How to Recall an Email in Outlook (2026 Step-by-Step)

Written by email productivity & inbox management specialists at Leave Me Alone. Updated for 2026.

Sent an email and instantly regretted it? Maybe it went to the wrong person, had the wrong attachment, or contained something you wish you could pull back.

In this guide, you’ll learn exactly how Outlook’s Message Recall works in 2026, how to trigger it from any supported Outlook app, how to check if it actually worked, and what to do when it doesn’t.

Microsoft updated its Exchange Online recall system in late 2025 to support cloud-based message recall with real-time reports, meaning many work and school users now have more ways to recover from a mistake than ever before.

If your account and recipient are eligible, this entire process usually takes just a few minutes.

Before you start

You and the recipient are in the same organization on Microsoft 365 / Exchange (internal mail). External recipients (like Gmail) can’t be recalled.
You’re using a supported account type (work/school Microsoft 365 or Exchange). Some account types (like POP) don’t support recall.
You can access the message in Sent Items and open it in its own window.

Tools

One of: New Outlook (Windows), Classic Outlook (Windows), Outlook on the web for work/school, or Outlook for Mac (supported version).
A few minutes where you can focus (recall works best when you act quickly).

Time

A few minutes, plus a short wait for the recall report to arrive.

Cost

No extra cost this is an Outlook/Microsoft 365 feature when available.

Safety notes

Recall is not guaranteed. Assume the recipient may have already read, forwarded, downloaded, or screenshot the message.
If the email includes sensitive information, follow your organization’s security/incident process right away—don’t rely on recall as “erasure.”

Eligibility and limitations are set by Microsoft 365/Exchange rules and your organization’s settings.

Step-by-step: Recall (or replace) an email in Outlook

Check the recipient list and stop if it went outside your organization.
Open the sent message and look at To/Cc/Bcc. If any address is outside your company/school domain, assume recall won’t work for that person. Plan a correction message for those recipients instead.
Confirm you’re on an eligible account (work/school Microsoft 365 or Exchange).
If you’re sending from a personal address ending in @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, @live.com, or @msn.com, you can’t recall after it’s sent (jump to Step 12 for “Undo send” instead). Also note: recall doesn’t work for some account types like POP/MAPI.
Go to Sent Items (or Sent) and find the message.
Use search if needed, but make sure you’re selecting the message from the sent folder not a copy in a conversation view.
Double-click the message to open it in a separate window.
This is the #1 why can’t I see recall? problem: the reading pane view usually won’t show the recall command
Click the recall command for your Outlook version.
Use the option that matches what you’re on:
New Outlook (Windows): Ribbon → Recall Message
Classic Outlook (Windows): Message tab → Actions → Recall This Message (or File → Info → Resend or Recall)
Outlook on the web (work/school): Ribbon → Recall Message
Outlook for Mac: Ribbon → Recall Message (or Control-click the message → Recall)
Choose what you want to happen, then confirm.
Pick one option, then select OK:
Delete unread copies (best when you just need it gone)
Delete unread copies and replace (best when you need to fix a mistake or add an attachment)
If you chose Replace, edit the message immediately and send.
Fix the subject line, body, recipients, and attachments, then hit Send. (This is also your chance to remove anyone who shouldn’t have been included.)
Watch your inbox for the Message Recall Report.
Outlook sends a report shortly after you initiate recall. Open the report and select the link inside it to see whether your recall succeeded, is pending, or failed.
If status is Pending, wait and check again before you panic.
If recall can’t run right away (for example, a mailbox is temporarily unavailable), Outlook may keep retrying for up to 24 hours before marking it failed.
If recall fails (or wasn’t available), send a clean correction message.
Use a subject like Correction: or Please disregard:. In the first line, say exactly what was wrong, then provide the corrected info/attachment. If you sent something confidential to the wrong person, notify your manager/IT according to policy.
Don’t forget prevention: set up a buffer for next time.
Scroll down to Make-ahead and enable "Undo send" (Outlook.com) or schedule messages so you can catch mistakes before they leave your account.

Why this works

Message recall works because Outlook sends a recall request and (in Microsoft 365’s cloud-based recall) a service agent attempts to delete the original message from recipients’ mailboxes, then generates a recall report so you can verify outcomes per recipient.

One important nuance: cloud-based recall adds organization-level settings, including whether to attempt recalling messages that were already read so "unread only" isn’t always the full story anymore.

What can change

Recall behavior can vary by organization and setup. Admins can enable/disable cloud-based recall and choose whether to attempt recalls for read messages; there are also known client limitations (for example, certain Outlook for Windows profile/mode conditions). If your screen doesn’t match these steps, it’s often an account-type or organization-setting difference not something you’re doing wrong.

Troubleshooting

Outlook Recall Troubleshooting Table

Use this table to quickly diagnose recall issues and apply the correct fix.

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix (do this now)
Recall Message / Recall This Message isn’t showing	You didn’t open the sent message in its own window	Go to Sent Items and double-click the message so it opens in a separate window, then look for Recall again
Recall is missing for some emails but not others	Some recipients are outside your organization or message is not eligible	Check all recipients for external domains and send a correction message to those users
Recall option is grayed out in Outlook for Windows	Your Outlook profile or mode does not support recall	Try recalling from Outlook on the web or New Outlook, or ask IT to review your mailbox configuration
The recipient still sees the original email	The message was already opened, moved, or forwarded	Send a follow-up saying “Please disregard” and ask them to delete the message
The Message Recall Report never arrives	The report was delayed, blocked, or quarantined	Check Junk or Quarantine folders and ask IT if recall reports are being filtered
Recall worked for some recipients but not others	Different mailbox states such as read, unread, or forwarding	Use the recall report to identify failures and send those recipients a correction
Recall fails in a hybrid Exchange environment	Cloud-to-on-premises recall limitation	Send a correction email and follow your organization’s security or compliance process
Recall cannot be used on a protected message	The email is encrypted or restricted by policy	Assume the email was delivered and notify recipients through a correction message
Recall does not appear in Outlook on the web	Your account or organization does not support cloud-based recall	Try recalling from New Outlook or ask IT if recall is enabled for your organization

Variations

Delete only: Use this when the email should disappear (wrong thread, wrong details, accidental send).
Delete and replace: Use this when you need to fix content (missing attachment, wrong number, typo in the offer).
Work/school web vs Outlook.com: "Outlook on the web" for work/school can support recall, but personal Outlook.com accounts can’t recall after sending (use Undo send instead).
Mac users: Recall is available on supported Outlook for Mac versions if you don’t see the button, confirm your app is up to date and try another client as a fallback.

Make-ahead / storage / scaling: stop needing recall so often

Quick reality check: Recall is damage control. Your best "recall strategy" is giving yourself a buffer before a message leaves your account.

Make-ahead option A: Turn on "Undo send" in Outlook.com (personal accounts)

If you use Outlook.com with a personal Microsoft address, you can’t recall after sending but you can delay sending and cancel within a short window.

In Outlook.com, select Settings.
Go to Mail → Compose and reply.
Under Undo send, choose a delay (Microsoft notes options like 5 or 10 seconds).
Select Save.

Make-ahead option B: Schedule send (new Outlook / web)

If you want a bigger buffer than “undo,” schedule the email to send later so it sits in drafts until the delivery time.

Compose your email.
Select the dropdown next to Send.
Choose Schedule send, pick a preset, or set a custom date/time.
Verify the message appears in Drafts until the scheduled time.

Make-ahead option C: Delay delivery for one message (classic Outlook for Windows)

This is great for sensitive emails (billing, HR, legal-ish messages) when you want a built-in review window.

While composing, go to Options.
Select the More options arrow in the Tags group.
Under Delivery options, check Do not deliver before and pick a date/time.
Select Close, then select Send.

Make-ahead option D: Undo Send on Outlook for Mac (new Outlook)

Undo Send on Mac isn’t "true recall" it delays sending so you can cancel before it goes out.

In Outlook for Mac, go to Outlook → Settings → Composing.
Set the delay time (Microsoft describes choices up to 120 seconds).
Send an email; when the prompt appears, select Undo to stop it.

Storage

Keep a short "correction template" saved as a draft (or a note) so you can send a clean follow-up without scrambling. Example first line: Please disregard my previous email here’s the corrected information:

Scaling (for teams / admins)

If you manage email policies, cloud-based recall includes admin-controlled settings (including whether to attempt recalls for read messages). If recalls are important in your organization, confirm those settings and document the expected behavior for your users.

Leave Me Alone tip: If your "oops" emails happen because you’re buried in newsletters and noise, cleaning up subscriptions can reduce mistakes (and stress) long-term.

Quick checklist

Confirm the recipient is inside your organization (same company/school).
Open Sent Items and double-click the message (separate window).
Select Recall Message / Actions → Recall This Message.
Choose Delete or Replace, then confirm.
If replacing, edit recipients + attachment + first line, then Send.
Open the Message Recall Report and check status per recipient.
If any failures: send a Correction: email immediately.
Turn on Undo send or Schedule send to prevent the next mistake.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recall an email sent to Gmail, Yahoo, or someone outside my organization?

No. Outlook recall is designed to work within the same Microsoft 365/Exchange organization. If it went to an external address, send a correction message instead.

Can I recall a message in Outlook.com (a personal @outlook.com or @hotmail.com address)?

No. Outlook.com personal accounts don’t support recall after sending. Your best alternative is enabling Undo send so you can cancel within a short delay window.

Can I recall an email in Outlook on the web (work or school account)?

Yes, in supported work/school environments. Open the sent message in a separate window and use the Recall Message button, then check the recall report.

Does recall work if the recipient already read the email?

Often it won’t, but results can vary depending on your organization’s settings and the type of recall it uses. Always check the recall report for the final status.

Why is "Recall Message" missing or grayed out in my Outlook?

Common causes: the recipient is external, your account isn’t eligible, the message isn’t opened in its own window, or your organization restricts recall. Try recalling from another supported Outlook client and check with IT if needed.

How do I know whether my recall worked?

Look for a Message Recall Report in your inbox. Open it and use the report link to see per-recipient status (succeeded, pending, or failed).

Can I recall an email from Outlook for Mac?

Yes, on supported versions of Outlook for Mac. Open the sent message in a separate window, use Recall Message, then check the recall report.

Can I undo or recall a sent email from the Outlook mobile app (iPhone/Android)?

In the Outlook mobile apps, Undo/Recall may not be available. If you don’t see a recall option, use Outlook on desktop/web or send a correction message.