Drafts in Microsoft Outlook are often home to unfinished emails, ideas in progress, or important communications pending final review. Accidentally deleting a draft can cause distress, especially if it contained critical information not saved elsewhere. Fortunately, depending on your Outlook setup (web, desktop app, or mobile), there are several potential ways to recover deleted drafts.
Section 1: How Drafts Work in Outlook
To understand how to recover a draft, it's essential to first understand how Outlook handles drafts:
Automatic Saving: Outlook autosaves drafts every few minutes.
Storage Location: Drafts are stored in the Drafts folder associated with your email account (Outlook.com, Exchange, or IMAP/POP).
Manual Deletion: Deleted drafts are typically moved to the Deleted Items folder.
Permanent Deletion: If you empty the Deleted Items folder or delete a draft from it, it becomes harder (but not always impossible) to recover.
Section 2: Recovering a Deleted Draft from the Deleted Items Folder
This is the most straightforward method for recovering a deleted draft:
Open Outlook (desktop, web, or mobile).
Navigate to the Deleted Items folder.
Search for the subject line or keywords in your draft.
Once located, right-click on the draft and choose Move to Folder > Drafts.
Note: Items in Deleted Items remain for a default retention period (usually 30 days for Outlook.com, adjustable for Exchange accounts).
Section 3: Recovering a Draft in Outlook Web (Outlook.com)
If you're using Outlook via a web browser:
Go to https://outlook.live.com.
Click on Deleted Items in the left pane.
Use the search bar to find your draft (search for part of the text or subject).
If found, right-click and select Move to Drafts.
Tip: Check your Recover items deleted from this folder link at the bottom of the Deleted Items list. This is where emails go if permanently deleted from Deleted Items but still within the recovery period.
Section 4: Using Outlook Desktop Application to Recover Drafts
If you use the Microsoft Outlook desktop app:
Open the app.
Navigate to the Deleted Items folder.
Right-click and choose Recover Deleted Items (if using Exchange).
Select the draft, then click Recover Selected Items.
Check your Drafts folder for the recovered message.
Important: POP/IMAP accounts often do not support advanced recovery.
Section 5: Recovering Drafts via Outlook Mobile App
If you’re on the Outlook app for iOS or Android:
Tap the Menu (three horizontal lines).
Go to the Deleted folder.
Browse or search for the draft.
Tap and hold the draft, then choose Move to Folder > Drafts.
Limitations: Mobile versions offer limited recovery functions compared to web or desktop.
Section 6: Recovering Drafts with Microsoft 365/Exchange Online
Microsoft 365 users have more advanced recovery features:
Sign into Outlook Web with your 365 credentials.
Go to Deleted Items, then click Recover items deleted from this folder.
Select the draft, click Restore.
It will be restored to your Deleted Items, where you can move it back to Drafts.
Admin Tip: Admins can use eDiscovery tools or retention policies to retrieve deleted content within a defined period.
Section 7: Searching for Unsaved Drafts (If Never Manually Saved)
Sometimes a draft might not be deleted—it simply wasn’t saved correctly:
Autosave Path: Outlook autosaves temporary drafts locally (especially in the desktop version).
Check the Drafts folder even if you're unsure it was saved.
Use Advanced Search or search for keywords across All Mailboxes.
On Windows, look for temp files or .tmp/.olk files in %localappdata%\Microsoft\Outlook.
Tip: Also try searching recent documents in Word if you copied/pasted text.
Section 8: Recovery Tools and File History (Windows Only)
In rare cases where drafts were locally saved as files (e.g., saved to disk manually):
Use Windows File History to browse previous versions of Outlook PST/OST files.
Restore a previous version before the draft was deleted.
Caution: This is advanced and only helpful if the draft was stored offline.
Section 9: Third-Party Tools for Outlook Draft Recovery
Panda Data Recovery
Panda Data Recovery can be a reliable solution for retrieving deleted drafts in Microsoft Outlook. Designed to scan deeply into your storage systems, Panda Data Recovery supports recovery from PST and OST files the data formats used by Outlook to store emails, contacts, and drafts.
How It Works:
Download and Install: Begin by downloading Panda Data Recovery and installing it on your system.
Select the Drive: Choose the drive where your Outlook data file (usually PST or OST) is stored.
Scan for Lost Files: Run a deep scan to locate deleted items, including unsaved or lost drafts.
Preview and Recover: Once the scan is complete, Panda allows you to preview recoverable items. Look for your deleted draft and recover it with one click.
Benefits:
Supports recovery from corrupted or deleted PST/OST files.
Allows selective recovery ideal for finding one missing draft.
Works even after files are permanently deleted from the Recycle Bin or Deleted Items folder.
Tip: Always close Outlook before running a recovery scan for best results. Back up any found files before importing them back into Outlook.
Section 10: Preventive Measures for Draft Protection
To avoid losing drafts in the future, consider the following:
Enable Autosave in Outlook settings.
Manually save your drafts frequently.
Use cloud-based storage (Microsoft 365. OneDrive integration).
Set up backup routines for your PST files.
Consider using Outlook Rules to move or copy critical drafts/emails.
Recovering a deleted draft in Outlook is typically feasible if action is taken promptly. Whether using the Deleted Items folder, advanced recovery in Microsoft 365. or third-party recovery tools, multiple paths exist depending on your Outlook version and account type. Acting quickly, searching thoroughly, and implementing preventative measures can help ensure you never lose important draft content again. Remember to check all available folders, leverage your account’s recovery tools, and keep your Outlook data backed up regularly for maximum safety.
