How To Recall Email In Outlook

We've all felt that rush of panic after clicking 'Send' too soon. Whether it's a typo, a missing attachment, or a reply-all mishap, sending the wrong email can be stressful. Outlook's 'Recall This Message' feature offers a potential solution, allowing you to retract an email you've already sent. However, it's not a magic undo button and only works under very specific conditions. This guide provides clear, practical steps on how to recall an email in Outlook, explains exactly when it will and won't work, and gives you alternative strategies for managing email mistakes professionally.

Fast Answer

Where to find it: Open the sent email, go to the Message tab.
Key action: Click the ... (More actions) menu > Actions > Recall This Message.

2 Minutes Time needed

Beginner Difficulty

Success is not guaranteed Watch out for

Before You Start

The success of an email recall depends entirely on the technology at both ends. Before you try, it's crucial to understand the limitations. The feature is designed for internal communication within a single, controlled email system. If these conditions aren't met, the recall will fail.

Required Software: You must be using the Outlook desktop application on a Windows computer. This feature is not available in Outlook on the web, the new Outlook for Windows, or Outlook for Mac.
Required Account Type: Your email account must be a Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Exchange account.
Recipient's Requirements: The person you sent the email to must also be using a Microsoft 365 or Exchange account within the same organisation as you. Their Outlook must be running and connected.
Email Status: The original email must still be in the recipient's inbox and must be unread. If they've already opened it, or if a rule has moved it to another folder, the recall will not work.

Check first: This feature will not work for emails sent to external addresses like Gmail, Yahoo, or BT Internet. Attempting a recall on an external email will fail and often sends the recipient a notification that you tried, which can draw more attention to your original mistake.

Step-by-Step Instructions

If you've met all the conditions above, you can attempt to recall your message. The key is to act as quickly as possible before the recipient has a chance to see the email.

Step 1: Open Your 'Sent Items' Folder

First, navigate to your email folders in Outlook. Click on the 'Sent Items' folder in the left-hand navigation pane. This will show you a list of all the emails you have successfully sent. Scroll through the list to find the specific email you wish to recall.

Step 2: Open the Email in a New Window

You must open the email fully; you cannot perform a recall from the Reading Pane view. Double-click the email from your 'Sent Items' list. This will open it in its own separate window, showing all the message details and giving you access to the full range of menu options in the ribbon at the top.

Step 3: Access the 'Actions' Menu

With the email open in its own window, look at the ribbon menu at the top. Ensure the 'Message' tab is selected. The location of the 'Actions' menu depends on which version of the Outlook ribbon you are using.

For the Simplified Ribbon: Look for a three-dot icon (...) on the far right of the ribbon. Click this, and a dropdown menu will appear. From there, hover over 'Actions'.
For the Classic Ribbon: In the 'Move' group of icons, you should see an icon labelled 'Actions' (it often looks like an open envelope). Click this directly.

Step 4: Select 'Recall This Message'

After clicking 'Actions', a small sub-menu will appear. Click on 'Recall This Message...'. This will open a new dialog box with the options for how you want to handle the recall. This is the main control centre for your recall attempt.

Step 5: Choose Your Recall Option

You now have two choices for how to proceed. Think carefully about what you want to achieve.

Delete unread copies of this message: This option will attempt to remove the email from the recipient's inbox entirely, with no replacement. This is best if you sent something completely wrong, like a reply-all that should have been private.
Delete unread copies and replace with a new message: This option will try to remove the original email and then immediately open a new compose window with the content of your original message, allowing you to edit it. This is ideal for correcting a typo, adding a forgotten attachment, or changing incorrect information.

Below these two options, there is a crucial checkbox: 'Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient.' It is highly recommended that you always tick this box. This ensures Outlook will send you an automated email report confirming whether the recall was successful or not for each person you sent it to.

After making your selections, click OK.

Tip: If you are recalling an email sent to multiple people, you will get a separate status report for each one. Success with one recipient doesn't guarantee success with another.

Step 6: Edit and Send the Replacement (If Chosen)

If you selected the option to replace the message, the original email will now open in an editable compose window. Make your necessary corrections—fix the typo, attach the correct file, or rewrite the text. Proofread the new message carefully. Once you are satisfied, click the 'Send' button just as you would with any other email.

Step 7: Wait for the Status Report

The recall process is not instant. It can take several minutes for the system to process your request and for you to receive the confirmation emails. Keep an eye on your inbox for messages with subjects like "Message Recall Success" or "Message Recall Failure." These reports are your only way of knowing for sure what happened on the recipient's end.

Quick Reference

Situation	Use this Action	Why
You sent an email with a minor typo to a colleague inside your company.	Recall and Replace	This is the cleanest and most professional way to correct a small error without sending a confusing chain of follow-up messages.
You accidentally "Replied All" with a comment meant for only one person.	Recall and Delete	Your primary goal is to remove the message from as many inboxes as possible, as quickly as possible. Be prepared to apologise if it fails.
You forgot to attach a file in an email to your team.	Recall and Replace	This lets you retract the incomplete email and send the correct version with the attachment, keeping everything in one thread.
You sent an email with incorrect information to a client at another company.	Do Not Recall. Send a follow-up.	The recall will fail because they are external. A recall attempt will only send them a strange notification. It is better to send a polite and prompt correction email.

Common Problems When You Recall Email In Outlook

Even when you do everything right, recalling an email is a gamble. Here are some of the most common issues you might encounter and why they happen.

The 'Recall This Message' Option is Missing or Greyed Out

This is a very common issue and it almost always comes down to one of the core requirements not being met. Check the following:

You are not using the desktop version of Outlook. The recall feature does not exist on Outlook.com (the web version) or Outlook for Mac.
Your account is not an Exchange or Microsoft 365 account. If you've configured Outlook with a POP or IMAP account (common for personal email providers), the recall function will not be available.
You are trying to recall from the Reading Pane. Remember, you must double-click the sent message to open it in a new window to access the full 'Actions' menu.

The Recall Failed

You received the dreaded "Message Recall Failure" report. This is the most likely outcome in many scenarios. Failure usually occurs for one of these reasons:

The recipient already opened the email. Once an email is marked as 'read', it cannot be recalled.
The email was moved. Many people use inbox rules to automatically sort incoming mail into different folders. If a rule moved your email out of the main inbox before the recall command arrived, the recall will fail.
The recipient is using a different email client. Even if they have an Exchange account, they might be checking their email on the Mail app on their phone or another third-party program. These clients do not support Outlook's recall feature.
The recipient is viewing in the Reading Pane. If the recipient has the Reading Pane open and your message is selected, it can sometimes be marked as 'read' automatically, causing the recall to fail before they've even truly read it.

The Recipient Was Notified About Your Recall Attempt

This can be an awkward outcome. In some cases, especially if the recall fails, the recipient will still get the original email. A few moments later, they will receive a second message that says something like, "[Your Name] would like to recall the message, '[Original Email Subject]'." This tells them you tried to pull it back, which can make them more curious to read the original. This is a significant risk to consider before you even attempt a recall.

Advanced Tips for Recalling Emails

Since recalling is unreliable, a better strategy is to prevent mistakes in the first place. Here are some advanced tips and best practices.

The Best Solution: Delay Sending Your Emails

The most effective way to "recall" an email is to catch the mistake before it ever leaves your computer. You can set up a simple rule in Outlook to delay the sending of all messages for a few minutes. This creates a grace period where the email sits in your Outbox, giving you a chance to delete or edit it.

Here's how to set it up:

In Outlook, click File > Manage Rules & Alerts.
In the dialog box, click New Rule....
Under 'Start from a blank rule', select 'Apply rule on messages I send' and click Next.
Don't select any conditions on the next screen. Just click Next. A warning will pop up saying the rule will apply to every message you send. Click Yes to confirm.
On the 'actions' screen, tick the box for 'defer delivery by a number of minutes'.
In the bottom pane, click the underlined phrase 'a number of'. Enter a time in minutes (e.g., 2 or 5) and click OK.
Click Next through the exceptions screen, give your rule a name (like "2 Minute Send Delay"), and click Finish.

Now, every email you send will wait in your Outbox for the specified time, giving you a crucial window to catch any errors.

Always Have a Plan B

Never rely on a recall being successful. If the email mistake is significant, you should always be prepared to follow up. As soon as you attempt the recall, start drafting a polite and professional apology or correction email. If you get the recall failure notice, you can send your follow-up immediately. A quick and honest follow-up is often better than a failed recall attempt.

A good follow-up can be simple: "My apologies, I've just sent an email that contained an error. Please disregard that message and refer to this one instead."

How To Recall Email In Outlook FAQ

Can I recall an email in Outlook for Mac?

No. The message recall feature is exclusive to the Outlook for Windows desktop client. It is not available on Outlook for Mac or the web-based version of Outlook.

Does email recall work for emails sent to Gmail or other providers?

No. This is the most important limitation. The recall feature only functions within a closed Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft 365 environment where both the sender and recipient are part of the same organisation. It will always fail for external recipients.

How can I be absolutely sure the recall worked?

You can't be 100% sure, but the recall status report is your best source of information. When you attempt the recall, make sure you tick the box to be notified of success or failure. You will receive an automated email for each recipient that tells you if the action succeeded. If you don't receive this report, you should assume the recall failed.

Is it better to recall or just send a correction email?

This depends on the context. If it's a small mistake sent to a close colleague and you can act instantly, a recall might be a clean solution. However, for anything sent to a manager, a large group, or an external contact, it is almost always safer and more professional to skip the recall attempt and immediately send a clear, concise correction email. This avoids the risk of the awkward "recall attempt" notification.

Final Checklist for Recalling an Email

Before you hit the recall button, run through this final mental checklist to maximise your chances of success and minimise any potential embarrassment.

Check Your Platform: Are you using the Outlook desktop app on a Windows computer?
Check the Recipient: Is the recipient an internal colleague within your organisation, also using Outlook on an Exchange server?
Act Immediately: The chance of success drops to nearly zero after the first minute. Are you acting right now?
Open in New Window: Did you double-click the sent email to open it in its own window?
Enable Notifications: Did you tick the box to be notified of success or failure?
Prepare for Failure: Do you have a polite follow-up email ready to send in case the recall does not work?