How to recall an email in Outlook or replace it with a new one

Outlook is known as a software used by many people for the purpose of exchanging work. However, during use, many people often encounter the situation of sending emails to the wrong person, forgetting to send documents, or sending incorrect content. So how can you recall emails in Outlook or replace them with new emails? Let's find out with  TipsMake  through the article below!

What is Outlook software?

Outlook is a personal information management software developed by Microsoft, included in the Microsoft Office suite of office applications. It is not only an email application but also provides many other useful features such as calendar, task management, notes and address book.

What is Outlook software?

Outlook is widely used in businesses and organizations today because of its easy synchronization with other Microsoft services such as Exchange Server and Microsoft 365. Thanks to this powerful integration, Outlook helps users manage their daily work more efficiently, from sending and receiving emails, scheduling appointments, to tracking tasks and storing contact information.

What is the Recall feature in Outlook?

Recall is also known as email recall. This is a special feature in Outlook that allows users to recall a sent email if they realize that there is an error in the content, send it to the wrong person, or want to change the information sent. This feature helps prevent unwanted incidents and keeps the information delivered accurately.

However, the Recall feature only works under certain conditions:

1. Both the sender and recipient must be using Outlook and on the same organization or Exchange system.
2. Email has not been read by the recipient.
3. The recall feature must be enabled on the sender's system.

The easiest way to recall emails in Outlook

Recalling an email in Outlook can be done by following these steps:

The easiest way to recall emails in Outlook

Step 1: Open the sent email

First, you need to open Outlook and navigate to the "Sent Items" folder. Find the email you want to recall and open it.

Step 2: Access the Recall feature

In the opened email window, select the "Message" tab on the toolbar. Then, find and click the "Actions" button and select "Recall This Message".

Step 3: Select the Recall option

When the Recall This Message dialog box appears, you'll see two options:

1. Delete unread copies of this message - This option will delete unread emails from the recipient's mailbox.
2. Delete unread copies and replace with a new message: This option allows you to resend a new email in place of the old one.

You need to select the option that suits your needs and press 'OK' to perform the recovery process.

Step 4: Check the recovery progress

Outlook will begin the email recall process and you will receive a notification about the outcome of the process. However, the recall may succeed or fail based on a number of factors such as the condition of the email, the configuration of the email system, and the recipient's settings.

Check if email in Outlook has been recalled

After performing the email recall process, you can check the results by doing the following:

Step 1: Check notifications

Outlook will send a notification about the result of the recall process. If the email is successfully recalled, you will receive a message confirming that the email has been deleted from the recipient's mailbox. If it fails, the notification will provide specific reasons.

Step 2: Check sent email

Go back to your "Sent Items" folder and open the email you tried to recall. In the header of the email, you should see a recall status message, indicating whether the email was successfully recalled.

Step 3: Contact the recipient

If necessary, you can contact the recipient directly to confirm whether they received the email and whether the email was revoked. This can help you ensure that the information you want to revoke has been handled correctly.

In what cases can't Recall email in Outlook?

Email recall in Outlook may fail in the following cases:

In what cases can't Recall email in Outlook?

1. Recipient not using Outlook: Recall only works when both sender and recipient are using Outlook and are on the same Exchange Server. If the recipient is using another email service like Gmail or Yahoo, Recall will not work.
2. Recipient opened email: If the recipient opened the email before you performed a Recall, the email cannot be recalled. Once the email has been opened, its contents are stored on the recipient's system and cannot be deleted remotely.
3. Email moved out of inbox: If the recipient has moved the email out of their inbox, such as by saving it to another folder or forwarding it to someone else, Recall won't be able to recall the email.
4. Restricted Access: If the sender does not have the necessary access to recall the email, the feature will not work. This can happen in corporate environments with strict security settings.

Organizational security policies and settings: Some organizations have specific security policies or settings that block the Recall email feature. In this case, you will not be able to use this feature regardless of other factors.

How long does it take to recall an email in Outlook?

The time it takes to recall an email in Outlook will depend on a number of factors:

1. Time from sending to receiving recall request: If the email was received before the recall request was sent, the process will fail.
2. Server and Outlook Program Settings and Configuration: There may be a delay in processing recall requests depending on your server and email system settings.
3. Likelihood that the recipient opened the email: If the recipient opened and read the email before the recall request was made, the email cannot be recalled.

Thus, the success or failure of email retrieval depends largely on the timing and specific conditions in each case.

Is it possible to replace a sent email in Outlook?

Once an email has been sent from Outlook, it is not possible to change or retract it. However, Outlook provides a number of options that allow you to adjust sent emails as follows:

1. Resend edited email: Make changes to the email content and resend it to the recipient.
2. Add additional message: Send a new email with a message explaining the change or adding information.
3. Use Recall in an emergency: If needed, you can use the Recall feature to attempt to recall the email as discussed above.

If email recall fails, what should you do?

If email recall fails, you can take the following steps to resolve the issue:

1. Notify recipient: If the recall request is unsuccessful and you need to resend information or modify the email you sent, contact the recipient directly.
2. Prevent and mitigate consequences: If the email contains important or sensitive information, prevent consequences by providing additional information or suggesting a solution.
3. Improve your email sending process: To avoid similar situations in the future, consider improving your email sending process by using security and authentication features, as well as planning and testing before sending important emails.

We have just brought you information related to detailed instructions on how to recall sent emails in Outlook. Hopefully, with the above sharing, it has helped you apply it successfully.

Marvin Fry

Update 11 February 2025