How to Fix Gmail Error That Won’t Let You Empty Your Trash and Spam
Even though my inbox is bulky, I try my best to keep it as clean and organized as possible. This includes some time to throw away old emails with giant attachments and then empty out my trash to see how much space I saved.
Unfortunately, due to some bug in Android Gmail app, it is now difficult to empty spam and trash. If this affects you – and not all devices, since I have not experienced any issues on my Pixel 4 using Gmail – you will notice that the familiar “Empty Trash Now” and “Clear Spam Now” no longer appear when you visit these folders on your device.
In this case, the workaround – until Google suggests a fix – is pretty straightforward. In fact, you have several fixes. First, you can ditch the Gmail app entirely and use the web interface to clean up all spam and junk. It adds a little extra time, but honestly , how many people empty these folders on a regular or daily basis? I’m going to guess: very few of you.
Second, you can revert to an earlier version of the Gmail app. Uninstall it and go to APK Mirror . As reported by Android Police , last year’s version of Gmail seems to still have these “havoc” options, so download “Gmail 2019.12.30.289507923.release” on your Android device and don’t auto-update from the Google Play Store until you hear about correction. (To do this, find the app in the Google Play store, tap the three dots icon in the upper right corner, and uncheck the “Turn on automatic updates” checkbox.)
The simplest solution to this problem is unusual, and you will have to repeat it every time you want to restore the “Empty” option in the trash or spam. Put the device in landscape mode and then return it to portrait mode, after which the “Empty” option will reappear. You can also open spam or trash and then click the Back button to return to your main list; when you do, there should be an option “Blank”.