How to Recall an Email in Outlook

Have you ever hit “Send” on an email and immediately felt that sinking feeling in your stomach? Perhaps you noticed an embarrassing typo, attached the wrong document, or worse, sent sensitive information to the wrong recipient. We’ve all been there, and fortunately, Microsoft Outlook offers a potential solution: the email recall feature.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about recalling emails in Outlook, from the step-by-step process to understanding limitations and exploring alternatives when recall isn’t possible.

What Does “Recalling an Email” Actually Mean?

Email recall in Outlook is a feature that attempts to retrieve or replace an email that has already been sent. When you recall a message, Outlook tries to find and either delete or replace the unread copies of your original email in recipients’ inboxes.

It’s important to understand that this isn’t like “unsending” a text message—there are specific requirements that must be met for a recall to succeed, which we’ll explore in detail.

When Can You Successfully Recall an Outlook Email?

Before attempting a recall, it’s essential to know when this feature actually works. For a successful recall, the following conditions must be met:

• Both you and the recipient must use Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft 365 email accounts within the same organization
• The recipient hasn’t read the email yet (once opened, recall typically fails)
• The email hasn’t been processed by rules, spam filters, or other automated systems in the recipient’s mailbox
• The recall attempt must happen relatively quickly after sending the original message

If any of these conditions aren’t met, your recall attempt will likely fail. Understanding these limitations helps set realistic expectations about when the feature can help you.

How to Recall an Email in Outlook Desktop (Windows)

If you’re using Outlook on a Windows PC, here’s how to recall an email:

Step 1: Open Your Sent Items Folder

1. In Outlook, navigate to your folder list on the left sidebar
2. Click on the “Sent Items” folder to view your recently sent messages
3. Find and double-click the email you want to recall to open it in a new window (don’t just preview it)

Step 2: Initiate the Recall Process

1. With the message open, click on the “Message” tab in the ribbon at the top
2. Look for the “Actions” group in the ribbon
3. Click on “More Move Actions” (or in some versions, directly click “Actions”)
4. Select “Recall This Message” from the dropdown menu

Step 3: Choose Your Recall Option

A dialog box will appear with two options:

1. Delete unread copies of this message
   • This attempts to completely remove the email from recipients’ inboxes
2. Delete unread copies and replace with a new message
   • This removes the original message and sends a replacement email

Additionally, you’ll see a checkbox option: “Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient”

• It’s recommended to check this box so you’ll know if your recall worked

Step 4: Create a Replacement Message (If Applicable)

If you selected the option to replace the original message, a new composition window will open with a copy of your original email. Make your necessary changes to the message and then click “Send” when ready.

How to Recall an Email in Outlook for Mac

The recall feature works differently on Mac compared to Windows. Here’s the process:

For Outlook 365 on Mac:

1. Go to your “Sent Items” folder
2. Double-click to fully open the message you want to recall
3. In the message window, click on the “Message” tab in the ribbon
4. Look for the “Move” section and click the three dots (…) to see more options
5. Select “Recall This Message”
6. Choose whether to delete unread copies or replace them with a new message
7. Click “OK”

For Older Versions of Outlook on Mac:

Unfortunately, some older versions of Outlook for Mac don’t support the recall feature. If you don’t see the recall option, you may need to use alternative methods that we’ll discuss later in this article.

How to Recall an Email in Outlook Web (OWA)

If you’re using Outlook on the web, the recall process works as follows:

1. Sign in to your Outlook Web Access (OWA) account
2. Go to your “Sent Items” folder
3. Open the message you want to recall
4. Click on the three dots (…) at the top of the message to open the actions menu
5. Select “Recall This Message”
6. Choose your recall option (delete or replace)
7. Click “OK”

Note that the availability of this feature in Outlook Web may depend on your organization’s specific Microsoft 365 configuration.

How to Recall an Email in Outlook Mobile App

Currently, the official Outlook mobile app for iOS and Android does not support direct email recall functionality. If you need to recall an email and only have access to your mobile device, you’ll need to:

1. Access Outlook Web through your mobile browser instead of the app
2. Follow the web-based recall steps listed above
3. Request desktop site view if the recall option isn’t visible in mobile view

Understanding Recall Notifications

After initiating a recall, you’ll receive notification emails informing you about whether the recall succeeded or failed for each recipient (if you selected that option).

These notifications generally look like:

• Successful recall: “Your message has been recalled successfully from [Recipient]”
• Failed recall: “Your attempt to recall the message was unsuccessful”

Common Reasons for Failed Recalls

Recall may fail for various reasons, including:

1. The recipient already read the email
2. The recipient doesn’t use Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft 365
3. The recipient’s email is configured to automatically process incoming messages
4. The recipient moved the email to another folder before the recall attempt
5. Server or connection delays in processing the recall request

Enhanced Recall Features in Newer Outlook Versions

Microsoft has been improving the recall functionality in recent versions of Outlook. In Outlook 2019, Outlook 2021, and Microsoft 365, you may notice:

• Improved success rates for recalls within organizational boundaries
• Better notification systems providing more detailed feedback
• Integration with other Microsoft 365 features like message trace and compliance tools

Alternatives When Email Recall Isn’t Possible

When recall isn’t an option or fails, consider these alternatives:

Send a Follow-Up Email

A simple, professional follow-up email can often resolve the situation:

“Dear [Name],

I noticed an error in my previous email regarding [brief description]. Please disregard that message, and refer to the information below instead:

[Corrected information]

I apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

Best regards, [Your Name]”

Use Delay Delivery for Future Emails

To prevent needing recalls in the future, consider setting up delayed delivery:

1. When composing a new email, click on the “Options” tab
2. Find the “More Options” group
3. Click “Delay Delivery”
4. Set a delay time (even 1-2 minutes can give you time to realize a mistake)
5. Click “Close”
6. Send your email as normal (it will be held in your Outbox until the specified time)

Enable Undo Send in Outlook Web

Outlook Web now offers an “Undo Send” feature that gives you a brief window to cancel a sent email:

1. In Outlook Web, click on the gear icon to access Settings
2. Search for “Undo send”
3. Set the undo period (up to 10 seconds)
4. After sending an email, a prompt will appear at the bottom of the screen allowing you to undo the send during this window

Email Recall Best Practices

To maximize your chances of successful recalls and minimize email mishaps:

Before Sending Emails:

1. Double-check recipients in the To, CC, and BCC fields
2. Review sensitive content carefully before sending
3. Verify attachments are correct and properly redacted if necessary
4. Consider implementing a send delay for all important emails
5. Use email templates for recurring communications to reduce errors

When Attempting Recalls:

1. Act quickly — the sooner you initiate a recall, the better your chances
2. Be prepared with a backup plan in case the recall fails
3. Monitor recall notifications to know who received the original message
4. Follow up personally with critical recipients if the information was sensitive

Organization-Wide Email Recall Policies

If you’re an IT administrator or decision-maker in your organization, consider implementing these practices:

1. Train employees on proper email protocols and the limitations of recall
2. Configure transport rules to delay external emails for a short period
3. Implement data loss prevention (DLP) policies to catch sensitive information before it’s sent
4. Consider third-party email recall solutions with enhanced capabilities

Troubleshooting Common Recall Issues

If you’re experiencing problems with the recall feature, try these solutions:

Recall Option Not Appearing:

• Ensure you’re using an Exchange or Microsoft 365 account
• Verify that your organization hasn’t disabled the recall feature
• Make sure you’ve fully opened the message (not just previewed it)

Recalls Always Failing:

• Check if your recipients are outside your organization
• Determine if your emails are being processed by rules or forwarded
• Consider if there might be server delays affecting the recall timing

Email Recall and Privacy Considerations

It’s worth noting some important privacy aspects of email recall:

1. Recipients may still be notified about the recall attempt
2. External systems may have already processed or stored the original email
3. Some recipients might be curious about what you’re trying to recall, potentially drawing more attention to the email

Recent Improvements to Outlook’s Recall Feature (2025)

Microsoft continues to enhance email recall capabilities. Recent improvements include:

• Extended recall windows for certain organizational setups
• Better compatibility across different Outlook versions
• Enhanced admin controls for configuring recall behavior
• Improved success reporting with more detailed diagnostics

Conclusion

Email recall in Outlook can be a valuable tool when used correctly and with proper understanding of its limitations. While it’s not a perfect solution, knowing how and when to use it can sometimes save you from email embarrassment or more serious information disclosure issues.

Remember that the best approach is always prevention—double-checking recipients, content, and attachments before sending. But when mistakes happen (and they do happen to everyone), knowing how to properly use Outlook’s recall feature might just save the day.

By incorporating delayed sending, careful review processes, and appropriate follow-up techniques into your email workflow, you’ll develop communication habits that reduce the need for recalls in the first place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recall an email sent to someone outside my organization? No, both sender and recipient must be on the same Exchange server or Microsoft 365 environment.

How quickly do I need to recall an email for it to work? There’s no fixed time limit, but the sooner you act, the better your chances, as the recipient may read the email at any time.

Will the recipient know I tried to recall an email? In most cases, yes. Recipients typically receive notifications about recall attempts, even if successful.

Can I recall an email on my phone using the Outlook mobile app? No, the mobile app doesn’t currently support the recall feature. You’ll need to use Outlook Web or a desktop client.

Does email recall work with encrypted messages? Recall functionality may be limited or unavailable for encrypted messages, depending on your organization’s security configuration.

Can I recall an email if I’ve set up auto-forwarding on my account? Recall typically won’t work for forwarded messages, as they’re processed outside the original Exchange environment.

Will using BCC affect my ability to recall a message? Yes, recipients in the BCC field may not be included in recall attempts depending on your system configuration.

Can I recall a meeting invitation in Outlook? Instead of recalling, you should cancel or update the meeting invitation, which serves a similar purpose for calendar items.