Outlook Feature: Undo Send- Adding a Short Delay to Outgoing Emails in Outlook

Question

This article answers the following questions:

  • How do I unsend an email in Microsoft Outlook?
  • Can I recall or take back an email I already sent in Outlook?
  • How do I turn on the "Undo Send" feature in Microsoft Outlook?
  • How long do I have to undo a sent email in Outlook?
  • Where do I find the "Undo Send" setting in Outlook?
  • What is the difference between "Undo Send" and "Recall" in Outlook?

Environment

This article applies when all of the following conditions are true:

  • The user is using Microsoft Outlook as their email application.
  • The user is using one of the following versions of Outlook:
    • Outlook on the web (accessed through a browser at outlook.com or through a Microsoft 365 work/school login)
    • Outlook for Windows (the "New Outlook" desktop app or the classic desktop app)
    • Outlook for Mac
  • The user wants to prevent a recently sent email from being delivered, OR the user wants to set up a short delay window that allows them to cancel sending an email after clicking "Send."
  • The user has a Microsoft 365, Exchange Online, or Outlook.com email account.

This article does not apply when:

  • The user is using a third-party email application (such as Gmail, Apple Mail, or Thunderbird) to access their email.
  • The user is attempting to retrieve or delete an email that was delivered a long time ago. The "Undo Send" feature only works within a brief window immediately after clicking "Send." For messages that have already been fully delivered, see a separate article on the Message Recall feature (available only in certain Outlook and Exchange configurations).

Resolution

The "Undo Send" feature in Microsoft Outlook gives you a short grace period after you click "Send." During that grace period, a small notification or button appears on your screen that lets you cancel the send. If you click it in time, the email is pulled back and placed in your Drafts folder so you can edit or delete it. If you do nothing, the email sends normally once the timer runs out.

Below are the steps to enable and use this feature, organized by version of Outlook.

Part 1: Outlook on the Web (Browser Version)

How to Turn On Undo Send

  1. Open Outlook in your web browser and sign in.
  2. Click the gear icon (Settings) in the upper-right corner of the screen.
  3. In the settings panel that appears, click Mail.
  4. Click Compose and reply.
  5. Scroll down to the section labeled Undo send.
  6. You will see a slider or dropdown that lets you choose how many seconds you want the undo window to last. The available options are typically 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 15 seconds, or 30 seconds.
  7. Select your preferred time window. A longer window gives you more time to cancel, but it also means your emails will be slightly delayed before they are actually delivered.
  8. Click Save to apply your changes.

How to Use Undo Send

  1. Compose and send an email as you normally would by clicking Send.
  2. Immediately after clicking Send, a small notification bar will appear at the bottom of the screen that says "Sending…" with an Undo link or button next to it.
  3. Click Undo before the timer runs out.
  4. The email will be moved back into your Drafts folder (or the compose window will reopen) so you can make changes or delete it.
  5. If you do not click Undo before the timer expires, the email will be sent and delivered normally, and it cannot be undone using this feature.

Part 2: New Outlook for Windows (Desktop App)

The "New Outlook" for Windows is the redesigned version of the Outlook desktop app. It looks and works similarly to Outlook on the web.

How to Turn On Undo Send

  1. Open the New Outlook app on your computer.
  2. Click the gear icon (Settings) in the upper-right corner of the window.
  3. Click Mail.
  4. Click Compose and reply.
  5. Find the Undo send section.
  6. Use the slider or dropdown to select your preferred cancellation window (up to 30 seconds).
  7. Click Save.

How to Use Undo Send

  1. Send an email as you normally would.
  2. A notification bar will appear at the bottom of the app window with an Undo option.
  3. Click Undo before the countdown expires.
  4. Your email will return to the compose or drafts state so you can revise or discard it.

Part 3: Classic Outlook for Windows (Traditional Desktop App)

The classic version of Outlook for Windows does not have a built-in "Undo Send" button in the same way as the web and new versions. However, you can achieve the same result by creating a delayed send rule, which holds all outgoing emails for a set number of minutes before actually sending them.

How to Set Up a Delayed Send Rule

  1. Open the classic Outlook desktop app.
  2. Click on File in the top-left corner.
  3. Click Manage Rules & Alerts.
  4. In the window that opens, click New Rule.
  5. Under the section labeled Start from a blank rule, select Apply rule on messages I send, then click Next.
  6. On the next screen, you will be asked to pick conditions. If you want this delay to apply to all emails you send, do not check any boxes. Simply click Next. A message may appear asking you to confirm that this rule will apply to every message you send — click Yes.
  7. On the next screen, check the box that says defer delivery by a number of minutes.
  8. In the bottom part of the window, click the underlined words "a number of" and type in how many minutes you want to delay your emails (for example, 1 or 2 minutes).
  9. Click OK, then click Next.
  10. You may add exceptions if desired (for example, you might not want to delay high-priority emails). If you have no exceptions, click Next again.
  11. Give your rule a name (such as "Delay Send") and make sure the box next to Turn on this rule is checked.
  12. Click Finish, then click Apply, and then OK.

How to Cancel a Delayed Email

  1. After you click Send, the email will sit in your Outbox folder for the number of minutes you specified in the rule.
  2. Open your Outbox folder from the folder list on the left side of the screen.
  3. Double-click the email to open it.
  4. You can now edit the email or delete it before the delay period ends and the email is actually sent.
  5. If you edit the email and want to send it again, click Send and it will re-enter the delay queue.

Part 4: Outlook for Mac

How to Turn On Undo Send

  1. Open Outlook on your Mac.
  2. Click Outlook in the menu bar at the top of the screen, then click Settings (or Preferences in older versions).
  3. Click Composing.
  4. Look for the Undo send option.
  5. Set the duration of the cancellation window (up to 20 seconds, depending on your version).
  6. Close the settings window. Your changes are saved automatically.

How to Use Undo Send

  1. Send your email as normal.
  2. An Undo Send prompt will briefly appear at the bottom of the Outlook window.
  3. Click Undo before the timer runs out.
  4. The email will return to draft form for you to edit or delete.

 

Additional Help

If you need further assistance, please contact the Bowdoin College Service Desk

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