How to Recall an Email

Before You Begin: The Requirements

For a recall to be successful, a few things must be true:

  • Outlook for Windows or Web This feature is primarily for the Outlook desktop app or Outlook on the web.
  • Same Organization: Both you and the recipient must have a Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Exchange email account within the same organization (e.g., both @fsu.edu).
  • Unread Status: The recipient must not have opened or read the email yet.

 

How to Recall an Email

Step 1: Find the Sent Message

  1. Open your Sent Items folder.

  2. Double-click the message you want to recall to open it in its own window. (Note: Simply selecting the message in the reading pane won't show the recall options).

Step 2: Access the Recall Command

Depending on your version of Outlook, the button is in slightly different places:

  • In the "New" Outlook or Web: Select Message > Recall Message from the top ribbon.

  • In Classic Outlook: Go to the Message tab, select the Actions dropdown (usually in the "Move" group), and choose Recall This Message...

Step 3: Choose Your Action

A dialog box will appear with two options:

  1. Delete unread copies of this message: This simply pulls the email back from the recipient's inbox.

  2. Delete unread copies and replace with a new message: This pulls the old email and lets you send a corrected version in its place.

Pro Tip: Keep the box checked that says "Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient." You will receive an email notification for every person on the thread letting you know if it worked.

 

Why did my recall fail?

Recalling an email isn't a "magic eraser." It can fail if:

  • The recipient has already opened the email.

  • The recipient is using a mobile mail app (which often downloads mail instantly).

  • The email was sent to an external address (like Gmail or Yahoo).

  • The email was moved to a subfolder by an Inbox Rule.

 

A Reliable Alternative: "Undo Send"

If you find yourself needing to recall often, you can set a 10-second delay on all outgoing emails. This gives you a brief "Undo" button at the bottom of the screen every time you send a message.

To enable this: Go to Settings > Mail > Compose and reply, and scroll down to Undo send.

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