How to Recall an Email in Outlook

One of the many email errors that we all wish to correct as soon as we become aware of it is sending an email to the incorrect recipient, forgetting to include an attachment, sending an offensive email in the heat of the moment, and making silly typos. We all have our share of embarrassing email stories.In this article, we will learn how to recall an email an even replace it in Microsoft Outlook.

Message recall is only available after you click Send, if both you and the receiver have a Microsoft 365 or Microsoft Exchange email account in the same company or organization. The original message is unread and is in the recipients’ Inbox. Another important requirement is that the message was not touched by any rule, or by action of the recipient.

If your account is a MAPI or POP account, recall won’t work.

How to recall an email in Outlook

Follow these 7 simple steps :

1. Select the Sent Items folder.
2. Select or double-click the message so it opens in another window.
3. Select File > Info.
4. Select Message Resend and Recall > Recall This Message…, and select one of the two options.
5. Select Delete unread copies of this message to recall the sent message.
6. Select the Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient check box.
7. Select OK.

How to Replace an email in Outlook

Simple as Recall an email in Outlook follow the following 7 simple steps :

1. Select the Sent Items folder.
2. Select or double-click the message so it opens in another window.
3. Select File > Info.
4. Select Message Resend and Recall > Recall This Message…, and select one of the two options.
5. Select Delete unread copies and replace with a new message to replace the sent message with a new message.
6. Select the Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient check box.
7. Select OK.

Possible Results When You Recall or Replace an email in Outlook

The success or failure of a message recall depends on the recipients’ settings in Outlook. It can take a couple of minutes to see if a recall succeeds on Outlook.

Possible scenarios for a recalled or replaced email :

• Assuming the original message hasn’t been read, the original message is deleted and the recipient is informed that you, the sender, deleted the message from his or her mailbox.
• If the recipient has read the message, the recall will fail. Both the original message and the new message (or notification of your attempt to recall the original message) are available to the recipient. 
• If the recipient has not opened the original message and opens the recall message first, the original message is deleted. Outlook informs the recipient that you deleted the message from their mailbox.

Conclusion

You now understand how to recall an email in Outlook. You should start using this feature. But you should act quickly to recall your email message as this feature doesn’t work if the recipient opens the message.