How to Unsend an Email
Gmail users now have the option of unsending email messages.
Gmail Formally Adds ‘Undo Send’ Option | NY Times
If you are a Gmail user, you will be relieved to know that Google will now assist you in snatching a premature message back from the ether.
Our email nightmare prayers have been answered.
After years of experimenting with it as a Labs feature, Google announced that it was formally adding an “undo send” option for web-based Gmail users. (If you are a repeat offender on mobile, the Inbox app also has an undo feature.) The new tool allows users to choose a delay time from 5 to 30 seconds in case of a change of heart.
One last thing: You will have to enable the tool to use it. You can find the feature by clicking on the settings cog in Gmail and scrolling about midway through the general tab.–http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/24/us/gmails-undo-send-option-can-help-end-email-embarrassment.html?_r=2
CNET | So how can you use it to stop an unwanted email from reaching its recipient?
The Undo Send feature is now an official part of Gmail, no longer relegated to mere beta status in Gmail Labs. In honor of its new status, let’s see how the the feature works:
1. First, log in to your Gmail account on your computer.
2. In the upper right corner of the screen, click the Settings icon (the one that looks like a gear).
3. From the Settings menu, choose the option for Settings.
4. From the Settings window, make sure the General tab is selected.
5. Look for the setting that says Undo Send.
6. Click the check box to Enable Undo Send.
7. Click the drop-box to set the Send cancellation period, meaning the number of seconds you have to prevent the email from being sent. You can choose 5, 10, 20 or 30 seconds.
8. Scroll to the bottom of the Settings screen and click the Save Changes button.
9. To test the feature, click the Compose button at the upper left corner of your Gmail account page.
10. Compose a message and then click the Send button.
11. At the top of the screen, you’ll see a message that says: “Your message has been sent. Undo. View Message.”
12. To prevent the message from being sent, click the Undo link.Gmail stops the message from going out and displays it in case you wish to make any changes and then resend it. If not, you can simply close the message, and it’s relegated to your Drafts folder where you can keep it or delete it.
