Gmail is the most trustworthy email service used everywhere in the world. Humans use it regularly for work, studies, and other purposes. But a very common question of all is this: what if I make a mistake in an email after sending it?
Maybe you have not sent that important document, misspelled the term, sent it to the incorrect recipient, or left out that important detail. Now, you are thinking: Can I modify an email after sending it in Gmail?
Today, in this blog today, we are going to set the facts straight, what you can do, and how not to make mistakes henceforth.
Can You Edit an Already Sent Email?
The short answer is no. You cannot open an email once it is sent. Once the email has departed your outbox and reaches the inbox of the intended recipient. You cannot open it. You cannot modify its content, or re-send it as if nothing had happened.
Email is not a conversation or document message. It can’t be edited or recalled after sending it to the recipient’s mail box. Gmail gives you nice features that help you correct your mistakes in time or reduce mistakes.
The Undo Send Feature in Gmail
Even though you can’t retrieve a message that has already been sent, Gmail will let you “undo” it for a limited time with the feature of Undo Send.
This is what occurs:
- If you’re sending an email, in the bottom left of your screen you’ll get a temporary notification which states:
“Message sent. Undo. View Message.” - When you click Undo, Gmail will undo sending the email. It leaves it in the drafts folder.
- You may resend the message. You can also add files, edit, and resend.
How to Set the Undo Time Limit Larger
Gmail does, in fact, automatically provide a few seconds of undo time. You may, however, set the time to 30 seconds:
- Open your computer’s Gmail.
- Click on the gear icon (Settings) and select See all settings.
- Under the General tab, locate Undo Send.
- Set the cancellation time. For 5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds.
- Scroll down. Press Save Changes.
You now have some extra time to reverse the email and re-send it before it is lost forever.
What If the Email Already Went Out?
After you’ve passed the Undo window, the mail is lost. You can no longer redo it again in position. But there are a number of things that you can do in an attempt to fix mistakes:
Send a Follow-Up Email
The easiest option is to send a follow-up. You can write:
- “Sorry, I got your name wrong from the beginning. Here’s the correct one.”
There are individuals who welcome the fact that errors do happen and it’s acceptable to send a follow-up mail.
Send the Email with Corrections
If, inadvertently, you sent in wrong information, you can re- mail the same message with corrections highlighted on top. This spares the concerned individual from receiving your update and original in two sets of dialogue.
Call or Text the Recipient
In case of sensitive or urgent issues, the best course of action is to contact the person. You can do it through a phone call. Or use SMS, or messaging apps to rectify the error.
Why Gmail Does Not Support Editing Once Sent
You would likely want to know why Gmail is not an edited document. It is understandable why: emails are permanent records of correspondence. Sent to the other party, they can bewilder, initiate legal action, or even be abused if altered.
For example, if there was a provision of editing a sent contract mail it would be risky. That is precisely the reason that nearly all email providers like Gmail do not have the facility of editing sent mails.
Silly Mistakes People Would Love to Undo
The following are some of the blunders that people would love to cancel after sending their emails:
- Omitting to attach a document.
- Incorrectly writing a word or a name.
- Sending to the wrong individual.
- Leaving out important information.
- Writing in an incorrect tone or with vague language.
Because you can’t undo such mistakes once you’ve sent, best get ready beforehand before you send.
Gmail Hacks to Avoid Mistakes
A few quick tips not to make mistakes are:
- Use Undo Send – Make the cancellation timer time 30 seconds always.
- Double-check senders – Check the mail address twice before sending off.
- Write it first – Do not put the recipients in yet, until you have written and finalized the mail.
- Click the Attach button ahead of time – Have papers attached prior to prevent forgetting.
- Read your email – Quick scan to check spelling and comprehension.
- Use Grammarly or spell check – Computer programs can catch typist errors.
- Create templates – If you’re constantly sending the same type of messages repeatedly, Gmail templates are a time and labor saver.
Can Gmail Confidential Mode Help?
Gmail does have a Confidential Mode in which you can send emails that will disappear after some time or when the recipient enters a passcode. It doesn’t allow editing, but at least it reduces the likelihood of someone keeping your wrong email forever.
You can also have it delete email after a day, a week, or even more. Then if you catch your error, at least the email will delete after you’ve had time.
Gmail Features for Editing
Some business email software permits recall or replacement of a message, but with a catch. For example:
- Microsoft Outlook has a “recall message” feature, but only if everyone is using Outlook over the same company.
- Slack or messaging applications assist with editing or deleting a message, but never an email.
Gmail’s Undo Send, therefore, is the finest facility to be found to undo errors.
Is it ever possible to re-write an email after you have already sent it in Gmail? No—you can’t retroactively. But Gmail does have the feature of Undo Send that allows you a few seconds in which to second-guess and re-write your email. Aside from that, then the only means of preventing mistakes is sending a follow-up or calling up the recipient on the phone.
The answer is prevention: proof your message first before sending, employ Undo Send with a higher duration, and get your act together with Gmail features.
We all make the occasional mistake. But if you follow these tips properly. Then you will slip less frequently. And when you slip, you can handle it like a pro.
