Accidentally sent an email too early or to the wrong person? Microsoft Outlook allows you to recall a message if certain conditions are met. This feature is helpful when you need to correct an error or retract information from a recipient using the same email system. Here’s how to recall mail in Outlook.
- Open the Sent Email
Start by opening your Outlook application and going to the Sent Items folder. Find the email you want to recall and double-click to open it in a new window. You must open the message fully—recall won’t work from the reading pane.
- Access the Recall Option
With the message open:
- Go to the Message tab on the ribbon.
- Click on Actions (in the Move group).
- Select Recall This Message from the drop-down menu.
This opens a recall dialog box with two options.
- Choose Your Recall Preference
You’ll be prompted to either:
- Delete unread copies of this message, or
- Delete unread copies and replace with a new message.
Choose the option that suits your needs. If you want to make corrections, the second option lets you edit and resend the message right away.
- Confirm and Send Recall Request
Click OK after selecting your preference. If you chose to replace the email, edit your new message and click Send. Outlook will attempt to recall the original email and deliver the updated version if the recipient hasn’t read it yet.
- Understand the Limitations
Message recall only works under specific conditions:
- Both you and the recipient must be using Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Exchange accounts in the same organization.
- The message must be unread and still in the recipient’s inbox.
- The recipient must be using Outlook for Windows (not mobile apps or webmail).
If these conditions aren’t met, the recall will fail and the recipient may be notified of the attempt.
- Check the Recall Status
Outlook will send you a message with the status of the recall. It will show whether the recall was successful or failed for each recipient.
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