This guide shows how to log in to cPanel Webmail and remove emails older than 24 months or whatever time frame you require to reduce mailbox storage usage. These steps use Roundcube, which is the most common cPanel webmail interface.
Before You Start
- You will need your full email address (e.g.
name@yourdomain.com) and email password. - Deleting emails only frees space after you empty the Trash.
- We recommend cleaning INBOX, Sent, and Archive folders (these often contain the most data).
Tip: If you need to keep important old emails, consider exporting or saving them before deleting.
Step 1: Log in to Webmail
- Open your browser and go to:
https://yourdomain.com/webmail
(Replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain name) - Enter your email address and email password, then log in.
- When prompted, choose Roundcube.
Step 2: Open the Folder You Want to Clean
In Roundcube, select the folder you want to clean up:
- INBOX (usually the largest)
- Sent (often contains large attachments)
- Archive (commonly holds historic mail)
- Any custom folders you created
Step 3: Filter Emails Older Than 24 Months or whatever timeframe you require
We’ll use Roundcube’s search to show emails older than 24 months or whatever timeframe you require.
- Click the Search bar at the top of the message list.
- Open Advanced search (or click the filter icon, depending on your Roundcube version).
- Set the date rule to find older emails:
- Date: before
- Date value: enter a date that is 24 months ago or whatever timeframe you require
- Run/apply the search.
Example: If today is January 2026, use a date in January 2024 (or earlier) for “before”.
Step 4: Select and Delete the Emails
- Select emails using the checkbox at the top of the message list (selects the current page).
- If there are multiple pages of results, repeat page-by-page.
- Click the Delete (trash) icon.
Note: Some Roundcube versions show an option like “Select all messages”. If available, use that to select all results.
Step 5: Empty the Trash (Important)
Deleting moves messages to Trash. To free disk space, you must empty the Trash folder.
- Click the Trash folder.
- Select all messages.
- Click Empty or Delete permanently (wording varies).
- Confirm when prompted.
Important: Disk space is not reclaimed until Trash is emptied.
Step 6: Repeat for Other Folders (Recommended)
Repeat Steps 2–5 for these folders as well:
- Sent
- Archive
- Any custom folders that may contain old mail
Optional: Quickly Find Large Emails
If you are running out of space, deleting a small number of very large emails can help fast.
- Sort by Size (if available), or
- Search for emails with attachments and remove old messages you no longer need.
Need Help?
If you’re unsure what to delete, or if you have queries about the mailbox cleanup, please contact support with:
- The email address(es) you want to clean up
- Whether you want to delete emails older than 24 months from INBOX only, or also Sent/Archive
