How to Unsend an Email in Outlook

Outlook's 'Undo Send' feature allows you to retract an email after it has been sent, but only within a short time frame. This is not a true 'unsend'—the email is delayed before delivery, so you can cancel it if you act quickly. The feature must be enabled before you can use it.

Before you start

• Ensure you are using a compatible version of Outlook (web, Windows, or Mac).
• The 'Undo Send' feature must be enabled in settings before sending the email.
• You must act within the time limit you set (up to 10 seconds).

How to Unsend an Email in Outlook

1. Enable Undo Send on Outlook Web

   Go to Outlook.com and log in. Click the gear icon in the top-right corner and select 'View all Outlook settings' at the bottom. Navigate to 'Mail' > 'Compose and reply'. Under 'Undo send', set the delay time (5, 10, 15, or 20 seconds) and save.

2. Enable Undo Send on Windows

   Open Outlook and go to File > Options > Mail. Under 'Send messages', check the box for 'Enable Undo Send'. Set the cancellation period (up to 10 seconds) and click 'OK'.

3. Enable Undo Send on Mac

   Open Outlook and go to Outlook > Preferences > Mail. Check the box for 'Allow undo send' and set the time limit (up to 10 seconds). Close the preferences window.

4. Send and Unsend the Email

   After composing your email, click 'Send' as usual. A notification will appear in the bottom-left corner with an 'Undo' button. Click 'Undo' before the time limit expires to retract the email.

5. Check if Unsend Was Successful

   Look for the confirmation message that says 'Unsent'. If the message does not appear, the email has been sent and cannot be unsent.

Tips & shortcuts

• The 'Undo Send' time limit starts immediately after you click 'Send', so be ready to act quickly.
• The feature works only on emails sent from Outlook—emails forwarded from other accounts cannot be unsent.
• If you do not see the 'Undo' option, the feature may not be enabled or may not be available for your account type.
• Consider setting a longer time limit if you need more time to decide whether to unsend an email.

Troubleshooting

• If the 'Undo Send' option is greyed out, ensure the feature is enabled in settings.
• If the 'Undo' button does not appear, the email has already been sent and cannot be unsent.
• If you do not have the option to enable 'Undo Send', your account may not support the feature.
• Ensure you are using a compatible version of Outlook—the feature is not available on all platforms.