You have rushed off an email. Then later when you had the time you checked it and spotted mistakes – typos and grammatical errors.
Maybe you checked your email and said something you shouldn’t have.
Now you want to unsend or recall the email. The thing is an hour has passed. However, you know the recipient won’t be opening the email for the next few hours.
So, is there a way to unsend an email in Gmail after an hour?
Let’s take a look.
Gmail has an Undo Send feature. Let’s see how to unsend an email in Gmail.
Contents
How to Unsend an Email in Gmail
Step 1 – Sign in to Gmail
First of all, sign in to your Gmail account.
Step 2 – Click on Settings
Look for the Settings (gear icon) on the top right-hand corner and click on it.
Step 3 – Choose See All Settings
If by default it opens in the Quick Settings mode, click on See all settings.
Step 4 – Set Cancellation Period
Scroll down the settings menu until you see Undo Send.
From here, you can set the cancellation period in seconds.
The maximum time you’re allowed to wait before canceling a sent email is 30 seconds,
So, it will not be possible to unsend an email in Gmail after an hour.
Step 5 -Save Changes
In the future, if you want more time to change your mind after sending an email, set the cancellation period to 30 seconds. Then hit the Save changes button at the bottom of the page.
Step 6 – Send a Test Email
To check if the maximum cancellation period is working, send a test email, preferably to your alternative email address,
Step 7 – Undo the Sent Email Message
The moment you hit the Send button, you’ll be given an option to Undo sending of the email message.
Click on the Undo button if you change your mind about sending the email message. The Undo button will be visible according to the cancellation period you’ve set.
If your cancellation period is 30 seconds, the Undo option will be visible for 30 seconds before it disappears.
Step 7 – Check Your Drafts Folder
The moment hit the Undo button, the email message will be sent to your Drafts folder.
You may then click on the email to make the necessary changes.
How to Avoid Unsending an Email in Gmail
Although the Undo Send is a handy feature in Gmail, you should as far as possible avoid using it.
Use it only in an emergency. Sometimes, the 30-second cancellation period may not save you.
To avoid using it, compose important email messages in advance if time is available.
Read your message carefully before hitting the Send button.
One way of minimizing mistakes in your email is to send an email to your alternative email address first.
This allows you to read it from a different perspective, making it easier to spot mistakes.
