How to Remove Duplicate Items in Microsoft Outlook?

Remove Duplicate Items in Microsoft Outlook:

To remove duplicate items in Microsoft Outlook can clog your inbox, reduce productivity, and lead to confusion. It can be challenging to track what has been deleted and what has been added, mainly when importing files into Outlook. Even worse, when importing, Outlook's duplicate detection feature is, by default, disabled, which causes duplicates to go unnoticed.

However, getting rid of duplicate items is manageable. There are several methods for swiftly and effectively removing Outlook duplicate items without the need for advanced technical knowledge. Thus, you will find a detailed tutorial on locating and eliminating duplicate items from your Outlook mailbox in this post.

How might having Duplicate Items Bother You?

Microsoft Outlook is one of the well-known programs included in the Microsoft Suite. Outlook uses a lot of resources to function smoothly. Duplicate emails and messages are a common problem for Outlook users. You will likely encounter the issues listed below.

Confusing emails are sent in duplicate. The user needs help to verify whether or not an email was answered. Your repeated responses to the same email will only cause more misunderstandings between clients and team members.

The size of the Outlook data files is unnecessarily increased by duplicate emails. Outlook starts to operate more slowly. It has a detrimental effect on corporate productivity. Accessing and responding to new emails takes longer.

Duplicate items will increase the size of the Exchange/Office 365 mailbox if Outlook is set up with Exchange Server or Office 365.

It will require more space to store Outlook backups, and you will have to pay more for additional space if you store backups on any external cloud storage.

Factors that Lead to Email Message Duplication

There are Numerous Explanations, Some of Which are Mentioned Below.

Incorrect Rule Configuration

When you receive an email message, it will be apparent if the rules are configured correctly. Emails are repeated as a result of this.

Short Message Delivery and Reception Intervals

A low update frequency in the inbox will cause data duplication, preventing emails and other content from syncing.

An Error Occurred During Account Setup

For example, using the same email address on a laptop and a mobile device will result in the incoming message synchronising repeatedly. This might be one of the causes of duplicate emails in the Outlook inbox.

Inappropriate Mailbox Settings

If the mailbox parameters are set incorrectly when creating an account in Outlook, it is likely to receive the same email and any message more than once.

Technical Problems

The duplicate Outlook items can also be attributed to a mail server technical problem. These incidents usually occur when you enable the "Leave Messages on the Server" option. When different incoming emails are subject to two or more "move a copy to" rules, Microsoft Outlook's inaccurate configuration is controlled. 

Outlook duplicates should be eliminated because, regardless of the cause, having multiple copies of a single message will reduce Outlook's productivity.

Removing duplicate items in Microsoft Outlook is essential for keeping your mailbox tidy. You have a few options, including the strategies covered in the blog or a trustworthy third-party tool. However, ensure your data is safe before using any of these techniques.

FAQ's

Does Outlook Eliminate Duplicates on Its Own?

A: Once duplicate contacts are created, they cannot be automatically deleted from your contact folders. Outlook lets you import contacts from a file; when you import them again, it will look for duplicates.

What does Outlook Clean-up vs Delete Mean?

All redundant messages are contained in the deleted items. All messages associated with a conversation are moved to the Deleted Items folder when the conversation is cleaned up. You can also retrieve messages from your Deleted Items folder.