We’ve all said something that we regret. But what’s worse is sending an unwanted message over the internet. Sometimes you accidentally hit send on an email that you didn’t intend to. Is there anything you can do to recall an email? Does Gmail have an “unsend” feature?
Gmail’s built-in “unsend” feature allows users to recall emails within a specific time frame. The default time window is set to 5 seconds, but can be adjusted to 10, 20, and 30 seconds under the General tab in the Settings menu. After the cancellation period, you can’t retrieve the sent email.
Don’t panic if you’ve already sent an unwanted message or you’re trying to prepare for the future. You can easily enable and adjust the “unsend” feature through Gmail’s settings. But there are some things to keep in mind and consider beforehand. Thankfully, we cover everything you need to know in the article below.
Can You Recall an Email in Gmail?
Other Email Service Providers (ESP) like Outlook have a traditional “recall” feature that allows you to recall a sent email up to a specific amount of time. ESPs like Outlook provide around 30 seconds to recall sent messages. Gmail has an “unsend” feature that allows you to complete the same action.
The default Gmail function only provides users with a 5-second window for recalling emails after hitting the send button. Thankfully, you can extend this time if it’s too short, and Gmail will hold onto the emails before sending them.
However, once the email has been sent, there isn’t any going back. We cover everything you need to know and more in the steps below.
How to Enable Gmail’s “Unsend” Feature
You can easily enable the “unsend” feature in Gmail through the settings. However, you can’t change the cancellation period on the mobile Gmail app. You’ll need to complete the steps on a Windows 10 PC or Mac computer. Here are the steps to enable the “unsend” feature in Gmail.
- Log into your Gmail account from a Windows 10 PC or Mac computer.
- Select the cog button at the top right-hand corner of the page. You should now see a menu on the right side of the screen. Select See all Settings at the top of the menu.
- You’ll be directed to a new page with several different setting options. From the General tab, scroll down until you see Undo Send.
- Hit Enable to toggle the feature if it’s not already available.
- You’ll notice a drop-down menu with the text, Send cancellation period. Select the cancellation time limit that you would like from the drop-down menu. You can select from 5, 10, 20, and 30 seconds.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Save Changes to finish enabling the “unsend” feature.
After enabling the feature, a message will appear after you send an email, and you’ll notice an additional undo option. Clicking on the undo button within the time limit will unsend the email, and the recipient will never know what was said or received.
Remember that you can’t unsend the email if you miss the time window. Once the time window has finished, the recipient will receive your email, and there is nothing you can do. Thankfully, we cover more tips and tricks in the rest of the article to help you resolve these issues.
Changing the Length of the Cancelation Period
As mentioned earlier, the default time limit for unsending an email in Gmail is 5 seconds. You can change the cancellation period in the settings under the General tab by following the steps above. You have a few different times available, including:
- 5 seconds
- 10 seconds
- 20 seconds
- 30 seconds
What to do if You Missed the Cancelation Period
Unfortunately, 5 to 30 seconds isn’t much time for canceling an email, and it’s entirely possible to miss the window. There’s nothing you can do if you miss the unsend time window in Gmail.
However, there are some things you can do in the future to avoid missing the time frame.
Schedule Emails Instead
One way you avoid sending unwanted emails or missing the time window for canceling messages is to schedule your emails instead.
You can schedule emails in Gmail ahead of time, allowing you time to cancel the date ahead of time if you change your mind or need to adjust the information.
What’s more is that you can schedule messages in Gmail up to 49 years in advance, so you’ll have plenty of time to change your mind and adjust the text if necessary.
Use Email Security Software
Another way you can avoid sending unwanted emails or missing the time window for canceling messages is to use email security software. Email security programs can help keep your information secure and prevent unwanted data breaches.
These programs have a variety of features, including unsending emails. You’ll need to find a product that meets your needs, preferences, and budget.
Use a Different Email Service Provider
You might want to use a different Email Service Provider if unsending emails is an essential function you require. For example, you might consider using Outlook, which has a default recall time window of 30 seconds.
Unfortunately, Yahoo Mail doesn’t seem to provide users with an unsend feature. Other Email Service Providers may or may not have unsending features, so you’ll have to experiment with what works for you.
Double-Check the Email
Another way you can avoid sending unwanted emails or missing the time window for canceling messages is to double-check the email beforehand. You might want to inspect the email body to ensure you’re responding to all questions accurately.
You can double-check that any attachments are linked or for any grammar mistakes. Double checking may prevent you from sending unnecessary emails.
Reply When You’re Ready
Another way you can avoid sending unwanted emails or missing the time window for canceling messages is to reply when you’re ready. Although it might sound self-explanatory, the simplest answer is often correct.
You can review the email, mull your response, and double-check before hitting send. You might want to set a period of 5, 10, or 30 minutes to reply to emails. Waiting to reply when you’re ready may prevent you from sending unwanted emails in the future.
Conclusion
We’ve all sent unnecessary emails that we wish we could undo. Thankfully, Gmail has a built-in “unsend” feature that allows users to recall emails within a certain time frame. The default time window is set to five seconds, but you can adjust this in the Settings menu under the General tab.
Google allows users to unsend emails for 5, 10, 20, and 30 seconds after sending. But after the timeframe, you’re out of luck. You can avoid and prevent unwanted emails by scheduling messages ahead of time and waiting to reply when you’re ready.
If worse comes to worst, you can try another Email Service Provider altogether or opt for email security software. The best decision will come down to your situation, needs, budget, and more.