To unsend an email, the process depends on the email service used, but the most common and widely used service, Gmail, offers a native "Undo Send" feature.
How to Unsend an Email in Gmail
- After sending an email, a "Message sent" notification with an Undo option appears at the bottom left (desktop) or bottom right (mobile) of the screen.
- Click or tap Undo within the allowed cancellation period (default is 5 seconds on mobile and desktop, but it can be increased up to 30 seconds on desktop).
- The email will be retracted, reopened as a draft for editing or deletion before it reaches the recipient.
How to Increase the Undo Send Time in Gmail Desktop
- Go to Gmail Settings > See all settings > General tab.
- Find the Undo Send section and set the Send cancellation period to your preferred time (5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds).
- Save changes.
Important Notes
- The ability to unsend email works only within the cancellation period immediately after sending the email.
- Once the time window closes, the email cannot be unsent.
- Outlook also has a recall feature but is different and less reliable outside its specific environment.
This unsend feature is available on Gmail for both desktop and mobile, with slight variations in time limits and interface positions for the undo button.
