I have been sent a number of encrypted emails.  I do not have the encryption certificate for these emails and I have no way of obtaining it.  I do not want to open these emails.  I just want to delete them.

But whenever I try to delete them (permanently, or from the Deleted Items folder) I get the error "Your digital ID name cannot be found by the underlying security system".

How can I delete these emails from Outlook 2013?

• Edited by Melon Chen CHNMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator Wednesday, January 14, 2015 1:11 AM Detail OPs Outlook version from a duplicate thread:https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/37ba92ce-45b4-4460-9385-e5272b26e9a1/unable-to-delete-email-your-digital-id-name-cannot-be-found-by-the-underlying-security-system?forum=outlook

If you do not use Exchange, export all mail to another PST file, but not the encrypted mails.

Set the new pst as default, and delete the old one.

• Marked as answer by mikehughesc 21 hours 44 minutes ago

Many thanks for this.  I didn't actually solve it this way, but your solution inspired what (for me at least) is a better and quicker solution.  I created a new .pst file, dragged the unwanted emails to it, and then closed and deleted it.

How bizarre that this is necessary - why would Outlook need a digital ID just to delete something?!

• Marked as answer by mikehughesc 21 hours 44 minutes ago

If it is encrypted by a certificate, then you need to have that certificate to edit or delete it. It is by design.

Hi,

Just checking in to see if the information from ahuibers was helpful. Please let us know if you would like further assistance.

Regards,

Melon Chen

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