Learn Techniques to Remove Duplicate Outlook Recipients

  author
Rollins Duke   
Published: August 1st, 2023 • 6 Min Read

This informative article explains complete detailed information to remove duplicate Outlook recipients from contacts groups. Nowadays several users want to know how to remove duplicate recipients from to/cc/bcc field in Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, and 2010 editions.

Users want to get rid of clutter in Outlook recipients’ members because the same contacts may be available in different distribution groups. Users want to remove duplicate recipients in Outlook because it leads to redundancy in the group’s list.

Disadvantages to Have Outlook Duplicate Recipients

  • Users may receive the same email multiple times due to duplicate clutter in the Outlook distribution group members list.
  • Having duplicates in Outlook distribution group can make it difficult to keep contact information up to date.
  • Outlook duplicate recipients in contact groups can result in unnecessary storage consumption.
  • Many email providers and organizations impose sending limits to prevent spam and abuse. Hence, crucial emails may not be delivered.
  • removing duplicate recipients in Outlook email distribution groups becomes necessary because it creates difficulties while managing the group.
  • Duplicate recipient member entries can interfere with search and filter functions in Microsoft Outlook.

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5 Steps Guide to Remove Duplicate Recipients Outlook?

  1. Launch BitRecover Tool on your machine.
  2. Add Outlook profile data to software.
  3. Select contact groups and hit Next.
  4. Enable within or across folder removal.
  5. Click Extract to remove replica recipients.

Read Also: Tips to Remove Duplicate Calendar from Outlook

#1 Method: Delete Duplicate Recipients in Outlook by Creating Test Group

  1. See Outlook duplicate recipients available in to/cc/bcc fields.
    duplicate outlook recipients
  2. Choose the Home option from the Outlook Ribbon menu.
    select home
  3. Hit the New Item’s drop-down sign as shown in the figure.
    new items drop down
  4. Select the More Items > option from dropdown.
    more items
  5. Choose the Contact Group option from the right panel.
    contact group
  6. Type the name of the Distribution Group i.e., Test Contact Group.
    test contacts group
  7. Now select Add Members >> From Address Book option as you can see.
    add members
  8. Add members to distribution group from address book.
    select contacts to add
  9. Here you can see group recipients list, and choose Save & Close.
    save and close
  10. Now back to email composing window and type “T” to see the recently created Test Contact Group.
    contacts group created
  11. Click the Plus icon, in front of a distribution group.
    plus icon
  12. See Expand List warning and popup message, press Ok.
    expand list popup
  13. Outlook remove duplicate recipients fixed successfully.
    remove duplicate recipients outlook
  14. Select old duplicate recipients’ distribution group and choose the Delete option.
    delete contact group
  15. Choose recently created Test Contact Group and select the Edit button.
    edit test group
  16. Now rename the newly created Test Contact Group as the old group.
    rename recipients group
  17. Here is your final Contact Group without having duplicate member clutter.
    remove duplicate recipients from outlook email

Note: Thereafter, you can again repeat above mentioned steps to remove duplicate recipients from to/cc/bcc field in your Outlook profile.

#2 Method: Remove Duplicate Outlook Recipients Using MS Excel

  1. Select and copy all duplicate recipients in to/cc/bcc fields in Outlook.
    duplicate outlook recipients
  2. Start Microsoft Excel and paste in Excel Sheet Column (i.e., Cell A1, or other).
    paste in excel
  3. Choose the Text to Columns option that is available under the Data menu.
    text to columns
  4. Enable the Delimited option from choices and select the Next button.
    delimited
  5. Select Semicolon as Delimiters and click Next.
    delimiters semicolon
  6. Now choose the Finish button.
    finish
  7. Select recipients from Excel and choose Copy via right-clicking.
    copy recipients
  8. Paste in a different row i.e., Cell A2 by selecting Transpose from the paste options.
    transpose
  9. After that, choose the Remove Duplicates option from Data Tab.
    remove duplicates
  10. Choose a column and press the Ok button.
    select column
  11. See Excel popup message, removed duplicate recipients in Outlook email.
    outlook remove duplicate recipients

Note: Now copy unique recipients from Microsoft Excel and paste recipients from to/cc/bcc field in Outlook while sending emails.

Common Limitations of Manual Techniques

  • A lengthy and time-consuming process that required some technical knowledge.
  • While removing duplicate Outlook recipients, humans can do mistakes.
  • Never recommended to delete duplicate recipients in Outlook at a large scale.
  • Managing and organizing large volumes of data can be challenging and prone to errors.
  • Real-time insights are not available when removing duplicate recipients’ Outlook.

#3 Method: Use Professional Software to Fix Recipients

Best Outlook Duplicate Remover Tool developed by BitRecover is an excellent software that comes with exclusive filters and easy to use interface. This tool is specially designed for business and professional users to remove duplicate recipients from Outlook email recipients. This software can remove duplicate contacts in Outlook clients including emails, calendars, tasks, notes, journals, attachments, do-to lists, etc.

Some benefits of this suggested software, are mentioned below:

  • Remove duplicate recipients from to/cc/bcc field in Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, and old versions.
  • Dual modes to delete duplicate recipients in Outlook within and across the distribution groups.
  • Several exclusive and advance filtration options are available to Outlook remove duplicate recipients.
  • Compatible with both Windows as well as Mac operating system-based computers.

How to Remove Duplicate Recipients from To/Cc/Bcc Field in Outlook?

  1. Launch the software and choose one option for adding configured Outlook mailbox data.
    add outlook data
  2. Choose the required items i.e., Contacts or Group Contact, and press the Next button.
    select outlook folders
  3. Select a mode to fix Outlook duplicate recipients within and across the folders.
    two mode
  4. Browse destination path to store Outlook data after fixing duplicate recipients’ clutter.
    browse destination path
  5. Hit the Extract button to delete duplicate Outlook recipients.
    delete duplicate recipients in outlook

Frequently Asked Questions

Que 1: How to delete duplicate recipients in Outlook?

Ans: Choose any way according to your preferences from above mentioned 3 techniques, all are expert-verified ways.

Que 2: Does Outlook remove duplicate recipients?

Ans: Yes, you can remove duplicate Outlook recipients by creating and renaming a temporary distribution group. For complete details read above mentioned 1st method.

Que 3: Does your tool work with Outlook-exported orphaned PST or OST files?

Ans: Yes, the tool supports all types of Outlook data files i.e., configured, orphaned, and damaged using the Recovery Mode option.

Read Similar: Know Why Is Outlook Receiving Duplicate Emails