Can you recover a deleted draft in outlook​

Microsoft Outlook is a widely used email client that helps users manage their communication efficiently. Many rely on Outlook’s draft feature to compose and store emails before sending them. However, it can be frustrating when an important draft gets deleted unintentionally. While recovering a deleted draft is not always straightforward, there are multiple methods you can try, depending on how and when the deletion occurred.

Drafts Folder: When you create an email but do not send it, Outlook saves it in the Drafts folder.

Deleted Items Folder: If a draft is deleted, it may move to this folder before permanent deletion.

Recoverable Items Folder: Deleted emails that are emptied from the Deleted Items folder can sometimes be retrieved from this hidden folder.

AutoSave Feature: Outlook periodically saves drafts automatically, which may help recover lost content.

Method 1: Check the Drafts Folder

If your draft was not intentionally deleted, it might still be available in the Drafts folder:

Open Outlook.

Navigate to the Drafts folder in the left pane.

Look for your draft. If found, open and continue editing or move it to a different folder for safekeeping.

Method 2: Recover from Deleted Items Folder

If you accidentally deleted a draft, check the Deleted Items folder:

Open Outlook and go to the Deleted Items folder.

Look for your deleted draft. You can use the search bar to find it quickly.

If found, right-click and select Move to > Drafts Folder.

Method 3: Use the Recover Deleted Items Feature

If you emptied the Deleted Items folder, you might still be able to retrieve your draft from the Recoverable Items folder.

Open Outlook.

Go to the Deleted Items folder.

Click on Recover Deleted Items from Server (this option is available in Outlook 365 and some versions of Outlook for Windows).

Look for your deleted draft in the list.

Select it and click Restore. The draft will be moved back to the Deleted Items folder, from where you can restore it to the Drafts folder.

Method 4: Check AutoSaved Drafts

Outlook’s AutoSave feature can sometimes restore drafts:

Open Outlook and start composing a new email.

Click File > Info > Manage Versions (if available).

Look for an automatically saved version of the draft.

If found, restore it and save it in the Drafts folder.

Method 5: Check the Outlook Web App (OWA)

If you use Outlook with an Exchange or Office 365 account, you may find your deleted draft in the Outlook Web App:

Log in to Outlook Web App (OWA).

Navigate to the Drafts or Deleted Items folder.

Look for your draft and move it back if found.

Method 6: Restore from a Backup

If you have Outlook backups enabled, you might be able to restore the deleted draft:

Open File Explorer and navigate to the backup location (e.g., OneDrive or an external drive).

Look for Outlook PST files or backups.

Import the backup into Outlook by going to File > Open & Export > Import/Export.

Follow the prompts to restore deleted emails, including drafts.

Method 7: Use Data Recovery Software

Panda Assistant makes recovering a deleted draft in Outlook quick and efficient. If you’ve accidentally deleted an unsaved email draft, the first step is to check the Deleted Items folder. Outlook temporarily stores deleted drafts here, allowing easy recovery by right-clicking the email and selecting Move to Drafts.

If the draft is not in Deleted Items, Panda Assistant can help by scanning your Outlook data file (PST/OST) for recoverable content. It utilizes advanced recovery techniques to retrieve lost drafts even if they were permanently deleted.

For Exchange or Microsoft 365 users, Panda Assistant can assist in restoring drafts from the Recoverable Items folder, accessible through Recover Deleted Items in Outlook. If needed, it can also restore previous versions of the mailbox using backup files or shadow copies.