Undo Send is one of Gmail’s most useful features for getting you out of a spot of bother, and it works both in the mobile apps and in your desktop browser. Here’s how to recall Gmail messages.
Even if you’ve not yet sent a message you regret, you should check your Gmail settings now: by default Undo Send works for only 5 seconds, though you can increase this to 30 seconds.
Increase Unsend Gmail to 30 seconds
You will need to be using a PC or laptop browser to complete this step, because even when you opt to view the Desktop version of Gmail in a mobile browser you will be shown the old version that does not contain the Undo Send feature.
So on a PC or laptop launch your web browser and open Gmail. Tap the cog icon at the top right and choose Settings. On the General tab look for Undo Send. To the right of this you’ll see ‘Send cancellation period’, by default set to 5 seconds, but you can tap on the drop-down menu to change this to 30 seconds. Now scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Save changes.
Do remember that if you increase this feature to the maximum length of time, no emails will leave your Outbox until 30 seconds have passed. So if people are complaining that the email you just sent them has not yet arrived, this is why.
Unsend Gmail on Android
When you compose an email message in Android and then tap the Send button it will automatically return you to the conversation view.
Watch carefully the bottom of the screen: you’ll see a black bar appear that says ‘Sent’ on the left, with ‘Undo’ on the right.
Quickly tap Undo and you’ll be returned to the message composition screen, where you can delete or edit the email as required.
Unsend Gmail on a PC or laptop
Recalling a Gmail message on a PC or laptop browser works much the same as it does on Android.
After you have hit Send, look to the bottom left of the screen for an option that says ‘Message sent’, with further options to Undo or View message.
Click Unsend and the message will pop up onscreen again, so you can edit or delete as required.
You might like to know how to disable Gmail Nudges as well.