If you've ever accidentally sent an email prematurely or even sent an email to the wrong person, you know the feeling of dread that follows. With such a large number of people using Gmail as their personal or work email platform through systems like Google Workspace, accidental sends are common.
To help with this concern, Gmail offers the ability to recall emails, or unsend them, using "Undo Send." When this feature is enabled and you send an email, you will see a pop-up giving you the option to undo the send within a set time period.
Let's take a look at how to enable this setting, adjust it, and use it to your advantage.
How does Undo Send work?
When an email is sent, it travels from one email server to another. Once the email has been successfully delivered to the recipient's inbox, it can't be modified or undone — at least on most major platforms like Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, or Yahoo. But that said, for businesses that use internal email servers and different email clients, it may be possible to unsend an email entirely.
In Gmail, the built-in Undo Send feature is a potential lifesaver. It essentially delays the send, scheduling the email to be sent a few seconds after you press "Send" rather than instantly. That gives you a window to review sent items or stop an email message from going out.
How to enable Undo Send in your settings
To get started, you'll need to check if the Undo Send feature is enabled in your Gmail account. This setting will be on an account-by-account basis, meaning you'll need to activate it for every address you have.
Enabling the Undo Send feature in Gmail is easy — just follow these steps:
- Open your Gmail account in a browser.
- Once you're logged in, click the gear icon in the top right corner. Click "See all settings," which will take you to a new screen.
- The default tab you're taken to should be the General tab, which can be seen along the top. Within the general tab, there will be an option for "Undo send" with a drop-down.
- Select the recall time frame you'd like to work within. The options will be 5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds.
- Once you have made your time selection, scroll to the very bottom of the page and click the "Save changes" button.
With this feature enabled and the amount of time selected, you'll now have a window of opportunity to unsend an email. Your new change will be activated immediately, and any future emails will be subject to the delay time you chose.
How to Undo Send in Gmail
With this handy feature enabled and your desired time set, you'll have the opportunity to catch your email mistakes within the allotted time window.
Once enabled, the feature is available on any device where you're logged in — that means Android, Apple, MacOS, IOS, Windows, Linux, or whatever you're running will allow you to take advantage of this feature.
That said though, how the tool is presented will vary between devices, so let's take a look at how you can undo send on a desktop vs. a smartphone.
Undo Send on a desktop browser
On a browser, you will see a pop-up in the bottom right corner of your window. The two options will be to click "View message" and "Undo send." The cancellation period begins ticking down the second you click send.
Clicking Undo will allow you to take the email back into compose mode, where you can edit the sent email and make the necessary changes. When you're done, you can send the email again.
Undo Send on a smartphone
On your smartphone, in the Gmail app, compose and send your email.
Once you've hit send, a pop-up along the bottom of the screen will show the undo button. The function will be similar to the desktop, giving you the ability to edit or delete the email.
How to avoid needing to unsend emails
The undo feature of email is a great tool that can save you when you're in a tight spot. Preventing the issue from happening altogether is even better.
Here are our tips for sending the right email the first time:
Make a template
If you find yourself repeatedly sending the same types of emails, create a template. Whether you're working on sales outreach emails, email newsletters, campaigns, or day-to-day communications, a template can save time while also keeping your quality consistent.
A template can ensure you don't forget to mention specific details and will add a layer of uniformity to your communications.
Check for typos
The Gmail interface does some standard spell checks, but they might not catch everything.
Running your email through a grammar checker can help you avoid common mistakes. If you're using Superhuman, Superhuman AI can help you polish your writing — from fixing spelling and grammar to rewriting in your own voice or for brevity. Superhuman was built for teams using Gmail and Outlook, meaning it integrates flawlessly with the email client you're already using.
Reread your email
Reread your email to make sure you're sending it to the appropriate people, including all the necessary attachments, and communicating what you intended.
Consider schedule send
If your email doesn't require immediate action and there's an offhand chance details could change, consider using schedule send.
Schedule send allows you to pick a date and time to send the email. This time to reflect or review gives you the opportunity to edit your copy and make changes.
Better yet, try Smart Send with Superhuman. Just hit Cmd+Shift+L (Mac) or Ctrl+Shift+L (Windows), and we'll send your email when it has the best chance of being opened.
Staying on top of email
Superhuman is the fastest email experience ever made. Fly through your inbox twice as fast, eliminate email anxiety, and focus on what matters most by saving hours each week.
Superhuman works seamlessly with your Gmail and Outlook accounts for ease of use — get started today, and reach Inbox Zero.
