How to Recall an Email in Gmail: A Step-by-Step Guide

There is no disputing that we all make mistakes as humans. Unintentionally pressing the Send button in Gmail is fortunately not one of those blunders, even if the majority of the errors we make in life are permanent and have consequences. Here’s how to utilise Gmail’s Undo Send tool to retrieve an email if you frequently discover typos right after sending a crucial message. The procedures to recall an email in Gmail on the web and through mobile apps for Android and iOS are given.

Recall an Email in Gmail in 2021

Before an email reaches the recipient, you can easily cancel it using Gmail’s well-known Undo Send tool. Similar to Twitter’s new Undo Tweet function, Gmail has included a buffer period that provides users the option to recall a message.

Set up Email Cancellation Period in Gmail

You have five seconds by default in Gmail to recall an email. The cancellation period, however, can be personalised and set to 5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds. Unfortunately, this parameter is only available in Gmail for the web; the iOS and Android mobile apps do not allow you to change the undo send timeframe. With that said, here is how to alter the Gmail email recall time period online:

1. Launch Gmail and select the gear icon in the upper right corner. A pop-up menu with some fast settings will now appear. To display all Gmail settings, expand the section by clicking on See all settings.

2. You can choose to “undo send” under the General section. Select the desired cancellation term using the dropdown menu. The choices are as previously mentioned:

  • 5 seconds
  • 10 seconds
  • 20 seconds
  • 30 seconds

Note: In Gmail, Google only offers you a limited amount of time to recall an email. You must act quickly when using this tool because Gmail does not give you an hour or two to undo sending emails.

3. The third step is to click Save Changes at the bottom of the page. You will be instantly redirected to your inbox by Gmail after the configuration changes have been saved.

Recall Email in Gmail for Web (Windows, Mac, and Linux)

You can now recall emails that you have already sent in Gmail after choosing your ideal cancellation period. Here’s how to go about it:

1. Write the email as you normally would, then click the Send button.

2. Immediately after sending an email, the bottom left corner of the screen will display an option to cancel the send.

Recall Email in Gmail Using Mobile Apps (Android and iOS)

To review the email in Gmail, use the Undo button. Yes, it is actually that simple.

The Gmail mobile apps for Android and iOS also let you revoke emails. Although I’ll demonstrate the steps on an Android device, the procedure is the same on Gmail’s iOS app as well. To remember an email in Gmail for Android or iOS, follow these steps:

1. Use the Gmail app for Android or iOS to write and send your email.

Unsend Emails in Gmail in Easy Steps

2. A floating bar above the bottom navigation bar now contains the Undo option. To cancel the email and return to the editing screen, tap on it. You now have the option to delete the email or amend it before sending it again.