# imap_delete

(PHP 4, PHP 5)

imap_delete — Mark a message for deletion from current mailbox

### Description

bool imap_delete ( int `$imap_stream` , int `$msg_number` [, int `$options` ] )

Marks messages listed in `msg_number` for deletion. Messages marked for deletion will stay in the mailbox until either imap_expunge() is called or imap_close() is called with the optional parameter `CL_EXPUNGE`.

### Parameters

`imap_stream`

  An IMAP stream returned by imap_open().

`msg_number`

  The message number

`options`

  You can set the `FT_UID` which tells the function to treat the `msg_number` argument as an UID.

### Return Values

Returns `TRUE`.

### Examples

Example#1 imap_delete() example

`<?php
$mbox = imap_open("{imap.example.org}INBOX", "username", "password")
or die("Can't connect: " . imap_last_error());
$check = imap_mailboxmsginfo($mbox);
echo "Messages before delete: " . $check->Nmsgs . "<br />\n";
imap_delete($mbox, 1);
$check = imap_mailboxmsginfo($mbox);
echo "Messages after delete: " . $check->Nmsgs . "<br />\n";
imap_expunge($mbox);
$check = imap_mailboxmsginfo($mbox);
echo "Messages after expunge: " . $check->Nmsgs . "<br />\n";
imap_close($mbox);
?>`

### Notes

> Note: POP3 mailboxes do not have their message flags saved between connections, so imap_expunge() must be called during the same connection in order for messages marked for deletion to actually be purged.

### See Also

- imap_undelete()
- imap_expunge()
- imap_close()