When a mailbox gets close to its storage limit, cPanel's Email Disk Usage tool is the quickest way to free up mailbox space. It shows how much space each folder uses and lets you delete old, large or already-read messages in bulk, without downloading them first.
Before you delete anything
- Deleting here is permanent. Messages don't go to Trash first.
- If you want to keep a copy of old mail, save it first -- for example, drag it to a local folder in Outlook, Apple Mail or Thunderbird.
- Our JetBackup 5 backups keep about two weeks of history, so a mistake can usually be recovered if you notice soon (How to Restore an Email Account with JetBackup 5). Don't rely on that for mail you want to keep long-term.
How to see what's using your mailbox space
- Log in to cPanel and go to Email > Email Disk Usage.
- Choose the email address from the Account menu.
- A table lists each folder (Inbox, Sent, Trash, Spam and any folders you created) with the number of messages and the space they use.
Look for the biggest folders first. Sent mail with attachments, Trash and Spam are common culprits.
How to delete messages in bulk
- Click Manage next to the folder you want to clean up.
- Choose which messages to remove:
- 1 year old or more
- 30MB in size or more
- Previously viewed (messages already opened)
- All messages -- good for emptying Trash or Spam
- Custom query -- for example
LARGER 10Mfor messages over 10 MB, orBEFORE 2024-01-01for messages older than a date
- Click Delete Permanently.
The numbers in the table may take a little while to update after you delete, because disk usage is cached. Refresh the page after a few minutes.
Other ways to free up space
- Empty Trash and Spam in webmail. In Roundcube, click the Trash folder, then use the folder options menu (three dots) to empty it.
- Check your mail app's settings. Some apps keep deleted mail in Trash forever. Set Trash to empty automatically.
- Move old mail to your computer. In a desktop mail app, drag old folders to "On My Mac" or "Local Folders". They stay on your computer and stop using server space -- but then only that computer has them, so back it up.
- Raise the quota. If the mailbox genuinely needs more room, increase its storage quota (How to Change an Email Account's Storage Quota in cPanel).
Common questions
How do I see how full each mailbox is?
Go to Email > Email Accounts. The Storage column shows each mailbox's usage against its quota.
I deleted mail in my phone but the space didn't go down
Most apps move deleted mail to Trash, which still counts. Empty Trash. If your phone uses POP3, deleting on the phone may not touch the server at all -- see IMAP vs POP3: Which Should You Use?.
Does email count toward my hosting disk space?
Yes. Email is stored on your Instant Access Internet Services hosting account, so large mailboxes use your account's disk space as well as the mailbox quota. See Understanding cPanel Statistics: Disk Space, Bandwidth and Databases.
My mailbox is already full and mail is bouncing
Clean it up with the steps above, then read How to Fix "Mailbox Full" Errors for what happens to the bounced messages.
Related guides
- How to Fix "Mailbox Full" Errors
- How to Change an Email Account's Storage Quota in cPanel
- IMAP vs POP3: Which Should You Use?
- Understanding cPanel Statistics: Disk Space, Bandwidth and Databases
Still stuck? Open a support ticket and the Instant Access Internet Services team will help.
