You've probably all had a cold sweat after sending an email when you realize that there was a problem with what you wrote, a wrong recipient or even forgetting an attachment. If this is the case and you use Gmail, you have a small window of time to fix your mistake and recall an email, but you only have a few seconds to do it. Here's how to do it!
Set cancellation period in Gmail
By default, gmail only gives you a 5-second window to recall an email after you hit the send button. If you find this time too short, you can extend the amount of time Gmail keeps emails pending before sending them (after which, emails can no longer be retrieved).
If you are using the Gmail mobile app, you will need to log in to your account from your computer on the web version in order to access your settings. mailbox.
In your browser, go to Gmail and click the gear icon in the upper right corner to access “Settings”"
Finally, click on “Show all settings”.
In the “General” tab of your Gmail settings, you will see an option to “Undo Send” with a default cancellation time of 5 seconds. You can change this time to 10, 20, or 30 seconds using the drop-down menu.
Once you have changed the cancellation time, tap the “Save Changes” button at the very bottom of the settings page.
The undo send time you choose will be applied to your Google Account regardless of which platform you use. So it will apply to emails you will send in Gmail on the web as well as to emails sent in the Gmail app on iPhone, iPad or Android.
Now that we have the cancellation deadline sorted out, let's get down to business, which is to say, the reminder. mail with gmail.
How to recall an email in Gmail on the web
If you want to recall an email sent in Gmail in your browser, you must do so within the cancellation period that applies to your account. This period begins from the moment you press the "Send" button.
To recall an email, tap the “Undo” button that appears in the “Sent Message” pop-up, visible in the lower-left corner of the Gmail window on the web. Your message will then return to your drafts.
Be careful, this is your only chance to recall the email – if you miss it, or if you click the “X” button to close the pop-up, you will not be able to recall it again.
Once the cancellation period has elapsed, the "Cancel" button will disappear and the email will be sent to the recipient's mail server, where it cannot be recalled.
How to recall an email in Gmail on mobile
The process of recalling an email is similar when you use the Gmail app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android. Once you send an email with the Gmail app, a black pop-up window will appear at the bottom of your screen, letting you know that the message has been sent.
The “Cancel” button will appear on the right side of this window. If you want to stop sending the email, press this button before the cancellation period ends.
Pressing "Cancel" recalls the email, which returns it to your drafts. You can then make changes to your message, save it as a draft, or delete it entirely.
Article updated on January 7, 2025 by Byothe
