How to delete a sent email in Outlook step by step

Sending an email by mistake is one of those moments we've all experienced. at some point. Whether it's a message sent to the wrong recipient, a joke that got out of hand, or an attachment you forgot to include, it can be a pretty awkward situation. The good news is that if you use Outlook, there are ways to fix the error—albeit with some conditions.

Outlook offers different options to recover or delete sent messages., but it's important to know the limits of those features, as well as the differences between the web version, the desktop app, and using Exchange accounts. In this comprehensive article, we'll break down all the available methods so you know When you can cancel an email and when it's too late. You can also check out how recover deleted emails if you need it.

Can you delete a sent email in Outlook?

The quick answer is: yes, but not alwaysOutlook has a built-in feature to recover or unsend emailsHowever, this capacity depends on several factors:

• The recipient must use Outlook and must have an account within the same Exchange environment.
• The mail must not have been openedIf the message has already been read, there is no going back.
• Accounts must be hosted on Microsoft Exchange; that is, it will not work if the recipient uses an external service or IMAP/POP.

Furthermore, The web version of Outlook has an “Undo Send” tool. Very similar to the one offered by Gmail, but only if you activate it previously in the settings. Remember that if you want to delete emails, you can also read about how delete email messages on other platforms.

Cancel sending an email in Outlook web version

In the online version of Outlook (Outlook.com), there is a very useful option that allows you to cancel sending an email for a few seconds after clicking 'Send'This feature isn't enabled by default, so you'll need to configure it beforehand. Here's how to do it:

1. Accede to Outlook.com with your account.
2. Tap the gear icon (Settings) located in the top right corner.
3. Click on See all Outlook settings > E-mail > Write and reply.
4. Scroll until you find the option Cancel Shipment.
5. Adjusts There (up to 10 seconds) to be able to undo the sending.
6. Don't forget to click Save.

From that moment on, every time you send an email, an option will appear for a few seconds. Undo at the bottom left of the window. If you click it in time, the message will be canceled before exiting. It's also important to know how to delete email accounts if you no longer need them.

Recover sent emails in Outlook for desktop (Microsoft 365)

If you use the desktop version of Outlook, especially as part of the Outlook suite, Microsoft 365, you have another function available: recover messageThis tool allows you to attempt to delete an email that has already been sent, but only if used in a closed loop with Exchange accounts. It will only work if the recipient hasn't yet read the message.

These are the steps to do it in the Outlook app in Windows:

1. Open Outlook and go to the folder Sent items.
2. Double-click the message you want to recover. It will open in a new, separate window.
3. Click on Archive > Information.
4. Choose Resend or retrieve > Retrieve this message.

Here you will have two options:

• Delete unread copies of this message
• Delete unread copies and replace them with a new message

Additionally, you can check the box to receive notification of the success or failure of the recovery for each recipient. Finally, click on Accept.

After the attempt, you will receive an email from [email protected] with a report confirming whether the message was successfully recovered. If you've had problems with email, you may also be interested in: configure other mail options.

Important limitations to keep in mind

As useful as this feature may seem, there are several limitations you should keep in mind:

• The recipient must be within the same Exchange network and use Outlook as your email client.
• It doesn't work if the message has already been opened or read.Once that happens, there's no way to remove it.
• Not compatible with Outlook mobile. The apps from Outlook for Android e iOS They do not yet offer this tool.
• Recovery success can also be affected by automatic rules or filters. that the recipient has, such as redirects to specific folders.

This means that There are no guarantees that the recovery will work, but it's worth a try if the email contains sensitive or compromised information. If you need more information on how to delete emails, visit this link to resolve other doubts.

Delete emails from the inbox or sent

Another feature available, and often confused with the recovery process, is the option to delete emails already sent or received from the user's foldersThis doesn't delete the email from the recipient's inbox, but it can help you clear your history or partially retract it if the other user hasn't read it.

From Outlook.com, you can do the following:

1. Select one or more messages you want to delete.
2. Click on Delete at the top of the panel.
3. Or, if you want to delete all emails in a folder, select the folder and press Empty folder.

Deleted emails will go to the folder Deleted elements, and from there you can choose to delete them permanently by accessing “Recover deleted items from this folder” and then pressing Empty folderIf you need to delete old emails in bulk, I recommend checking out how to do it with other services.

Email recovery case studies

To better understand how and when to use this feature, imagine these two situations:

1 scenario: You send a confidential report to multiple department heads, but you accidentally include someone from another department. If the email goes unread, you can act quickly using Retrieve this message from Outlook to try to delete it.

2 scenario: You send a very important meeting request but forget to attach the Excel spreadsheet with the proposals. If you have the recovery option enabled, you can Delete the unread message and replace it with a new one with the correct attachmentIn these cases, Outlook tools are really helpful.

In these scenarios, time is critical. The sooner you act, the more likely you are to have a successful recovery.

What to do if recovery is not available?

In situations where it is not possible to retrieve the sent email, either because of the use of accounts other than Exchange or because the message has already been read, the most effective thing is own up to the mistake and send a correction or apologyMany professionals choose to send a second email with the subject line “Correction” or “Update” to clear up the misunderstanding. You can also use the options for deleting old addresses if required.

You can also, if necessary, use inbox rules to mitigate future impacts or activate the cancel shipment option we mentioned earlier to gain more time.

Outlook provides different levels of control over sent messages, depending on how and from where you access the platform. While there's no perfect solution for every situation, applying these tools correctly can get you out of more than one digital bind.

Related article:

What can I do to remove the possibly name from my iPhone?

Isaac

Passionate writer about the world of bytes and technology in general. I love sharing my knowledge through writing, and that's what I'll do on this blog, show you all the most interesting things about gadgets, software, hardware, tech trends, and more. My goal is to help you navigate the digital world in a simple and entertaining way.