How To Recall an Email in Outlook: A Quick Guide

There is no denying that emails play a vital role for businesses, especially in communication. Be it with potential clients, customers, or even company employees, small businesses that can’t yet invest in collaboration platforms like Zoho or other management software need emails. They are sufficient to carry out communication and record-keeping.

But “wrong email, wrong person” can be a true horror. So, suppose you are sharing sensitive information about an important deal, and it gets sent to the wrong person by mistake. What would you do? This is where the email recall option comes into play.

The recall function in Outlook allows you to recall or replace an email. You can either recall or delete it, and it’s best to do it before the mail is opened. In this article, we have compiled all the dos and don’ts of Outlook recall features and even discussed scenarios where this feature might fail. Read for comprehensive information.

Table of Contents

Step-by-Step Guide to Recalling an Email in Outlook

Here is a detailed step-by-step guide to recalling an email in Outlook 365, Outlook Web, Outlook Mac, or Outlook on an iPhone or Android mobile device.

Instruction for Outlook 365 users: quick and easy

Step 1– Open the sent folder and select the email to be recalled.

Step 2– Right-click on the select mail and click on “Recall This Message” from the menu. A window will open, from which you can choose whether to recall or replace this email with a new one.

Remember to check the box- “Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient.”

Step 3: Once everything is in order, click “Send.”

The action will not take more than 1 minute to execute. However, there is a chance that some recipients may receive a notification stating that a recall or replacement request was sent.

Guide for Outlook web users

Unfortunately, Outlook does not have a recall option for emails sent to web users. However, you can undo the sent email within 10 seconds.

Step 1: click on the cog button or icon on the upper right-hand corner of the Outlook Web platform and click on “View All Outlook Settings.”

Step 2: Scroll to the “Compose and Reply” setting section. Look for the “Undo Send” option. You can set the cancellation period up to 10 seconds.

Step 3: Write an email and hit “Send.” When a “Sending” pop-up window appears, an “Undo” option will also appear at the bottom of the email pane. Promptly click on the “Undo” button within 10 seconds to stop the mail from being sent.

Detailed steps for email recall in Outlook on Mac

Here are the steps to recalling an email on Outlook Mac:

Step 1– Begin with opening Outlook on your Mac
Step 2– Open the “Sent Items” folder
Step 3– Select the email you wish to recall.
Step 4– Click on the message tab on the top menu bar.
Step 5– Click the “Actions” option from the drop-down menu.
Step 6– Click on the “Recall this Message” option.

Three easy steps to recall an email in Outlook on an iPhone

Step 1—Open Outlook on your iPhone, go to the “Sent” folder, and select the message you want to recall.
Step 2– Tap and hold it until a menu appears.
Step 3—Click on “Recall this Message.” This will allow you to select between the recall or replace option.

Three easy steps to recall email in Outlook on the Android app

Step 1– Open the “ Sent” folder on the Outlook app on the Android phone.
Step 2– Select the email for recall, navigate to the message tab, and click the drop-down menu for “Actions.”
Step 3- Choose the “Recall this Message” option.

Limitations to Recalling an Email on Outlook

The Outlook Recall function seems like a lifesaver for small businesses, allowing you to remove or replace the wrong email from the recipient’s inbox. But there are situations or chances when this magical option might not work as you would have expected.

The recipient has already opened the mail

The main criterion for the Outlook recall or replacement message feature to work is that the message remains unread. The recipient will still be notified that you have requested the message be recalled. This is why it is essential to perform a Recall as fast as possible.

The email recipient does not use Outlook mail

The Outlook Recall feature is designed to work with Outlook only. It will not work if you email someone who works on a different mail system, such as Gmail.

The email recipient is not on the same Outlook exchange server

The recipient should use Outlook and be on the same Outlook Exchange Server as the sender. This means that the receipt must be within the same company.

The recipient uses a mobile device with a different email client

If the recipient does not use Outlook on the mobile with the proper Exchange ActiveSync Setting, the recall feature will not work. And even if they are using Outlook client, there are chances of version or compatibility issues that may cause the feature not to work correctly.

Also, if the recipient uses another type of email client, such as Gmail or native Apple Mail, to read their Outlook emails, the Recall feature will not work.

The recipient uses Outlook web access

Outlook Web Access is Outlook’s web-based version that may be used to access Outlook when not in the office but still want to check their mail. It is an ‘internet-enabled’ version of Outlook that lets anyone access their Microsoft Exchange Server from any computer using a web browser.

Sadly, the Recall feature of Outlook does not work on Web Access, and the recipient will still be able to see your email even if you have sent a Recall request.

Recall Scenarios and Solutions When Not in the Same Organization

Recalling an email sent outside the company is next to impossible as the Outlook recall feature is limited to the internal network. Still, here are some ways to not precisely recall, but alternative solutions to recalling the email:

Follow-up Email: Promptly email the recipient explaining your mistake and sending the correct information.
Request Them to Delete: Please ask the recipient to delete the incorrect email. You would be lucky if they didn’t peek inside.
Set your Message Expiry: To prevent this mistake from repeating, use Outlook’s message expiration feature, ensuring the message becomes obsolete after a specific duration.
Use Email Tracking Tool: Some third-party tools offer email tracking and recalling features, but unlike Outlook’s accuracy, their effectiveness cannot be blindly trusted.

Steps to Recall an Email in Different Versions of Outlook

Outlook Recall feature for Microsoft 365, 2016, 2019, and 2021 works like this:

1st Step– Navigate to the “Sent” folder.
2nd Step– Double-click the email you wish to recall and open it in the new window.
3rd Step – Go to the “Message” tab and click on “Actions,” and select “Recall this Message.”
4th Step- If you choose to replace the message, click “Replace This Message.” A new window will open, where you can edit and send the message.

Do not forget to select “Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient mailbox” to receive a notification about the success or failure of the recall attempt.

For those using Outlook 2013 and 2010

1st Step- Navigate to the “Sent” folder.
2nd Step- Double-click the email you wish to recall and open it in the new window.
3rd Step- Go to the “File” tab, then click on “Info,” under which select “Resend or Recall.”

Preventative Measures and Outlook Settings to Increase Recall Success

Outlook has features that can prevent the premature sending of emails. Let’s take a look.

Enable delayed sending

Create a rule for delayed sending on Outlook by:

Go to the “File” tab and select “Manage Rules & Alerts“.

Microsoft Outlook: Manage Rules and Alerts — *Source: Ablebits.com*

Click on “New Rule,” then choose “Apply rule on messages I send” under “Start from a blank rule.”
Click “Next” and “Next” again to apply the rule to all sent messages.
Select “Defer delivery by a number of minutes” and specify the delay duration (e.g., 1-10 minutes).
Finish the rule setup and save it.

Enable undo sending

This is very important for Web or desktop Outlook Clients:

Go to “File” > “Options” > “Mail“.
Under the “Send” section, check the “Undo Send” option.
Set the delay time for the “Undo Send” feature (e.g., 10 seconds).
Click “OK” to save the settings.

Review emails before sending

Outlook even has a Spell Check and Grammar feature, which can help you detect grammatical errors while composing the mail:

Go to “File” > “Options” > “Mail“.
Under “Compose messages,” ensure “Always check spelling before sending” is checked.
You can also configure “Editor Options” for more advanced proofreading.

Make use of the draft folder

If you are unsure whether to send the email or need a second opinion, why not save it as a draft? This will save you the effort of composing the email again.

To save an email as a draft, click “Save” or close the email window and choose “Save.”

Delayed delivery of individual emails

Set delay for specific emails:

When composing an email, go to the “Options” tab.
Click on “Delay Delivery“.
In the “Properties” dialog box, under “Delivery options,” check “Do not deliver before” and set the date and time.
Close the dialog box and send the email; it will stay in the Outbox until the specified time.

Create and use templates

Save time with the templates feature on Outlook:

Compose a standard email and save it as a template by clicking “File” > “Save As.”
Choose “Outlook Template” (*.oft) and save it.
To use the template, go to “Home” > “New Items” > “More Items” > “Choose Form” > “User Templates in File System“.

Alternative Actions if Recall Fails

In scenarios where Outlook’s recall fails, a few methods might help you.

Send a mail to apologize for the mistake sincerely

“To err is to be Human,” as famously said.

It’s best to realize your mistake as soon as possible before things get out of control. And what’s better than drafting an apology email? In the email, you can explain your mistake and assure the recipient that it won’t happen again. What makes the mail even more compelling is offering to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Ask for a follow-up conversation

If you could resolve the blunder face-to-face or over a call instead of writing another email, you can request a follow-up meeting. This is best for explaining the situation in depth.

Request for deletion of the wrong email

You can ask the recipient to overlook or delete the original email in the follow-up email. It would be great if you asked them not to peek at the message if it contains confidential information.

Provided detailed explanation

If you make a mistake in the ongoing conversation or a simplified ribbon, provide additional context to help the recipient understand the error and give the correct information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Let’s look at some of the most asked questions on recalling an email on Outlook.

Why can’t I recall an email in Microsoft Outlook?

You cannot recall an email in Outlook because the feature only works when the sender and the recipient are on the same Microsoft Exchange Server in the same company. The recall function will also fail if the recipient has read the email.

Can you recall an email in Outlook after it has been read?

Unfortunately, once the recipient opens the email, the original email cannot be recalled or replaced. Recall fails if the email has been read.

How does recalling an email work in Outlook for Mac/Android/iPhone?

To recall an email in Outlook for Mac/Android/iPhone, follow the steps below:

1. Begin by opening Outlook on your device

2. Open the “Sent Items” folder

3. Select the email you wish to recall.

4. Click on the message tab on the top menu bar.

5. Click on the “Actions” option from the drop-down menu.

6. Click on the “Recall this Message” option.

Please note that the recall feature is available on Mac but may not be available on Android and iPhone. In such cases, consider sending a follow-up email.

Can an email be recalled to someone outside of my organization?

No, an email cannot be recalled if it is set to someone outside the organization. Outlook’s recall feature only works when the recipient and the sender use the same Exchange Server.

What is the purpose of recalling an email in Outlook?

When composing an email, there are circumstances where you have sent mail to the wrong recipient’s mailbox, included wrong or sensitive information, or the content is full of grammatical errors. It is best to retract the mistakenly sent email and replace it with the corrected version during such situations. All this can be done with the help of Outlook’s recall feature.

What should I do if the recall option is not available?

In scenarios where the recall fails or is not applicable, the next best thing to do is send a follow-up email explaining the errors or mistakes.

Ping! You Have Got a New Message

Outlook is an incredible tool for small businesses, helping you communicate with your employees or others. But the recall or replacement feature is the true winner. Not only can you retract, but you can also replace an email. This feature alone can help you save you from many blunders.

However, certain limitations exist when recalling emails. Factors such as the mail sent to different email clients or having already been opened make it impossible to recall emails, even on Microsoft Outlook. Therefore, we urge you to reread your email receipt address and content before sending them. Prepare your email before putting in the receiver’s email address.