How to Recall an Email in Outlook (Step by Step)

Sent an email to the wrong person, or forgot the attachment? Outlook can sometimes pull the message back, but only under certain conditions. This guide walks you through every method, step by step.

Before You Start: Will Recall Work?

Recall is not guaranteed. Check these conditions first:

• Both you and the recipient must have Microsoft 365 work or school accounts in the same organization.
• The recipient must not have opened the message yet.
• Personal accounts (Gmail, Hotmail, Outlook.com) cannot use message recall. Use Undo Send instead (Method 3).
• Messages protected by Azure Information Protection cannot be recalled in classic Outlook.

Which Method Should You Use?

Your situation	Best option	Works after sending?
Classic Outlook for Windows, work or school account	Method 1: Recall This Message	Yes, if unread
New Outlook for Windows or Outlook on the web, work or school account	Method 2: Recall message	Yes, if unread
Personal account (Outlook.com, Hotmail, Gmail)	Method 3: Undo Send	Only within a few seconds

Method 1: Recall in Classic Outlook for Windows

1. Open the Sent Items folder and double-click the email to open it in its own window.
2. Go to the Message tab, then click Actions, then Recall This Message.
3. Choose one of the two options: Delete unread copies of this message, or Delete unread copies and replace with a new message.
4. Click OK.
5. If you chose to replace it, edit the new message and click Send.
6. Check your inbox for the recall report, which tells you whether the attempt succeeded or failed.

Method 2: Recall in New Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the Web

1. Open the Sent Items folder and double-click the email to open it in a separate window.
2. On the ribbon, click Recall message. If you cannot see it, click the three dots (…) to find it.
3. Confirm by clicking OK.
4. Watch for the Message Recall Report in your inbox showing whether it worked.

Note: Recall on the web is for work or school accounts, not personal Outlook.com accounts.

Method 3: Use Undo Send (Best for Personal Accounts)

Undo Send does not recall an email that has already been delivered. It holds the message briefly before delivery so you can cancel it. Set it up before you need it:

1. Click the Settings (gear) icon.
2. Go to Mail > Compose and reply.
3. Find Undo send and choose how long Outlook should wait. Outlook.com allows up to 30 seconds, and new Outlook for Windows allows up to 10 seconds.
4. Click Save.
5. After you send an email, an Undo prompt appears at the bottom of the message list for the time you set. Click it to cancel the send.

Recall vs. Undo Send at a Glance

Feature	What it does	Time window	Account type
Recall	Tries to delete the unread message from recipients’ mailboxes	Until the recipient opens it	Work or school (same organization)
Undo Send	Delays delivery so you can cancel	Seconds (5 to 30, depending on app)	Personal and work accounts
Delay Delivery	Holds email in the Outbox until a time you choose	Minutes or longer	Classic Outlook

What to Do If Recall Fails

• Send a short follow-up: “Please ignore and delete my previous email.”
• Resend the corrected version if the original had a mistake or a missing attachment.
• For high-stakes emails, use Schedule send, or set a delivery delay in classic Outlook.

Quick Tips

• Act fast. Recall only works on unread messages.
• Recall is never guaranteed, so double-check recipients before you hit Send.
• Turn on Undo Send on every device you use.
• Use Schedule send for sensitive emails such as contracts, payroll, or personal data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recall an email to a Gmail address?

No. Recall only works inside the same Microsoft 365 organization.

Will the recipient know I recalled the message?

They may receive a notification of the recall request if they have already seen the original, so recall does not always go unnoticed.

Where is the Recall button?

Open the sent message in its own window first. The option is on the Message tab (classic Outlook) or the ribbon, possibly under the three dots (new Outlook and web).

Note: Outlook menus change often, so button names may differ slightly in your version.