How to Unsend an Email in Gmail

Ever sent an email and wished you could change it a bit or more than a bit? Imagine being able to change or correct an email you sent to the wrong person or one filled with many mistakes. In this article, you will learn how to undo sending an email in Gmail and how to recall an email in Gmail after 1 hour.

Table of Content

  • What is the Undo Send feature in Gmail?
  • How to Unsend an Email in Gmail from a Desktop
  • How to Unsend an Email in Gmail from the Mobile App
  • How to Change the Amount of Time Allowed to Undo Send
  • How to Undo Send in Gmail for up to 30 seconds

What is the Undo Send feature in Gmail?

Gmail’s “Undo Send” feature allows you to retract an email within a brief window after hitting send. This can be a lifesaver if you realize you’ve made a mistake or accidentally sent an email before it was ready. Read the below-given pointers to know how it works,

  • After sending an email, you’ll get a short confirmation message in your Gmail window. It reads, ‘Message sent’ along with the ‘Undo’ option. Click on that ‘Undo’ option as soon as possible to secure the email from being delivered.
  • The default window for undoing a sent email is only five seconds. Visit Gmail settings and look for the option of ‘See all settings’ and find the ‘Undo Send’ section. There you can choose a new duration for the same.

Additional Tip –

  1. This feature isn’t foolproof. There’s no guarantee that the email won’t be delivered if the recipient has already downloaded it.
  2. The longer your recipient waits to check their email, the higher the chance of successfully recalling it with “Undo Send.”

How to Unsend an Email in Gmail from a Desktop

Unsend and email in Gmail is a quick action. If you miss it you can’t go back and correct it again. here’s the simple procedure where you can learn how to do it ASAP,

Step 1: Open Gmail and send an Email

When you send an email in Gmail, a small popup appears at the bottom corner of your inbox.

Step 2: Find the ‘Undo’ option in popup

You’ll find an “Undo” option in the popup to retract emails. Click it, and a draft with your original email opens.

Step 3: Fix the Mistake

You can fix any mistakes or corrections or make other edits before resending it.

Step 4: Click on re-send

Finally, click “Send” to re-send the corrected email.

How to Unsend an Email in Gmail from the Mobile App

On Gmail’s mobile app, recalling an email you sent works the same as it does on Desktop Gmail. You start a new email and send it, a little box will pop up at the bottom of your screen. That’s where you’ll find the option to undo or recall your message. Here are the simple steps given below,

Step 1: Open the Gmail App and send an Email

Step 2: Find the ‘Undo’ option in popup

Step 3: Click on ‘Undo’ and correct your mistake

Follow the same procedure as described above for ‘How to Unsend an Email in Gmail from a Desktop’.

Step 4: Re-send again

How to Change the Amount of Time Allowed to Undo Send

  • Open your inbox, then head to Settings.
  • If you see Quick Settings, choose “See all settings
  • Choose your preferred “Amount of Time“.

How to Undo Send in Gmail for up to 30 seconds

Step 1: Log In to Gmail

Log in to your Gmail account using your credentials.

Step 2: Click on Settings

Click the Settings icon and choose ‘See all settings’.

Step 3: Find ‘Undo’

In the General tab, find the ‘Undo’ Send section.

Step 4: Pick the time

Click the dropdown arrow and pick how much time you want: 5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds.

I recommend going for the maximum of 30 seconds. I think it’s better to be safe than sorry!

Conclusion

In conclusion, knowing how to unsend an email in Gmail Desktop or Gmail Mobile app can be a savior in panic moments after hitting the send button. By enabling the ‘Undo Send’ feature in Gmail, you can get the power to retract the emails you have sent within a short period. This simple tool allows you to correct your mistakes and maintain better communication.

FAQs on Unsend an Email in Gmail

How do I unsend an email in Gmail?

  • Unsend emails in Gmail, but act quickly!
    • You only have a few seconds (5-30) after sending.
  • Look for “Message sent” with “Undo” option in the bottom left corner.
  • Click “Undo” to bring the email back for editing or deleting.
  • Be aware: recipient might already see it.
    • Bonus tip: Extend undo send time in Gmail settings (up to 30 seconds).

Where is Enable Undo in Gmail?

Locate the ‘Enable Undo’ option in Gmail settings under the ‘General’ tab to activate the email retraction feature.

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

Gmail’s “Undo Send” function permits you to retract an email only within a brief timeframe (5-30 seconds) post-sending. Once this period elapses, you cannot retrieve the email, irrespective of the duration.

How do you Unsend a Gmail you already sent?

Click “Undo” immediately after sending it, to unsend a Gmail you already sent.

How do I Unsend an email in Gmail after 1 hour?

Set up “Undo Send” in Gmail settings for a longer cancellation period, if you want to unsend an email in Gmail after 1 hour.

How do I delete a sent email in Gmail?

To delete a sent email in Gmail, you can’t do it directly, you can recall it by using the “Undo” option immediately after sending the email in Gmail.