We’ve all done it — hit send too soon, attached the wrong file, or spotted a typo the second the email left your inbox. Outlook has a built-in recall feature that can help, though it’s worth knowing its limits before you rely on it.

Important: Recall only works if the recipient is on the same Microsoft 365/Exchange organisation and hasn’t already opened the email. It won’t work for external recipients or webmail users (like Gmail or Outlook.com).

Outlook Desktop

1. Go to your Sent Items folder and open the email you want to recall.
2. Click the Message tab, then select Actions (in some versions this is under the … or More Move Actions menu).
3. Choose Recall This Message.
4. Select either:
   • Delete unread copies of this message, or
   • Delete unread copies and replace with a new message
5. Tick Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient if you want confirmation.
6. Click OK. If you chose to replace the message, edit your new version and send it as normal.

A few tips to reduce the risk in the first place:

• Turn on Delay Delivery (Options → Delay Delivery) to give yourself a short buffer before emails actually send.
• Double-check the recipient list before hitting send, especially with similar names in your address book.
• Draft sensitive or important emails first, then add recipients last.