Calendar Problems

Fix Shared Mailbox Calendar Events Reappearing After Deletion in Outlook

Chanuka Geekiyanage Oct 9, 2026 868 views

Question details

Users with Editor permissions are unable to permanently delete events from a shared mailbox calendar, as the deleted events continue to reappear.

How to Fix Shared Mailbox Calendar Events Reappearing After Deletion in Outlook

Product: Microsoft Outlook
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to delete unwanted calendar events from a shared mailbox using an account with Editor permissions.
Observed behavior: Deleted events automatically return in both the Outlook desktop app and Outlook on the web. Only users with Full Access permissions are able to successfully delete the events.

Before you start

Ensure you have access to a Microsoft 365 Exchange Administrator account, as resolving this backend storage issue requires executing PowerShell commands.

Solution 1Recommended

Run Managed Folder Assistant to Clear Recoverable Items

This is the recommended solution to force Exchange to process the mailbox and clear the full Recoverable Items folder, which is causing the events to bounce back.

When the Recoverable Items folder in a shared mailbox reaches its maximum capacity, standard deletion actions fail because there is no space to store the 'deleted' state. Running the Managed Folder Assistant forces the server to process retention tags and clear out old recoverable items.

Connect to Exchange Online

Open PowerShell as an administrator and connect to Exchange Online by running the appropriate connection module for your Microsoft 365 environment.

Run the Managed Folder Assistant Command

Type the command 'Start-ManagedFolderAssistant -Identity <sharedmailbox@yourdomain.com>' (replace with the actual shared mailbox email address) and press Enter.

Wait for Processing

Allow some time for the assistant to process the mailbox in the background and clear the full Recoverable Items folder.

Verify Event Deletion

Restart Microsoft Outlook, log in with your Editor account, and attempt to delete the problematic calendar event again.

Run Managed Folder Assistant to Clear Recoverable Items

Admin Privileges Required: If you are an end-user, you must contact your company's IT support or Microsoft 365 administrator to run this cmdlet on your behalf.

Solution 2

Delete the Event Using a Full Access Account

If you cannot immediately run backend scripts, users with Full Access permissions can bypass the error as a temporary workaround.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do deleted calendar events keep coming back in Outlook?

This typically happens because the hidden 'Recoverable Items' folder in the Exchange mailbox is completely full. When it reaches its data limit, normal deletions fail, causing items to bounce back to their original location.

What is the Recoverable Items folder in Microsoft 365?

It is a hidden storage area in Exchange Online that temporarily holds deleted items to protect against accidental data loss. It is governed by retention policies set by your IT administrator.

How do I check if my shared mailbox is full?

An Exchange Administrator can check the mailbox and hidden folder storage sizes by running the 'Get-MailboxFolderStatistics' command in Exchange Online PowerShell.

Can I empty the Recoverable Items folder myself?

Regular users, even those with Editor permissions, cannot manually empty this hidden folder. It requires an administrator to run the Managed Folder Assistant or adjust retention policies.

Outlook & Email Problems