Now, Choose Specify Duplicate Criteria option to specify properties or fields to remove duplicates.
- The following message appears after process completion. And you are done with the process of removing duplicate emails from Outlook.
Also Read: How to Combine PST Files Without Duplicates Emails?
Comparison of Outlook Duplicate Email Removal Options
| Features | Method 1: Import/Export Option | Method 2: Clean Up Tool | Method 3: SysTools Outlook Duplicate Email Remover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processing Speed | Moderate (depends on folder size) | Fast for small folders | Very Fast (batch processing) |
| Ease of Use | Moderate (multiple steps required) | Easy (built-in tool) | Very Easy (automated process) |
| Duplicate Detection Accuracy | Basic (matches exact duplicates only) | Moderate (considers message headers) | High (multiple matching criteria) |
| Batch Processing | No | No | Yes |
| Custom Filters | Limited | Limited | Advanced filtering options |
| Multiple Folder Support | Single folder only | Yes | Yes (with subfolder support) |
| Cost | Free (built-in) | Free (built-in) | Paid (professional tool) |
| Data Safety | Moderate risk | Low risk | Very low risk (creates new pst) |
| Special Features |
• Basic duplicate detection • Works with PST files |
• Built-in Outlook integration • Simple interface |
• Advanced matching algorithms • Multiple PST support • Selective deletion based on properties • Progress tracking |
| Best Suited For | Small mailboxes with exact duplicates | Regular maintenance of moderate-sized folders | Large mailboxes, multiple PSTs, professional use |
| Pros |
• No additional cost • Simple process • No installation required |
• Built-in tool • User-friendly • Preview feature |
• Comprehensive solution • High accuracy • Remove by Properties • Time-saving |
| Cons |
• Limited functionality • Time-consuming • No preview option |
• Limited filtering options • Single folder processing • Basic duplicate criteria |
• Paid solution • Requires installation |
Time to Wrap Up
Handling duplicates is one of the difficult tasks faced by users. Thus, to make this task easier for the users, multiple ways to remove duplicate emails in Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010 PST files are discussed above. This blog will cover all manual and professional solutions for the user. A user can pick between them as per his or her requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Can I remove duplicate emails from Outlook 2019?
Yes, It is quite easy to mass delete duplicate emails from Outlook 2019 and other versions also. You can follow above mentioned steps on Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, and below versions.
Q2. Is it possible to delete emails with the same subject in Outlook?
Yes, with the help of this tool, you can delete Outlook duplicate emails with the same subject and many other email fields.
Q3. Why does my mailbox have duplicate emails?
There are several reasons behind this:
- Rules are not configured properly
- Due to antivirus
- The short interval for Send/Receive
- Incorrect account setup, etc.
Q4. Why removal of duplicates is important in Outlook?
- Storage space issue
- Start creating confusion
- Management of emails becomes difficult
- Slow performance of Outlook