How to Recall an Email in Gmail (Undo Send)

To recall an email in Gmail, click Undo in the “Message sent” box at the bottom-left of the screen right after you send it. In the Gmail app, tap Undo on the “Sent” notice. You get 5 to 30 seconds, depending on your settings. Once that window closes, Gmail can’t pull the email back.

Gmail doesn’t have a true recall button like some work email systems. Instead, its Undo Send feature holds each email for a few seconds before it goes out. That short delay is your chance to cancel it. This guide covers how to use it on a computer and in the app, how to give yourself the full 30 seconds, and what to do if you missed the window.

Before sending, inspect the actual To and Cc addresses. If you use Reply all by default, confirm that the whole group should receive the message. With Gmail keyboard shortcuts enabled, remember that Ctrl or Command plus Enter performs the send action; review the draft first.

How to Unsend an Email in Gmail on a Computer

These steps work in Gmail in any web browser, like Chrome, Edge, Safari, or Firefox.

1. Write your email and click Send.
2. Look at the bottom-left corner of the screen. You’ll see a box that says Message sent with Undo and View message next to it.
3. Click Undo before the box goes away.

If you clicked Undo in time, the email isn’t delivered. You can fix the mistake and send it again, or throw it away.

How to Unsend an Email in the Gmail App (iPhone, iPad, or Android)

1. Tap Send in the Gmail app.
2. Watch for a notice that says Sent with an Undo option.
3. Tap Undo before the notice disappears.

The notice only stays up for a few seconds, so keep your eyes on the screen right after you tap Send.

How to Unsend a Gmail Email in the iPhone Mail App

If your Gmail account is set up in Apple’s Mail app instead of the Gmail app, Gmail’s Undo option won’t appear. Mail has its own Undo Send feature, which gives you 10 seconds by default.

1. Send your email in the Mail app.
2. Tap Undo Send in the mailbox before it disappears.
3. To get more time, open Settings, tap Apps, then Mail.
4. Tap Undo Send Delay and choose a longer delay.

These steps come from Apple’s Undo Send guide for Mail on iPhone.

How to Give Yourself More Time to Unsend (Up to 30 Seconds)

Gmail lets you choose how long the Undo option stays available: 5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds. You change this setting in Gmail on a computer.

1. Open Gmail in a web browser and sign in.
2. Click the Settings gear in the top-right corner.
3. Click See all settings.
4. On the General tab, find Undo Send.
5. Open the Send cancellation period menu and choose 30 seconds.
6. Scroll to the bottom and click Save changes.

Thirty seconds is the longest option. It also means every email you send waits that long before it goes out. For most people, that small delay is worth the safety net.

Note: Older guides, including an earlier version of this one, told you to check an “Enable Undo Send” box or turn it on in Gmail Labs. Those options are gone. Undo Send is always on now, and you only pick the time limit.

What to Do If You Missed the Undo Window

After the cancellation period ends, the email has been delivered and Gmail can’t take it back. Here’s what you can still do:

• Send a quick follow-up. A short correction (“Sorry, the meeting is at 3, not 2”) usually fixes the problem faster than anything else.
• Ask the person to delete it. If you sent it to the wrong person, a polite note asking them to delete it is often all you can do.
• Don’t count on deleting it from Sent. Deleting the email from your Sent folder only removes your copy. It doesn’t remove it from the other person’s inbox.
• Change anything private you shared. If the email included a password or other sensitive details, change that password right away.

Two Ways to Avoid Needing a Recall Next Time

Schedule the email instead of sending it now

If you want time to think it over, schedule the email to send later. Until it goes out, you can change it or cancel it.

1. In Gmail on a computer, write your email.
2. Click the down arrow next to Send.
3. Click Schedule send and pick a date and time.

To cancel it, click Scheduled in the left panel, open the email, and click Cancel send. The email turns back into a draft.

Use confidential mode for sensitive emails

Confidential mode is the closest thing Gmail has to a real recall. It lets you remove someone’s access to an email after it has been sent.

1. In Gmail on a computer, click Compose.
2. At the bottom of the new email, click Toggle confidential mode. If you don’t see it, click More options (the three dots) to find it.
3. Set an expiration date, then click Save and send the email.
4. To take back access later, click Sent, open the email, and click Remove access.

Keep in mind that confidential mode can’t stop someone from taking a screenshot or a photo of the email. If you have a work or school account and don’t see this option, your administrator may have turned it off.

Why Didn’t I See the Undo Option?

• The window already passed. If you looked away or opened another email, the box may have closed before you saw it.
• Your time limit is short. At 5 seconds, it’s easy to miss. Set it to 30 seconds using the steps above.
• You sent it from another email app. Undo Send is a Gmail feature. If you sent the email from Apple Mail, Outlook, or another app connected to your Gmail account, Gmail won’t show its Undo option. That app’s own undo feature, if it has one, applies instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recall a Gmail email after an hour or a day?

No. You can only undo an email during the 5 to 30 seconds right after you send it. After that, it has been delivered.

How long do I have to undo a Gmail email?

Between 5 and 30 seconds, depending on your Send cancellation period setting. The default is short, so set it to 30 seconds if you often catch mistakes right after sending.

Will the other person know I unsent an email?

No. If you click Undo in time, the email is never delivered, so there’s nothing for them to see.

Does Gmail have a recall feature like Outlook?

Not in the same way. Gmail’s Undo Send works for everyone, but only for a few seconds. If you use Outlook and want more control, you can delay emails by scheduling them in Outlook. Outlook also has a true Recall Message option, but only between Microsoft 365 work or school accounts in the same organization. See how to recall an email in Outlook.

Can I change the Undo Send time in the Gmail app?

Google’s instructions for changing the time limit are for Gmail on a computer. Use a web browser to change it, following the steps above.

Sources: Google’s Gmail Help pages on sending and unsending messages, scheduling emails, and confidential mode.

More Gmail Guides

• How to CC someone in Gmail
• How to change the subject line when you reply in Gmail
• How to put a Gmail icon on your Windows 11 desktop

Another setting worth adjusting while you are in Gmail’s settings: how to disable hover actions in Gmail.