Admit it: You seldom ever proofread emails, and occasionally (or frequently), that error simply appears to be making fun of you as it sits in your Sent folder. Even if you may not have spelled “productive” exactly as you intended in your email, there is something about pressing the Send button that makes you feel really productive. (Have faith in me; I was there.)
Fortunately, Gmail offers an Undo Send option that provides you up to a 30-second grace period after sending an email, allowing you to secretly proofread before the message escapes your control. This is how you activate the functionality.
How to enable Undo Send in Gmail
1. Log into your Gmail account
First, check sure your inbox is completely visible and that you are signed into your Gmail account.
2. Click Settings
In the top right corner of your inbox, click on the Settings icon (gear). From there, click on the first button that says “See all settings”.
3. Find Undo Send under the General tab
Undo Send is the sixth option down on the General page in Settings once you’ve accessed it. You may choose between a cancellation term of 5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds by using the tiny drop-down box.
4. Save Changes
Then, scroll all the way to the bottom of the General Settings menu and click “Save Changes” after choosing your Undo Send time period.
5. Test
Once you’ve saved your modifications and determined that you’ve allowed yourself enough leeway (which you can adjust at any moment by going through the above steps again), write a draught email to test the feature out before sending a more important email.
A “Message sent” indication will appear in the bottom left corner of the screen after sending. There need to be a “Undo” toggle next to the text on the right.
6. Fix the message before you send it (for real this time)
The message will recall itself and reappear as a draught window when you activate the Undo button, ready for editing and resending.
All of this is to say, always proofread your emails. Before you click the “Send” button, pause for a moment or two to confirm all of the names, locations, and significant dates and times. Remember that you always have a 30-second Undo button available as a final option.
FAQ
How long do I have to recall a message in Gmail?
The Undo Send function in Gmail gives you a 5 to 30-second grace time before your message really reaches the recipient’s inbox. Go to Options > See all settings > Undo Send > Choose time on dropdown toggle > Save Changes after logging into your Gmail account. After you save your changes, you will have the length of time you choose to review the message for errors and make any necessary corrections before it is delivered.
Does Gmail have read receipts?
You cannot know whether someone has opened or read your email unless you ask Google for a receipt.
Does Gmail automatically delete emails?
Gmail will automatically erase emails that have spent more than 30 days in your spam or trash bin. If not, you will need to remove the emails manually.
