How to recall an email in Outlook

TL;DR:
You can recall an email in Microsoft Outlook only if both you and your recipient use Outlook with a Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft 365 account on the same organization’s server. Go to Sent Items → Open the email → File → Resend or Recall → Recall This Message.

Introduction

Accidentally emailed the wrong file, wrong person, or unfinished draft? Outlook’s “Recall This Message” feature may save you — but only under specific conditions.

This guide explains how Outlook message recall works, when it will and won’t succeed, and what alternatives you can use if recall isn’t available.

Fact nugget: Outlook’s recall function works only in tightly controlled Exchange environments.

What is Outlook’s “Recall This Message” feature?

Direct answer

It’s a built-in Outlook function that attempts to delete or replace an email you already sent — but only for recipients inside the same Exchange or Microsoft 365 organization.

How it works

• Outlook sends a “recall request” to the recipient’s mailbox

• If the email is unread, Outlook attempts to remove it

• You can optionally replace the recalled message with a new version

Key limitations

• It won’t work for Gmail, Yahoo, or external domains

• It won’t work if the recipient has already opened the message

• It may fail if the recipient uses Outlook mobile apps, which may not process recall requests

Fact nugget: Message recall is not a universal undo button — it’s an internal network feature.

Recall Outlook message - classic view

How to recall an email in Outlook?

Direct answer

Open the email in Sent Items, go to File → Resend or Recall → Recall This Message, choose your options, and confirm.

Step-by-step guide (Windows desktop app)

1. Open Outlook

2. Go to Sent Items

3. Double-click the email you want to recall (it must open in a separate window)

4. Select File → Resend or Recall

5. Choose Recall This Message

6. Select either

• • Delete unread copies of this message, or

  • Delete unread copies and replace with a new message

Source: Microsoft

7. (Optional) Check Tell me if recall succeeds or fails

8. Click OK

Source: Microsoft

Source: Microsoft

On Outlook web (Outlook.com or Microsoft 365 web)

Recall is not available. Instead, use “Undo send” (short delay).

Does email recall in Outlook always work?

No — Outlook recall works only under specific server and client conditions.

Fact nugget: If the recipient sees your message preview, the recall might already fail.

What to do if Outlook recall doesn’t work? (Alternatives)

Direct answer

Use “Undo Send,” follow-up corrections, or email delays — all recommended by Microsoft’s Outlook and mail-flow best practices.

Practical alternatives

• Undo Send / Delay Send

Add a sending delay of 5–30 minutes: File → Options → Mail → “Delay Delivery” rules. (Mail-flow rules are supported in Microsoft 365 Admin Center.)

Source: Microsoft

• Send a follow-up correction

Quick and reliable. Microsoft recommends this when recall conditions aren’t met.

• Mark sensitive emails with delays or approvals

Admins can enforce organization-wide mail delays via transport rules.

• Use encryption or restricted access

Message revocation can be possible with Microsoft Purview encryption.

Fact nugget: The best recall is prevention — use an automatic send delay.

• Use Mailbutler to prevent mistakes

Mailbutler adds advanced sending controls for Outlook, Gmail, and Apple Mail:

• • Smart Send Later/Delay Send to review emails before they go out

  • Smart Assistant to improve scheduled emails in case there are any grammar or spelling mistakes

  • Email Tracking to see if your message was opened

FAQs: Common questions about recalling emails in Outlook

Can you recall an email sent to Gmail or outside your organization?

No. Recall works only inside Exchange/Microsoft 365 environments.

Can the recipient tell you tried to recall the message?

Yes. They often receive a recall notification.

Can you recall an email from the Outlook mobile app?

No. Use Outlook desktop.

Does replacing a message notify the recipient?

Yes. A recall attempt and replacement message may appear.

Why does recall sometimes work and sometimes fail?

It depends on server rules, mailbox configuration, read status, and client apps involved.

Community references for Outlook’s “Recall This Message” feature

Experiences shared in relevant subreddits

From r/Outlook:

If a message was successfully recalled will recipients see that I tried to recall it? … In my limited experience, a recall usually works seamlessly for internal email recipients, and not at all for external ones.

Another user writes:

I sent an email to a colleague that I recalled, and I got an email to the recall report saying it was successfully recalled.

From r/microsoft365:

Recalling an email in Outlook is a fairly simple process, but it only works under certain conditions (e.g., both you and the recipient must be using Outlook, and the email must not have been read yet).

From r/Office365:

Today I discovered that our Outlook has new recall feature. I tested it on email which I sent to people outside organization, it failed … then I tested it on email I sent to person inside the organization, it worked.

Key takeaways

• Outlook recall works only inside Microsoft Exchange/Microsoft 365

• The message must be unread for a successful recall attempt

• Outlook desktop is required — web and mobile apps don’t support message recall

• Use Undo Send, delays, and careful review to prevent errors

• A fast follow-up correction email is often the most reliable fix