How to unsend an email
The ability to unsend an email depends on the email service or client you are using. Here are instructions for some popular email platforms:
- Gmail:
- After sending an email in Gmail, you'll see a message at the bottom of the screen that says "Your message has been sent." Next to this message, you'll find an "Undo" link.
- Click on the "Undo" link immediately after sending the email to retract it.
- Gmail provides a default setting that allows you to undo sent emails for a few seconds (typically around 5-10 seconds). You can adjust this setting by going to Gmail's settings and selecting the "Undo Send" option.
- Outlook (Web version):
- After sending an email in Outlook web version, look for the "Undo" button that appears at the top of the screen in a yellow bar.
- Click on the "Undo" button immediately after sending the email to retract it.
- The "Undo" option is available for a short period of time (a few seconds) after sending the email.
- Outlook (Desktop version):
- In Outlook desktop version, there is no built-in "Undo" button specifically for unsending emails.
- However, if you have a Microsoft 365 subscription or an Exchange account, you can recall a message if both you and the recipient are using Microsoft Exchange. To recall a message, find the sent email in your "Sent Items" folder, open it, and go to the "Message" tab in the Outlook toolbar. Click on the "Actions" button and select "Recall This Message." Keep in mind that this feature is dependent on various factors and may not always be successful.
It's important to note that even if you try to unsend an email, there is no guarantee that it will be fully retracted or that the recipient will not have seen the contents. The success of unsending or recalling an email depends on factors such as the email service, the settings of the recipient's email client, and how quickly you take action after sending the email.
To minimize the risk of sending an incorrect or unintended email, it's always a good practice to double-check your emails before sending and to use features like draft saving and preview options when available.