Can I recall a sent email

So how do you recall an email in Outlook?

If you use Outlook 2010 or 2013 to manage your email, then follow this simple how-to guide to work out how to pull those emails back from the brink. if you are using the WebApp version of Outlook then this feature is not available.

Recalling an email in Outlook 2010 and 2013

1.    Open your Sent Items folder

2.     Double click on the email you want to recall

3.    Under the Message tab, click on Actions in the Move folder at the top 

4.    Click on Recall This Message. (be aware: this only works if you have an “Exchange account” or the feature is available within your organisation) 

5.    A pop-up message will then appear. Click on Delete unread copies of this message. 

6.    If you want to create a replacement message. Click the Delete unread copies and replace with a new message to replace the message with a new one

7.    If you want to be notified if the recall worked or not then all you need to do is click Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient option

8.    Select OK – if you constructed another email and then hit Send

Why recalling an email in Outlook doesn’t always work

Unfortunately, if the recipient opens the email you didn’t want them to see, you can’t recall it.  They can still get the recall message and note that you wanted to delete the first email, but it will stay in their Outlook system anyway. 

If your first message was sent to a folder other than the inbox then the recall won’t work. Neither will it work if it’s sent to a public folder or if you try to recall it from a mobile device. Once one person has seen it, it’s too late.

The recall feature is designed to work with Outlook. If you are sending from a Gmail account for example, you can’t expect it to work, you’ll need to read our guide on how to recall an email in Gmail for tips on how to achieve this.