How do I empty trash in iPad mail app

You can navigate to the Trash folder by tapping your account id at the top of the Inbox to go up a level, and you should then be able to do into account's Trash folder - tap the Edit button at the top of the list of emails in the Trash and you should get a Delete All button appear at the bottom of it.

If your iPad is on iOS 7 then when viewing the Trash folder tap the Edit button at the top of the list of emails :

and you should then get a 'Delete All' option appear at the bottom of the list of emails :

I am viewing the Trash folder.....I am using gmail, would that make the difference? Thank you so much for taking the time with this!

I downloaded gmail, because I thought I read that with gmail I could sync ipad and Mac mail....without changing my email address...that didn't work!

It's possible, but I don't use gmail so I can't check if I get the same thing. If you select the account in Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars and then on the popup tap the account id at the top of it, then Advanced - is Deleted Mailbox the Trash folder that's selected the one on the server ?

t's true that folders are essentially tags in Gmail, but it is NOT true about Trash emails being retained forever unless you click "delete forever".

The Trash and Spam "folders" are deleted permanently after 30-days. Paying Google Apps accounts have even more control over the duration of time Google retains emails in other folders as well.

The policy is here. https://support.google.com/a/answer/151128?hl=en

There is no delete all button on my ipad

Mine is 7.0.3, and there is no delete all option....

And you are viewing the Trash folder ? What options do you get at the bottom of the email list when you tap the Edit button ?

After selecting edit, I have Mark All at the bottom

Then after selecting a few emails, I get: Mark Move Trash

What email folder are you viewing ? The 'Delete All' should appear if it's the Trash folder.

Yes, the deleted mailbox is the Trash folder.....

I just looked at my husband's ipad, and it is just the same as mine, and he doesn't use gmail....I suspect it has something to do with the new OS???

My iPad is on iOS 7.0.3 and it works ok for me on my non-gmail email accounts, so it might be gmail related.

It's weird! Because my husband's ipad is the same....I shall just have to mark it down as an Apple conundrum...

I believe you're talking about two different Apps. King_Penguin is describing the Apple Maill app and the OP is using the Gmail app with his gmail account. Which does NOT have a Delete All option.