How to Delete an Address from the Outlook Auto-Complete List

Outlook remembers every address you have typed in a To:, Cc: or Bcc: field. This is good: when you start keying in a name or address, Outlook automatically suggest the contact in its entirety.

Unfortunately, Outlook remembers the mistyped and old as well as the correct and current — and suggest it indiscriminately. Fortunately, getting rid of entries you no longer want to appear in the auto-complete list is easy.

Delete an Address from the Outlook Auto-Complete List

To remove a name or email address from Outlook's auto-complete list:

• Create a new email message in Outlook.
• Start typing the name or address you want to remove.
• Use the down arrow key to highlight the desired (undesired) entry.
• Press Del.

Prevent Outlook Address Auto-Completion Altogether

You can also stop Outlook from suggesting email addresses as you type:

• Select Tools | Options... from the menu.
• Go to the Preferences tab.
• Click E-mail Options....
• Now click Advanced E-mail Options....
• Make sure Suggest names while completing To, Cc, and Bcc fields is not checked.
• Click OK.
• Click OK again.
• Click OK once more.