Everyone has experienced that sinking feeling of clicking the Send button on an email, then feeling bad right away that something has gone awry. Perhaps you have addressed the wrong recipient, or missed an attachment, or there was an embarrassing typo in the title. That is when the thought comes to your mind: Can you remember an email in Gmail?
The response is yes, but that is a short window. The gmail feature known as undo send allows you to recall an email once you send it but within a period of 30 seconds. Gmail does not literally enter the inbox of a recipient as Microsoft Outlook would in order to delete your email. Instead it retains the message briefly as it is being sent which provides you with an opportunity to stop it.
With this guide, you will discover how Gmail recall actually functions, how recalls work on desktop and mobile, how to lengthen your recalls, what occurs when you are past the window, and the most effective practices to prevent mistakes initially.
Why Gmail Recall Matters
Email is a fast way of communication and speed increases errors. The most frequent causes that make people want to recall Gmail emails are:
- Sending email to the incorrect recipient.
- Losing a valuable attachment.
- Writing something in a hurry and not reading.
- Clicking Reply All by mistake.
- Disclosing information that is to be verified first.
These errors can be irreversible because of lack of recalls. The undo send option of Gmail provides you with a second chance, however, you must be aware of how to use it.
The functionality of the Gmail Recall
In Gmail, after you press the button,Send, the message does not just shoot off to the recipient. Rather, Gmail will hold on to it a few seconds, as per your settings. There will be the Undo option on your screen in this delay.
In case you press the Undo button, Gmail will cancel the send and revert the email back to your Drafts folder. Unless you get to clicking it, the email is sent forever.
This does not imply that Gmail recall is like a true recall that Outlook strives to make. Outlook will attempt to clear the email out of the inbox of the recipient, but this frequently may fail. Gmail does not even do that. Gmail on the other hand does not send the email out of your account before the time of recall lapses.
How to Recall an email in Gmail on a desktop
The following is how to go about using Undo Send on a computer:
- open Gmail in your web browser.
- Compose and send an email.
- After you send, look in the bottom-left of your screen.
- You will get a message: Message sent – Undo – View message.
- Click Undo right away.
- Your email will re-open in Drafts where you can edit or delete.
- Failure to click Undo before this choice would evaporate sends the email forever.
How to Repeat an Email in Gmail on the Mobile
- Undo Send is also supported in the Gmail app on the iPhone and Android.
- Open the Gmail app on your mobile phone.
- Send an email as usual.
- You will instantly see that there is a bottom of the screen.
- There will be a sent notification bar with the text: Sent – Undo.
- Tap Undo before it vanishes.
- Your message will be repeated in Drafts so that you can correct it.
- The window is even shorter on mobile and that is why speed is necessary.
Extending the Gmail Recall Time
Gmail will default to a delay of 5 seconds, which is too fast for most people. Fortunately, it can be stretched to 10, 20 or 30 seconds.
To adjust Gmail recall time:
- Go to Gmail.com and log in.
- Click the gear drop in the upper right.
- Select See all settings.
- Locate Undo Send in the General tab.
- Select a cancellation: 5, 10, 20 or 30 seconds.
- Select Save Changes on the bottom.
Unluckily, the Gmail mobile application does not have its setting over this. The recall time that you have configured on desktop will be applicable in all your devices.
Pro tip: It is always best to choose 30 seconds. It is the most available and it provides the best opportunity to spot errors.
What to Do in case the Recall Window is closed
After the time limit of the recall window of Gmail elapses, it is impossible to recall the email. Nevertheless, there are a couple of ways in which you can lessen the effect:
- Send a correction email – Rapidly resend an email with the correct details in it by typing a quick email with the subject line showing Correction and put the correct information in the email.
- Own the error – In case it is a professional situation, accept the error and send an apology. This builds trust.
- Turn on Gmail Confidential Mode in the future – This allows you to place expiration dates on confidential emails and even undo access early, but this does not behave like Undo Send.
- Take your time to send- Learn to take time and re-read messages before sending.
Gmail Recall usually has common problems
Although the Undo Send is simple to use, not every user is lucky:
- Could not find the Undo button: The alert is quickly removed, and you should make your settings recall time longer.
- Undo does not work on mobile: It works, but requires you to tap very fast.
- Not approved to use Undo Send: No problem- Undo Send has been turned on by default in Gmail, but the recall time might not be long enough. Adjust it in settings.
- I would like to remember an email several hours or days later: Gmail does not. The email disappears once the recall window is closed.
Best Practices to Prevent Email errors
Undo Send comes in handy but it can not always be depended upon. These are a few habits that reduce the occurrence of mistakes:
- Always set recall to 30 seconds.
- Write and think then insert addresses. Don’t forget to attach files and write your message first then type email addresses last so that you do not send them accidentally.
- Attachments: Use the reminders of Gmail. When you put attached in your email and forget the file, Gmail will warn you prior to sending.
- Pause before sending. Spend a couple of seconds to reread the subject line, recipients and the main content.
- Store messages in Drafts. Allow them to rest a bit and then send so that you can read them later with new eyes.
FAQs
Q: Could you remember an email in Gmail, 1 hour later?
No. Gmail allows you no more than 30 seconds to remember an email. After that, it’s permanent.
Q: Will the recipient be aware of remembering an email?
No. Your email does not leave your account in time when you click Undo. The recipient never sees it.
Q: I remember an email in Gmail on my phone?
Yes. The Gmail application via both iOS and Android displays an option of undoing soon after a message is sent.
Q: Does Gmail delete an email off the inbox of another person?
There is no way Gmail can recall messages already sent. Undo Send will only act prior to the sending of the message.
Q: Which is better: Gmail recall or Outlook recall?
Gmail recall is stronger in the sense that it always works within the delay window. Outlook recall attempts to delete the inboxes but it is mostly unsuccessful.
Final Thoughts
In Gmail, then can you remember an email? Yes–but only for a short time. The Undo Send feature of Gmail is your grace period, allowing you to pause an email up to 30 seconds after you hit the send button. Once that happens, it will not be possible to recover it.
The most intelligent trick would be to wait before you send and to lengthen your recall time and use the inbuilt Gmail reminders to prevent errors. No one is immune to email mistakes–however, with Undo Send active, you will always have an opportunity to correct them.
