How to Unsend Outlook Email [Undo Send]

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Key Takeaways: How to Unsend Outlook Email

To Unsend Outlook Email

  1. Open “Sent Items“.
  2. Double-click the email.
  3. Go to “Message” > “Actions” > “Recall This Message“.
  4. Choose action, and click “OK”

OR

  1. Open New Email.
  2. Compose > Send > Open sent email.
  3. Click “File” > “Resend or Recall

OR

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Set “Undo” to 10 seconds.
  3. Compose.
  4. Send > click “Undo” within 10 seconds.

Welcome back, fellows. Today, we are learning how to unsend Outlook email. In the fast-paced world of email communication, it’s not uncommon to hit the “send” button only to realize moments later that you made an error, forgot an attachment, or simply had a change of heart.

The good news is that Outlook provides a valuable feature that allows you to unsend emails and rectify those moments of regret. Whether you’re using the desktop version or the web version of Outlook, learning how to unsend Outlook email can save you from potential embarrassment, miscommunication, or the need for follow-up clarification.

In this article, we will explore the step-by-step process of how to unsend Outlook email, giving you the power to retrieve and correct those messages before they reach the recipient’s inbox.

Importance of Unsend Outlook Email

We all use emails right; email has become a fundamental tool for communication in both personal and professional settings. However, we’ve all experienced those moments when we hit “send” only to realize we made a mistake or forgot an important detail. Learning how to unsend Outlook emails can be a game-changer in such situations.

Firstly, it allows you to rectify errors or omissions in your emails, ensuring that the intended message is accurately conveyed. Whether it’s a typo, a missing attachment, or an incorrect recipient, the ability to unsend an email allows you to correct any mistakes promptly.

Also, unsending email can save you from potential embarrassment or misunderstandings. It provides a safety net, allowing you to retract a message that may have been sent in haste or without careful consideration. By taking advantage of this feature, you can prevent confusion or damage to professional relationships.

How to Unsend Outlook Email?

There are two primary methods to retract or undo sent emails in Outlook. However, it is important to note that the web-based method may not be available in certain versions of Outlook. Therefore, it is advisable to follow the desktop application method, which is more widely supported. Let’s explore the most used method, which involves recalling an email after it has been sent. It is important to mention that this method works specifically in the Outlook desktop application, and not in the web-based versions of Outlook. So, let’s begin by focusing on the steps for the desktop application, and subsequently, we will cover an alternative method for Outlook Web.

Unsend Outlook Email – Outlook App [Method 1]

In this method, we will be learning how to unsend Outlook email by using the pre-built recall a message feature in the Outlook app, so let’s see what steps are required for it, so we can access this option.

Step 1

Open the “Sent Items” folder in Outlook.

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Step 2

Double-click on the email you want to unsend to open it.

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Step 3

Go to the “Message” tab and click on “Actions” or “More Actions.”

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Step 4

Select “Recall This Message” from the dropdown menu.

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Step 5

Choose whether to delete unread copies of the message or replace the message with a new one.

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Step 6

Click “OK” or “Send” to initiate the recall process.

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Step 7

If you want to replace the message with a new message because the previously sent message has some errors, then you can use the radio button and click on Ok.

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Step 8

Now a new “New email” window will appear, and here you can re-compose your message and send it again with no errors.

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Step 9

If you want to access the “Edit message” button directly, you can find it in the Actions dropdown before the “Recall this message” button.

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This is how to unsend Outlook Email very easily using the Outlook desktop app, this method also works identically on mobile devices, but the location of the features can be different.

How to Unsend Outlook Email – Outlook App [Method 2]

In this section, we will see another method to learn how to unsend Outlook email. This method has the same feature of “Recalling a message”, but the process is different, and I would say easier. So, let’s see this method.

Step 1

Compose your message

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Step 2

Send your message after adding up all the details

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Step 3

Go to the Sent Items folder, find the email message you just sent, double-click it, and open it in a new full-width window.

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Step 4

Click on the File tab in this new window

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Step 5

Now you have the “Resend or Recall” option, click on it and the rest method is the same.

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This is how you can use another shortcut way to unsend Outlook email in your Outlook app.

Unsend Outlook Email – Outlook Web

In this section, we will learn how to unsend Outlook Email in the Outlook web version. Although in most of the web versions, there is no “Recall this message” feature, they have an “Undo” feature that can be used immediately (maximum 10 seconds) to unsend Outlook email, but you can not use this feature if more than 10 seconds have passed after you sent the message. But this method also does not work by default, so let’s see the complete details, settings, and usage of this method practically.

Step 1

Open your Outlook web version

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Step 2

Go to the right-most top and click on the gear icon, open settings, and click on the “View all Outlook settings” button.

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Step 3

Select “Mail” from the menu, then select “Compose and Reply” from the submenu

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Step 4

Scroll down, and look for the Undo section

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Step 5

Here you can see a meter element with maxi 10 and min 0 value, this is the undo meter and the time set for displaying the undo button after sending a message.

Set this meter value to 10 (drag it to the right-most side)

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Step 6

Click on the Save button below. Now your undo option has been unlocked for 10 seconds after you sent a message, close your settings tab and get back to the home screen.

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Step 7

Compose a new email message and send it.

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Step 8

Immediately you will see an “Undo” button oSn the bottom left of your screen, click on “Undo” if you want to unsend this message (this option will disappear in 10 seconds, and after that, you cannot undo this message)

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This is how to unsend Outlook email using the Outlook web version, by default this feature is hidden because the default time of the “Undo” button is set to 0 seconds, by following the above steps you can easily unlock this feature in your Outlook web version.

Notes / Tips

  • Recall success depends on recipient settings and email server configurations.
  • The recall feature may not be available in all versions of Outlook or Outlook on the Web.
  • If the recall isn’t possible, send a follow-up email to clarify or correct the mistake.
  • Contact the recipient directly if the email is urgent or sensitive.
  • Enable the “Delay Delivery” feature in Outlook to have a chance to cancel or edit emails before sending.
  • Always double-check emails before sending them to minimize errors and regrets.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to recall an email in Outlook after it has been sent?

In Outlook, open the sent email, go to the “Message” tab, click on “Actions,” and select “Recall This Message” (availability and success depend on various factors as discussed in the Notes section above)

How to enable the “Delay Delivery” feature in Outlook to prevent accidental sending?

In Outlook, compose a new email, go to the “Options” tab, click on “Delay Delivery,” and set a time delay before sending the email.

Conclusion

So that’s all from how to unsend Outlook Email. I tried to cover all the possible methods to unsend Outlook email in Outlook desktop App version, and in the Web version. I hope you like this guide, and that you learned something new from it. Thanks, and keep learning with Office Demy.

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M. Shaiq Ansari

Hi, I am Shaiq, I am a highly skilled technical writer working full-time for Office Demy. I am specialized in Google Workspace and Microsoft Office applications. With a background in Software Engineering, I possess a deep understanding of the intricate functionalities and features of these productivity tools. Connect me on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaiq-ansari/

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