How to Retract and Email in Outlook?

Are you an Outlook user? Have you ever sent an email and regretted it immediately afterwards? Don’t worry, you’re not alone! Everyone makes mistakes, but luckily Outlook has a handy feature that can help you avoid the embarrassment of sending an email you shouldn’t have. In this article, we’ll teach you how to retract emails in Outlook and how to avoid this situation in the future.

Retracting Email in Outlook

An email sent in Outlook can easily be retracted if you have the Outlook add-in, Recall This Message. If you are using Outlook for business, your company may have the add-in installed already. It gives you the ability to recall, replace or delete a sent message. If you do not have the add-in, you can still retract an email in Outlook by using the Online version of Outlook.

Steps to Retract Email in Outlook with Recall This Message

The Recall This Message add-in allows you to recall, replace or delete an email sent in Outlook. To use this add-in, simply follow these steps:

1. Open Outlook

Open your Outlook account and click the “Home” tab.

2. Select the Message to Retract

In the “Sent Items” folder, select the email you want to retract.

3. Retract the Message

Click the “Recall This Message” icon. Select either “Delete unread copies of this message” or “Delete unread copies and replace with a new message”.

Steps to Retract Email in Outlook Online

If you do not have the add-in, you can still retract an email in Outlook by using the online version. To use this method, follow these steps:

1. Login to Outlook Online

Login to your Outlook account in your web browser.

2. Retract the Message

Navigate to the “Sent Items” folder and select the email you want to retract. Click the “Retract” button. Select either “Delete unread copies of this message” or “Delete unread copies and replace with a new message”.

Preventing Email Retraction

When sending emails in Outlook, you can prevent the sender from retracting the message by disabling the “Recall This Message” add-in. To do this, simply open Outlook, click on the “Home” tab and then select “Manage Add-ins”. Select “Recall This Message” and then click “Disable”.

Another way to prevent someone from retracting their emails is to use an email encryption service. Email encryption services protect your emails from being intercepted and read by unauthorized users. This ensures that your emails are kept secure and private, even if the sender attempts to retract them.

Conclusion

Retracting emails in Outlook is easy with the Recall This Message add-in, or with the online version of Outlook. To prevent others from retracting their emails, you can disable the add-in or use an email encryption service.

Few Frequently Asked Questions

How do I Retract an Email in Outlook?

Answer: To retract an email in Outlook, you first need to open the email you wish to retract. Then, select “Actions” on the right side of the email and select “Retract Message”. A pop-up window will appear asking you to confirm the action. Select “Retract” and the email will be retracted. It will be removed from the recipient’s inbox and sent back to you.

What Happens When I Retract an Email in Outlook?

Answer: When you retract an email in Outlook, it will be removed from the recipient’s inbox and sent back to you. The email will also be marked as “Retracted” in the sender’s Sent Items folder. The recipient will receive a notification that the message was retracted.

Can I Retract an Email After It Has Been Read?

Answer: Yes, you can retract an email after it has been read. However, it is important to note that the recipient will still be able to view the content of the email before it is retracted. Therefore, you should not rely on retracting an email as a means of deleting sensitive information.

How Do I Know If Someone Has Retracted an Email?

Answer: If someone has retracted an email, you will receive a notification with a message that the email was retracted. You will also see that the email is no longer in your inbox. Additionally, you may see a “Retracted” label on the email in the sender’s Sent Items folder.

Is There a Limit on the Number of Times I Can Retract an Email?

Answer: No, there is no limit on the number of times you can retract an email in Outlook. However, it is important to note that each time you retract an email, the recipient will receive a notification that the message was retracted.

Is There a Way to Retract an Email Without Notifying the Recipient?

Answer: No, unfortunately there is no way to retract an email without notifying the recipient. When you retract an email, the recipient will receive a notification that the message was retracted. Additionally, the email will be marked as “Retracted” in the sender’s Sent Items folder.

How to Recall sent email message in Outlook – Office 365

In conclusion, being able to retract and email in Outlook is a valuable tool to have. Whether you are sending a confidential message, sending a mass email, or simply want to take back a message you sent too quickly, Outlook provides an easy-to-use feature for retracting emails. Remember to save a copy of any message you retract in case you need to refer back to it later. With this feature, you can make sure that the right message gets to the right people, without any embarrassing mistakes.