Recalling an email in Outlook can save you from an embarrassing mistake — sending to the wrong person, forgetting an attachment, or spotting a critical error seconds after hitting send. It works reliably when both you and the recipient are on the same Microsoft 365 or Exchange organisation. Here is how to do it and what to expect.
How to Recall an Email in Outlook (Desktop App)
- Go to your Sent Items folder
- Double-click the email you want to recall to open it in its own window
- In the ribbon, click File → Info → Resend or Recall → Recall This Message
- On newer versions of Outlook (Microsoft 365), look for Message → Actions → Recall This Message
- Choose either Delete unread copies of this message or Delete unread copies and replace with a new message
- Tick Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient if you want a confirmation
- Click OK
When Does a Recall Actually Work?
This is the part Microsoft doesn’t make obvious: recall only works under specific conditions.
- Both sender and recipient must be on the same Microsoft 365 or Exchange server — if you send to someone on Gmail, Yahoo, or a different company’s email, the recall will fail
- The recipient must not have already opened the email — once it’s been read, it cannot be recalled
- The email must still be in the recipient’s inbox — if a rule moved it to another folder automatically, recall may still work, but results vary
If the recall fails, the recipient will receive a notification that you attempted to recall the message — so they’ll know something is up even if the original email stays in their inbox.
Recalling an Email on the New Outlook / Outlook on the Web
The new Outlook (the redesigned version rolling out in 2024–2025) handles recalls differently. If you’re using the new Outlook or Outlook on the web:
- Go to Sent Items
- Open the email
- Look for the Recall message option in the toolbar at the top
Microsoft is gradually improving the recall feature in the new Outlook — it now processes faster and provides better status updates than the classic version.
A Faster Alternative: Undo Send
If you catch the mistake within a few seconds of sending, Undo Send is more reliable than recall. When you send an email in Outlook on the web, a brief notification appears in the bottom-left corner — click Undo before it disappears to pull the email back before it’s delivered.
You can extend the undo window in Outlook on the web: go to Settings → Mail → Compose and reply → Undo send and set the delay to up to 10 seconds.
What to Do If the Recall Fails
If the recall fails or you’re emailing outside your organisation, the best approach is to send a follow-up email immediately acknowledging the mistake and providing the correct information. Most people respond better to a prompt, honest correction than a technical recall attempt.
