How to recall or retract a sent message in Outlook?

Author Siluvia Last modified 2024-12-03

Accidentally sent an email in Outlook and want to take it back? Outlook provides a Recall This Message feature that allows you to retract a sent email under certain conditions. Additionally, Kutools for Outlook offers a Recall Email feature to make this process even easier and more reliable. Here’s how to use both methods effectively.

Important Notes Before You Start

Both of the following two methods may work only if:

Both you and the recipient use Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft 365 accounts in the same organization.
The email is unread in the recipient's inbox.
The recipient has not disabled the option to process requests and responses automatically.

Recalling messages is not guaranteed to succeed.

Use Outlook's Built-in "Recall This Message" Feature to Recall a Single Email

Use Kutools for Outlook's "Recall Emails" Feature to Bulk Recall Multiple Emails at Once

Use Outlook's Built-in "Recall This Message" Feature to Recall a Single Email

1. Open your Sent Items folder, and double-click on the message to open it. Then click Actions > Recall This Message. See screenshot:

the steps of recalling a sent message in outlook

2. choose whether to delete unread copies of the message or replace them with a new message. Then click the OK button.

Note: The recall function only works if the recipient has not yet read the message. If the message is unread, it can be successfully recalled; however, if it has been read, the recall will fail.

Use Kutools for Outlook's "Recall Emails" Feature to Bulk Recall Multiple Emails at Once

Kutools for Outlook simplifies the recall process and provides a more user-friendly and effective alternative to Outlook's built-in feature.

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Step 1. After Kutools for Outlook, select the emails that you want to recall.

Step 2. Click Kutools > Respond > Recall Email.

A dialog will appear, confirming whether the recall request was sent successfully.

Step 3. Click Kutools > Respond > Recall Email History, where a dialog will display the status of your recall request.

Pro Tip: Delay Sending Emails with Kutools for Outlook

To avoid the need for recalling messages altogether, use Kutools for Outlook’s Delay Emails feature. This feature allows you to delay sending emails by 5, 10, or 30 seconds, or even up to a minute, giving you a buffer to catch and fix mistakes before the email is sent.