Last Updated on July 14, 2022 by srinivas
If you’ve received an email that you suspect is spam or worse, you probably don’t want to open it to find out. Spammers often use tracking pixels to see if an email they sent has been read by the recipient, alerting them to a potential victim of one of their tricks. (You can learn how to stop this in our email block tracking tutorial.)
There’s also a chance that an email will contain a link to a spoof site that wants to steal your data, so it’s best to send them straight to the trash. Here’s the easy way to delete an email on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac without opening it.
How to delete an unopened email on iPhone or iPad
There are a number of ways to do this, both of which are very simple. The first method uses the Edit in Mail option, while the second uses in-app swipe gestures. Here are the steps to take:
Deleting an Unopened Email Using the Edit Feature
Start Mail.
Tap the Edit button in the top right corner.
Tap the circle to the left of the email you want to delete.
Tap the Move option at the bottom of the screen.
Choose the Trash or Bin folder to delete the email.
iOS/iPadOS deletes the email automatically.
Foundry / IDG
Start Mail.
Swipe left slowly on the email you want to delete.
When you see the three colored options appear, release your finger from the screen.
Tap More.
In the menu that opens, select Delete message.
Foundry / IDG
Delete an email without opening it on your Mac
Deleting an email from your Mac’s inbox is dead easy. Here is the quick way to rid yourself of those pesky missives.
Open the Mail app.
Locate the email you want to delete (but don’t click on it).
Right-click or Control-click the email. (If you’re not sure how to do this, learn how to right-click on a Mac.)
Select Delete from the menu that appears.
Foundry / IDG
That is it. Your inbox is safe again.
For more tips on Mail or the best alternatives out there, check out How to Open Stubborn Email Attachments on Mac, Best Mail Apps for iPhone, and Best Mail Apps for Mac.