# Desperate to cancel sent e-mail



## waltcoogan (Nov 9, 2004)

I've just blown it in a big way. I've sent the wrong e-mail to the wrong person.. could lead to big trouble. I've heard theres a way to delete the message before the recpitent opens it.. I've tried looking in the message menu but theres no option to delete there.. Help please. (desperate smiley)


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## Frank4d (Sep 10, 2006)

Did you mean to send an email to a co-worker saying your boss is an idiot... and accidentally send it to your boss?  

Many email programs have an option where you can open the message, then click "Recall message".


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

I think you had better make plans on what you will do when the message arrives.


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## SouthernMail (Apr 27, 2007)

What e-mail program are you using?

In Outlook it's relatively easy to delete a unread sent e-mail.


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## waltcoogan (Nov 9, 2004)

I'm on Outlook Express but can find no recall email option....


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## waltcoogan (Nov 9, 2004)

How so Southernmail.. ?


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

The mail is gone. It has already arrived at the destination server and most probably the recipient's inbox.


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## waltcoogan (Nov 9, 2004)

So theres no chance to cancel before it's opened by recipitent..?


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## SouthernMail (Apr 27, 2007)

waltcoogan said:


> How so Southernmail.. ?


If you're on Outlook 2007, go to the Sent box, click and bring up the e-mail in question, then go to Other Actions and look for Recall This Message.

If you're using an earlier version of Outlook, you've have to find this option (I just don't remember where it's at, but it is there).


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## SouthernMail (Apr 27, 2007)

Elvandil said:


> The mail is gone. It has already arrived at the destination server and most probably the recipient's inbox.


I don't think that's true; I believe Outlook will recall an e-mail even if it's in someone's inbox.

I wouldn't swear up and down on this, but I have seen some ripped right out of my inbox (I have a friend who always screws up the date for events and has to recall her e-mails every other time).


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## waltcoogan (Nov 9, 2004)

I have an older than 2007 outlook.. and so far can find no option to recall....


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## SouthernMail (Apr 27, 2007)

waltcoogan said:


> I have an older than 2007 outlook.. and so far can find no option to recall....


Go to the Help index and look for "recalling e-mail" or "recalling message".

Outlook 2007 is significantly different than earlier versions and I just can't remember what you do to recall an e-mail in the earlier versions.


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## waltcoogan (Nov 9, 2004)

the help menu says to go to the message menu and select cancel sent mail but that option does not appear in the message menu.


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## Frank4d (Sep 10, 2006)

It looks like Outlook Express only lets you cancel messages posted to a newsgroup, but not sent email messages. See post #3.


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## SouthernMail (Apr 27, 2007)

waltcoogan said:


> the help menu says to go to the message menu and select cancel sent mail but that option does not appear in the message menu.


Have you brought up the message from the Send box and then looked for the option to recall it?


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## SouthernMail (Apr 27, 2007)

Gee, Walt, this will teach you not to send love letters to your girlfriend to your wife by mistake!

;-)

Whatever you do, you better do it quickly. Heck, do a Google search for recalling messages in Outlook.


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## SouthernMail (Apr 27, 2007)

From a Google search:

To attempt to recall a message:

1. From Outlook 2003, open the "Sent Items" folder.

2. Double-click the e-mail you wish to recall, opening it in a new window.

3. Select "Actions" - "Recall this message".

4. Choose to either delete unread copies of the e-mail or delete unread copies of the e-mail, replacing it with a new message.

5. Check or uncheck "Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient" as desired.

6. Click "OK".

7. If you chose to replace the e-mail, enter in your new message and send it.


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## SouthernMail (Apr 27, 2007)

Elvandil said:


> The mail is gone. It has already arrived at the destination server and most probably the recipient's inbox.


While I was looking up how to recall a message in Outlook 2003, I found out that recall will work if the recipient is using Outlook as well; it may or may not work if the recipient is using another e-mail programs.


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

SouthernMail said:


> While I was looking up how to recall a message in Outlook 2003, I found out that recall will work if the recipient is using Outlook as well; it may or may not work if the recipient is using another e-mail programs.


That was my suspicion, and that they are on the same network, which would help a great deal . Once it has arrived, no ISP is going to allow anonymous access to someone's email box.

*"I think you had better make plans on what you will do when the message arrives."*


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## SouthernMail (Apr 27, 2007)

Elvandil said:


> That was my suspicion, and that they are on the same network, which would help a great deal . Once it has arrived, no ISP is going to allow anonymous access to someone's email box.
> 
> *"I think you had better make plans on what you will do when the message arrives."*


While we're waiting for Walt to start crying . . .

Want to try an experiment, Elvandil? Now I'm curious. From your profile I notice you allow e-mails. I'll send you an e-mail, you reply, and I'll send another one and then I'll recall it.


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

OK. Mail ahead. But it won't work.


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## SouthernMail (Apr 27, 2007)

Elvandil said:


> OK. Mail ahead. But it won't work.


Okay. I sent you an e-mail from here. Reply to the address on the e-mail when you get it.

I take it you're using Outlook?


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Thunderbird.

Besides, I'm using POP mail, so the message is on my machine by the time I read it. But even if I went to the web mail, I'm sure Mike would not let anyone connect to his mail server to muck around in people's accounts . It just won't happen. That would be a security hole big enough to throw a cat through.

If it's possible, and if you know for sure that someone has done it, how are you connected to this person? Is this a corporate network? It just can't be the normal internet.


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## SouthernMail (Apr 27, 2007)

I got your e-mail. But if you're not using Outlook I'm pretty sure it won't work.

I'll have to find someone with Outlook and try it. I'm just curious if it's possible or not now. If I find it does (or not), I'll report back.

Uh, I wonder what happened to Walt?


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## SouthernMail (Apr 27, 2007)

Okay, I replied and then waited about 10 minutes to be sure you'd gotten the reply . . . then I tried to recall it. It's suppose to tell me if the recall was successful or not.


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Busy. Packing a suitcase, maybe?
  

Are you and the friend that recalls mail on the same server?


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

No new messages for me.


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## SouthernMail (Apr 27, 2007)

Elvandil said:


> No new messages for me.


I did sent one, and I did recall it.

I haven't gotten a message back from Outlook either way.

The reply I mailed to you was sent at 12:43 CST.


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## SouthernMail (Apr 27, 2007)

Elvandil said:


> Are you and the friend that recalls mail on the same server?


Well, we are now. But I thought I remembered when she'd recall mail when she wasn't (but I could very well be wrong). She's about the only I know who does that. Maybe I wouldn't know at all if someone else did.


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## waltcoogan (Nov 9, 2004)

Ah well... looks like I'm goin' down with the ship.. Too be honest it's not the end of the world.. I'll wriggle out of it somehow.. I sure appreciate you guys trying to help tho. Great site.


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## SouthernMail (Apr 27, 2007)

waltcoogan said:


> Ah well... looks like I'm goin' down with the ship.. Too be honest it's not the end of the world.. I'll wriggle out of it somehow.. I sure appreciate you guys trying to help tho. Great site.


Sorry it didn't work, Walt.


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

Sorry. I got your letters. And even worse, your effort to recall just resulted in a second copy of the letter arriving with a "Recall" attached to it and a "winmail.dat" attachment, just in case the boss missed it the first time .


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## SouthernMail (Apr 27, 2007)

This sounds like something from Stenfeld. Maybe we should help Walt write an apology letter . . .


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## martinjj (Nov 15, 2007)

I'm curious now as to what were the contents of said email. (Insert wicked grin)


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## Elvandil (Aug 1, 2003)

How Outlook's "Recall" Works


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