How to Undo Send Gmail: You Should Know it

Undo Send Gmail Before They’re Read

Have you ever sent an email and immediately regretted it? Maybe you forgot an attachment, spotted a typo, or sent it to the wrong person. In 2025, Gmail still offers a lifesaving feature—Undo Send Gmail—but many users don’t know how to use it properly. This guide will walk you through the steps to unsend an email in Gmail, along with tips to avoid mistakes in the future.

What Is the Undo Send Gmail Feature?

Gmail’s “Undo Send” feature lets you recall an email within a short time after hitting the send button. It doesn’t pull the email back from the recipient’s inbox but delays sending it for a few seconds, giving you a chance to cancel it.

How to Enable Undo Send Gmail?

Before you can unsend an email, you must enable the feature. Here’s how:

1. Open Gmail on your computer.
2. Click the Settings (Gear icon) in the top-right corner.
3. Select See all settings.
4. Go to the General tab.
5. Look for Undo Send and check the box.
6. Choose your cancellation period (5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds).
7. Click Save Changes at the bottom.

Now, every time you send an email, you’ll see an “Undo” option at the bottom-left corner of the screen.

How to Undo Send Gmail (Step-by-Step)

Once the feature is enabled, follow these steps to recall an email:

1. Send your email as usual.
2. Immediately look for the “Undo” button that appears at the bottom-left.
3. Click “Undo” within your chosen time limit (e.g., 10 seconds).
4. The email will return to your draft folder for editing.

Note: If you don’t click “Undo” in time, the email will be sent normally.

Does Unsend Work in 2025?

Yes, but with limitations:

• Only works if the recipient hasn’t opened it yet.
• Must act fast (within the set time limit).
• Doesn’t work if the email is already delivered.

For better security, Gmail still doesn’t allow recalling emails after they’ve been fully sent.

What to Do If You Can’t Unsend an Email

If you missed the undo window, try these fixes:

• Send a follow-up email correcting the mistake.
• Use Gmail’s “Schedule Send” feature to avoid rushed emails.
• Enable “Confirmation before sending” in settings for extra safety.

Best Practices to Avoid Email Mistakes

1. Double-check recipients before sending.
2. Use Grammarly or Gmail’s spell-check for errors.
3. Schedule important emails to review later.
4. Enable email delay in settings for more undo time.

Conclusion

The “Undo Send Gmail” feature is a powerful tool for fixing email mistakes if you act fast. You can avoid embarrassing errors by enabling it and setting a longer cancellation window. However, always proofread before sending to minimize risks.

FAQs

Q: Can I unsend an email after 30 seconds?
A: No, the maximum undo time is 30 seconds.

Q: Does the recipient know I unsent an email?
A: No, they won’t be notified.

Q: Can I unsend an email on the Gmail mobile app?
A: Yes, the feature works on both Android and iOS.

Q: What if I don’t see the “Undo” option?
A: Check if the feature is enabled in Gmail settings.