How to Delete an Email Address from the Auto-Complete List in Outlook for Windows

Outlook remembers every email address you’ve typed into email messages. These email addresses become part of the auto-complete list and matching items from that list are suggested as you type in the To, Cc, and Bcc fields.

The auto-complete list even includes mistyped addresses and old addresses you don’t use. Over time, the auto-complete list can get very long and you will see addresses you don’t need or want anymore. So, here’s how to delete an email address from it.

To get started, open Outlook and then create a new email message by clicking the “New Email” button on the Home tab.

In the To, Cc, or Bcc field, start typing the name or email address you want to delete from the auto-complete list. Names and addresses that match what you type start displaying in a list below the field. When you see the name or address you want to delete, hover your mouse over the item until you see an “X” on the right side. Click on that “X” to delete the name or address from the auto-complete list. If you prefer to use the keyboard, use the arrow keys to move down the list and then press the Delete key when the name or address you want to delete is selected.

The name or email address is removed from the list and will not display the next time you start to type it in the To, Cc, or Bcc field.

When you type a complete email address into the To, Cc, or Bcc field, it’s added to the auto-complete list whether you sent the email, saved it as a draft, or closed the Message window without saving it. Once an email address is removed from the auto-complete list, it won’t appear again unless you select it from your Contacts list or type the address into the To, Cc, or Bcc field manually.