If you’re a mobile Gmail user, the Undo Send feature can be incredibly helpful for managing your email correspondence. It allows you to retract an email you just sent, in case you forgot to attach a file or misspelled a recipient’s name.
Essentially, you have a five-second window after clicking “Send” to change your mind and undo the email, though you can choose to extend this period. Here are two sets of instructions: one for undoing a sent email in the Gmail app, and another for increasing your undo send window beyond the default five seconds.
To undo a sent email in the Gmail app, follow these steps:
- Press the Send button to send an email in the Gmail app.
- Look for the “Undo” notification at the bottom of your screen immediately after pressing Send.
- Tap on the “Undo” option.
- The original email message will appear, giving you the chance to make any necessary modifications.
If you’re using Gmail on desktop, the process for undoing a sent email is similar, and you also have the option to extend your undo send window.
To increase the time period for undoing a sent email in Gmail, follow these steps:
- Open Gmail in your desktop browser.
- Click on the Settings icon (cog) located in the upper right corner.
- Select the “See all settings” option.
- Locate the “Undo Send” section and click the dropdown menu next to “Send cancellation period.”
- Choose your preferred time interval from the options of 5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds.
- Scroll to the lowest of the page and click on Save changes
That’s all you need to know about using Gmail’s Undo Send feature. Fun fact: Apple Mail now has a similar feature available on both macOS and iOS. Click on the link for your operating system to learn more.