Tech Reference

How to empty your trash in Gmail on a computer or mobile device

gmail on iphone
You can easily empty your trash in Gmail to free up more storage space for your email account. Shutterstock
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Your Gmail emails are not stored on your computer or phone, but rather are managed remotely, thus perhaps it seems like there is endless capacity for data. 

But in fact your Gmail storage capacity is not limitless and sometimes can cluster up your Gmail account.

If you're running out of space in Gmail (or if you simply believe in best practices), it's a good idea to empty your Gmail account's trash. It's also easy to do so. Here's how. 

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How to empty trash in Gmail on a computer 

1. Open your Gmail account on a Mac or PC

2. Click on the word "More" on the left-hand menu, then click on "Trash." 

3. To delete one message from the trash, click on it, then hit  "Delete forever."

To empty your Gmail trash altogether, select "Empty Trash now" at the top of the screen. 

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Select “Empty Trash Now” to empty the entire bin.  Stephanie Lin/Business Insider

How to empty trash in Gmail on a mobile device

1. Open Gmail on your mobile device. 

2. Tap the three parallel lines at top left.

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Tap the three parallel lines to open trash bin.  Stephanie Lin/Business Insider

3. Tap "Trash,"  then select "Empty Trash Now" or "Empty Bin now."

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Tap "Empty Bin now" or "Empty Trash Now" to clear your trash bin in Gmail.  Stephanie Lin/Business Insider

Please note that emails will be automatically deleted after 30 days in the trash folder, so if you regret deleting one from the inbox, you would need to revert it to your inbox before 30 days time frame. 

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Steven John has been a freelance writer for more than a dozen years and has been a regular contributor to Business Insider since 2017. His work includes a focus on the tech world, covering companies including Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Google, and others. He also reviews restaurants, shares how-to cooking articles, and writes general interest pieces.Steven also writes for publications including Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, Forbes, and more. In the past, he also wrote for New York Magazine, Mashed, U.S. News & World Report and other outlets. He runs his own outdoor lifestyle site, Dad Gear Review, and co-hosts the Fact Trekkers podcast with his son. He has had two novels published, Three A.M. and Outrider. He graduated from Emerson College with a degree in communications focused on filmmaking.He is an avid outdoorsman and can be frequently found in a kayak or on a mountain trail, often with his family along for the adventure.Expertise:Tech industryTech hardwareOutdoorsCookingRestaurantsDIYPopular articles:Microsoft: A history of the software giant co-founded by Bill Gates, its products and services, jobs, layoffs, and moreYouTube is a major entertainment force. Here's the platform's history, plus how to create a channel and upload videos.Inside the life and career of Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder, billionaire, and philanthropistTim Cook net worth: How the Apple leader earns and spends his moneyBecoming an Amazon seller is a simple process. Here's what's involved, plus how you make money and get paid.