Outlook 2013 / 2016 IMAP Not Delete Emails in Gmail Inbox / All Mails

When deleting email messages in Microsoft Office Outlook 2013 or Outlook 2016 from Gmail (inclusive of both personal Gmail, paid commercial or free Google Apps) account which is configured to sync via IMAP protocol, the deleted emails may stuck in Inbox and do not move to Trash folder (label) when view in Gmail using web browser. Sometimes, even if the deleted emails are removed from Inbox, they’re still available inside “All Mail” folder, and not deleted and removed completely from the Gmail mailbox.

To make matter worse, the deleted email messages may be moved to Trash, but they’re continuing to show in Inbox and/or All Mail, even though user has empty the Trash folder (through Outlook or Gmail web interface), and switch folders so that all changes is synchronized between Outlook and Gmail.com on the cloud, and possibly other devices with connected to the same account.

In order to fix the issue, try the following workaround:

1. Login to Gmail web app at gmail.com.
2. Click or tap on the Gear icon to open the menu, and go to Settings.
3. Go to Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.
4. In “IMAP Access” section, set option of When I mark a message in IMAP as deleted to Auto-Expunge off – Wait for the client to update the server, and When a message is marked as deleted and expunged from the last visible IMAP folder to Move the message to the Trash.

   

5. Click or tap on Save Changes button.
6. In Outlook 2013 or Outlook 2016, select any folder of Gmail’s mailbox.
7. On the Ribbon toolbar, open Folder menu.
8. Click or tap on Purge -> Purge Options to open Internet E-mail Settings for the account.

   

9. Go to Advanced tab.
10. Under “Deleted Items” section, ensure that Purge items when switching folders while online is selected, while Mark items for deletion but do not move them automatically is not selected.

    

11. Click or tap OK when done.