How to Unsend an Email in Gmail and Outlook: A Comprehensive Guide

You hit Send and instantly wish you hadn’t. Maybe you forgot the attachment, used the wrong recipient, or noticed a glaring typo too late. 88% of people say they’ve regretted the contents or tone of an email immediately after sending it.

So, is it possible to unsend an email? The short answer is yes, but it depends on which platform you’re using. Gmail has an Undo Send option that lets you stop delivery within a brief window, while Outlook offers both Undo Send and Recall features with different limitations and complexities.

In this guide, we’ll explain exactly how to unsend an email in Gmail and Outlook, when it actually works, and what you can do to avoid these email slip-ups in the future.

At a Glance

• Gmail Undo Send: Cancel delivery within a short window. Desktop lets you extend up to 30 seconds; mobile is fixed at 5 seconds. After that, the email is delivered.

• Outlook Options: Offers Undo Send (10 seconds on web, 20 on desktop) and Recall. Recall can delete or replace a delivered email, but it only works under strict conditions and often fails.

• Mobile Support: Gmail supports Undo Send on iOS/Android (5 seconds only). Outlook’s Undo Send isn’t available on mobile, but Recall has started rolling out on iOS and Android as of February 2025.

• Why It Matters: Unsend helps fix errors like typos, wrong recipients, missing files, or emotional messages, preventing wasted time and reputational damage.

• Better Practices: Avoid mistakes by adopting habits such as double-checking, drafting before adding recipients, scheduling sends, using templates, and utilizing AI drafting assistants.

How to Unsend an Email in Gmail: A Step-by-Step Approach

Gmail allows you to cancel an email before it's sent with its Undo Send feature. It doesn’t remove an email that’s already delivered, but it briefly holds the message, giving you a short window to stop it from being sent.

Here’s how to use Undo Send across Gmail platforms.

1. Gmail for Desktop

After hitting Send, a small notification bar appears in the bottom-left corner with two options: Undo and View Message.

• Click Undo, and your email will reopen as a draft so you can fix errors or add missing details.

• By default, you get only 5 seconds to act.

Pro Tip: You can extend this cancellation window up to 30 seconds. Here’s how:

1. Open Gmail in your browser.

2. Click the gear icon (⚙️) > See all settings.

3. In the General tab, find Undo Send.

4. Adjust the Send cancellation period (5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds) as per your requirement.

5. Scroll down and click Save Changes.

With this setting in place, you’ll have more breathing room to cancel an email before it’s delivered.

Did You Know? If you’ve enabled two-step verification, Gmail will ask for a verification code before you can unsend an email.

2. Gmail for Mobile (iOS & Android)

The Undo Send feature also works on the Gmail app for iPhone and Android devices. The process is almost the same, but the notification shows up in the bottom-right corner.

Steps:

• Click Send on your email.

• Find the Undo option at the bottom.

• Tap it, and your message will return to Drafts.

Note: Unlike the desktop, the Gmail mobile app doesn’t let you extend the Undo Send window. You’ll only get the default 5 seconds to undo your email.

With Gmail covered, let’s move on to Outlook. Compared to Gmail’s straightforward approach, Outlook offers more options and a bit more complexity when it comes to unsending messages.

How to Unsend an Email in Outlook: A Step-by-Step Approach 

Outlook gives you two ways to unsend emails: Undo Send and Recall. Undo Send works similarly to Gmail’s feature. Recall, on the other hand, tries to remove an email that has already been delivered, though it comes with more conditions and limitations.

Let’s start with the simpler option: Undo Send.

1. Undo Send

Rather than retrieving a delivered email, it simply delays sending for a few seconds after you press Send. During this brief pause, an Undo button appears, giving you a chance to stop the email before it’s delivered.

The way this feature works differs slightly depending on the platform where you’re using Outlook: on the web or the desktop app. Let’s understand in detail.

Outlook on the Web

By default, Undo Send is kept turned off, but you can enable it in a few clicks:

1. Open Outlook in your browser.

2. Click the Settings gear icon (top right).

3. Select View all Outlook settings.

4. Go to Mail → Compose and reply.

5. Find Undo send and move the slider to choose a delay (up to 10 seconds).

6. Click Save.

Once set, every time you send an email, you’ll see an Undo prompt below your inbox. Click it before the timer runs out to stop delivery.

Key Insight: Unlike Gmail, Outlook on the web gives you a maximum of 10 seconds, so you need to act quickly.

Outlook for Desktop (Mac or PC)

On the Outlook desktop app, Undo Send works a little differently and gives you a longer window.

1. Open Outlook on your Mac or PC.

2. Go to Outlook → Preferences → Composing (Mac) or Settings > Composing (Windows).

3. Under Undo Send, adjust the delay time using the +/– buttons. You can set it for up to 20 seconds.

4. When enabled, you’ll see an Undo option pop up at the bottom after sending.

Did You Know? Undo Send on desktop only works with Outlook.com or Microsoft 365 accounts. If you’re using Outlook to manage a Gmail, Yahoo, or iCloud mailbox, the Undo Send option won’t be available.

Note: Outlook’s iOS and Android apps don’t support the Undo Send option, so you can’t stop an email once it’s sent.

2. Recall

Unlike Undo Send, Outlook’s Recall Message feature tries to retract an email after it has been delivered. If the conditions are fulfilled, Outlook will either delete the original message from the recipient’s inbox or replace it with an updated version.

When Recall Works (Pre-requisites)

Outlook recall is far from foolproof. It only succeeds under the following specific conditions. Both you and your recipient:

• Must be using Microsoft 365 accounts.

• Must belong to the same organization (same Exchange environment).

• Must be using either the Outlook desktop app or the new Outlook experience.

When It Doesn’t (Limitations)

• Recall doesn’t work with Gmail, Outlook.com, Hotmail, Live.com, or any non-Exchange accounts.

• If the recipient has already read the email, it cannot be recalled.

• Recipients can disable the recall option in their settings, which blocks your request.

• You cannot recall emails protected with Azure Information Protection.

• Mac users need version 16.94 or later for the Recall option to appear. Older versions don’t support it.

• If your account doesn’t meet the requirements, you simply won’t see the Recall button in the ribbon.

How to Recall an Email in Outlook (Desktop & New Outlook)

1. Start Outlook, then head to the Sent Items section.

2. In the Sent folder, locate the email and double-click it to bring it up in a new window.

3. In the ribbon, select File > Info > Message Resend and Recall > Recall This Message.

4. Choose one of the following:

   • Delete unread copies of this message.

   • Delete unread copies and replace with a new message (this opens your email in draft mode so you can correct and resend it).

5. Click OK.

6. Check your inbox for the Message Recall Report email. It will show whether your recall succeeded, failed, or is still pending.

How to Recall an Email in Outlook Mobile (iOS & Android)

Until recently, recall was only available on desktops. Starting with version 4.2504.0 (rolling out from February 2025), Outlook’s iOS and Android apps now support message recall.

Steps:

• Launch the Outlook app on your iPhone or Android.

• Go to the Sent folder and tap the email you want to recall.

• Tap the three-dot menu (•••) in the top-right.

• Select Recall.

• Outlook will send you a status email confirming whether your recall attempt succeeded.

Did You Know? Even if recall fails, Outlook still notifies the recipient that a recall attempt was made. This can draw more attention to the original email.

Key Takeaway: Outlook recall is worth trying if you and your recipient are on the same Microsoft 365 system, but don’t rely on it as a guaranteed fix. When possible, use Undo Send for quick catches and double-check before hitting Send.

Also Read: Outlook vs. Gmail: Which One Is Right for Your Workflow?

After learning how to undo send and recall emails in Gmail and Outlook, it’s worth asking: Why do you need these features in the first place? Let’s look at the most common situations where unsending an email comes in handy.

Why You Might Need to Unsend an Email

Even experienced professionals make mistakes under pressure. The unsend option gives you a safety net for situations like these:

• Fixing Typos or Incorrect Details: Spelling mistakes, grammatical slips, or sharing outdated figures can undermine your credibility. For example, sending an investor update with the wrong revenue number can create unnecessary confusion.

• Confidential Information Sent Too Soon: You often deal with sensitive data, such as financials, contracts, or personal details. Unsending gives you a chance to stop the wrong person from receiving such privileged information.

• Emotional Messages: In high-stress moments, it’s tempting to send an angry or overly blunt email. Having a few seconds to unsend can prevent conflicts with colleagues, clients, or partners.

• Attachment Errors: Forgetting to attach a file, or worse, attaching the wrong one, can delay projects. For instance, a consultant might send last quarter’s presentation to a client instead of the updated deck.

• Wrong Recipient: Similar names in your contact list can cause slip-ups. For instance, a sales executive sends a pricing proposal to the wrong prospect.

• Avoiding Duplicate or Incomplete Emails: Sending a draft before it’s polished or hitting Send twice by mistake happens more often than people admit. Unsending prevents clutter and helps you maintain a professional image.

• Changing Your Mind: Sometimes circumstances shift right after you press Send. The meeting may have been rescheduled, the deal terms have changed, or the update is no longer needed. The Unsend option comes in handy at that time.

Key Takeaway: The option to unsend is about fixing minor errors, protecting professionalism, saving time, and reducing the risk of misunderstandings in critical business communication.

While the Undo Send and Recall options are helpful, the best way to protect your credibility and keep work moving smoothly is to avoid needing them at all. A few smart practices can help you send with confidence the first time.

Best Practices to Reduce Email Mistakes

Developing the following smarter habits helps you avoid mistakes before your email ever goes out:

• Double-check before sending: Do a quick scan of recipients, attachments, and key details. A short review takes seconds but can prevent significant errors.

• Standardize recurring emails: Use templates for client updates, reports, or internal requests so you don’t miss important details. Outlook’s Quick Parts and Gmail templates make this easy.

• Draft first, add recipients later: Keep the “To” field empty until your email is finalized. This avoids accidental early sends.

• Schedule instead of sending immediately: Use “Send Later” to delay delivery. This gives you a built-in buffer to revisit your draft with fresh eyes.

• Test important announcements: For company-wide updates or client communications, send a test email to yourself or a colleague. It’s a quick way to catch overlooked errors.

• Get AI assistance: Writing tools like NewMail AI can check tone, clarity, and grammar, ensuring your email looks professional. The Smart Drafts feature creates complete, context-aware responses in your voice. 

Also Read: How to Write a Formal Email: Tips and Best Practices

Conclusion

Typos, wrong recipients, and missing files happen. Gmail and Outlook offer Undo Send and Recall to correct minor errors, but both have limitations. You can’t always rely on them. The smartest approach is to build habits that reduce errors in the first place and use technology that makes email management less stressful.

That’s where NewMail AI makes a difference. It helps you send with confidence by drafting clear, context-aware responses, organizing your inbox, and highlighting the messages that matter most. all while keeping your data private and secure.

Try NewMail AI today to simplify your inbox, cut down on errors, and regain control of your workday.

FAQs

1. How do I unsend an email after 1 hour on Gmail?

You can’t unsend an email after an hour in Gmail. The Undo Send feature only delays delivery for up to 30 seconds. Once that time passes, the message is permanently delivered and cannot be recalled.

2. What happens if I recall an email and choose “replace with a new message”?

When you select this option, Outlook attempts to delete the unread message from the recipient’s inbox and opens a new draft for you to edit. If the original email is successfully recalled, the updated version is delivered. However, if the recall fails, both the original and replacement emails may remain in the recipient’s inbox, and they’ll see that a recall attempt was made.

3. Why does Outlook recall fail so often, even when both users are on Microsoft 365?

Outlook recall depends on several conditions: the recipient must be in the same Exchange environment, and must not have read the email. Even then, if the recipient has rules set up (such as auto-moving emails into folders), the recall may fail. Additionally, recipients are often notified of recall attempts, which can draw attention to the original email.

4. Can I extend Gmail’s Undo Send time limit beyond 30 seconds with third-party tools?

No. Gmail caps the Undo Send cancellation window at 30 seconds. Some third-party extensions claim to offer longer unsend times, but they typically work by delaying sending from your device, not by reversing Gmail’s delivery. This adds complexity, may cause syncing issues, and doesn’t offer the same reliability or security as Gmail’s built-in feature.

5. Can Gmail Undo Send stop the delivery of large attachments or sensitive files?

Yes, but only within the Undo Send window you’ve configured (up to 30 seconds). Once that period expires, the message, including large attachments or sensitive data, is fully delivered. For sensitive emails, it’s best to use Gmail’s Confidential Mode, which adds restrictions like preventing downloads or setting expiration dates, rather than relying solely on Undo Send.