Remove Email Addresses from Outlook Suggested List

Microsoft Outlook maintains a list of suggested contacts used by the automatic name-checking and auto-complete features. Over time, this nickname cache grows as you send messages, which can be a helpful shortcut. The downside is that the list may contain old or invalid addresses (for example, users who have changed their email address or modified their account settings). When you select one of these outdated nicknames, your message may fail to send or reach the wrong recipient.

Remove an outdated entry from the auto-complete list

Step 1: Start a new message

Open Outlook and create a new mail message.

Step 2: Trigger the auto-complete list

In the To field, type the first few characters of the name you want to remove. Outlook displays a list of suggested recipients that match the letters you typed.

Step 3: Delete the bad entry

Hover your mouse over the incorrect entry and press Delete, or click the X next to the entry to remove it from the list.

Tip: Repeat these steps for any other outdated suggestions. Removing a nickname only affects the auto-complete list; it does not delete the contact from your address book.