How to Recall a Mail in Outlook

Sent a message in Outlook and immediately realized it contained a mistake or went to the wrong person? How to Recall a Mail in Outlook is possible if you and the recipient both use Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft 365 and the message remains unread. This guide walks through the exact process using the desktop version of Outlook.

When Recall Works in Outlook

The recall feature is not available in Outlook for web or when sending to Gmail, Yahoo, or other non-Exchange accounts. Both the sender and every recipient must be on the same Exchange server or Microsoft 365 tenant. The original message must still sit unread in the recipient’s Inbox. If any of these conditions are missing, the recall attempt will fail and you will receive a notification explaining why.

Steps to Recall a Mail in Outlook

1. Open the Sent Items folder

   Launch the Outlook desktop application on Windows. In the left navigation pane, click Sent Items. Scroll or use the search bar at the top to locate the message you want to recall.

   

2. Open the message in its own window

   Double-click the email so it opens in a separate window instead of the reading pane. This step is required for the recall command to appear.

3. Access the Recall This Message option

   Click the Message tab at the top of the open window. In the Move group, select Actions, then choose Recall This Message from the drop-down menu.

4. Choose delete or replace

   In the dialog box that appears, select either “Delete unread copies of this message” or “Delete unread copies and replace with a new message.” If replacing, compose the corrected version and click Send.

   

5. Confirm the action

   Click OK. Outlook will attempt the recall and display a report showing success or failure for each recipient.

Common Problems When Recalling Mail

If the recipient has already opened the message, recall fails. Mobile devices and Outlook on the web often prevent successful recall even when the desktop version reports success. Always check the recall report that arrives in your Inbox a few moments later. If you regularly need to retract messages, enable the Undo Send delay in File > Options > Mail > Undo Send and set it to the maximum of 30 seconds as a first line of defense.

• Make sure you are using the full desktop Outlook app, not the new Outlook toggle or web version.
• Recipients on different Exchange organizations will never receive the recall request.
• After a successful recall, the original message disappears from the recipient’s Inbox without notification.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recall a mail in Outlook on Mac?

No. The recall feature is available only in the Windows desktop version of Outlook.

Does recall work with Microsoft 365 shared mailboxes?

It works when the shared mailbox is on the same Exchange tenant and the message was sent from that mailbox using the desktop client.

What happens if the recipient has rules that move the message?

Recall usually fails because the message is no longer in the Inbox when the recall request arrives.

Conclusion

Knowing how to recall a mail in Outlook can save you from sending errors when the conditions are right. Use the steps above and verify the outcome through the recall report every time.