Sending emails is part of our routine nowadays, but sometimes we mistakenly send an email without re-checking or realizing an error. Fortunately, Google Gmail offers an option to delete an email even after sending it. In this blog post, we’ll talk about how to delete mail after sending in Gmail.
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The Challenge of How to Delete Mail After Sending in Gmail
Deleting mail after sending it could be challenging because, once an email is sent, it’s technically out of your hands. Fortunately, Gmail offers an option to delete received emails for up to 30 seconds. But if you need more time to rectify a mistake in an email you already sent, you can use the below methods.
Things You Should Prepare for
Before discussing the methods, make sure that you have an active Gmail account and access to the email you want to delete.
Method 1: Via the “Undo Send” Option
Using the "Undo Send" option is the easiest and quickest way to delete a sent email in Gmail.
Explanation:
Step 1: Open your Gmail account.
Step 2: Click on the gear icon to access Settings.
Step 3: Scroll down to the "Undo Send" option.
Step 4: Check the "Enable Undo Send" box.
Step 5: Set the cancellation period to your desired time (5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds).
Step 6: Click on the "Save Changes" button.
Pros:
– Easy to Set up.
– It’s a built-in feature in Gmail.
– It’s quick and reliable.
Cons:
– You have a limited period to recover your email.
Method 2: Via “POP Server” Access
This method is a bit complicated than the previous one, but it is an alternative solution if you failed to delete the sent email from the "Undo Send" option.
Explanation:
Step 1: Connect to the POP server using your desktop email client (such as Outlook) that supports POP3 mail server access.
Step 2: Open your email client settings and select the account you want to delete the email from.
Step 3: Click on the "Advanced Settings" option.
Step 4: Check the "Leave a copy of the message on the server" box.
Step 5: Set your account on the email client to use POP instead of IMAP.
Step 6: Download your emails and find the specific email you want to delete, then delete it from the server.
Pros:
– You can recover the email beyond 30 seconds.
– It’s an alternative solution if the "Undo Send" method failed to work.
Cons:
– It can be complicated to set up if you’re not tech-savvy.
– It requires you to use an email client that supports POP3 mail server access.
Method 3: Via “Vault” Service
If you’re a G Suite user, you can use the Vault service to delete sent emails.
Explanation:
Step 1: Log in to your G Suite account.
Step 2: Go to the Vault section and select "Matters."
Step 3: Start a new matter and add the email address of the person who sent the email you want to delete.
Step 4: Select the "Search" option and enter the requested data, such as date, keyword, or attachment.
Step 5: Click on the "Save search" button to have it ready for future reference.
Step 6: Select the email that you want to delete, and then click on the "Delete" button.
Pros:
– It’s a reliable method to delete emails beyond 30 seconds.
– It’s secure and compliant with legal regulations.
Cons:
– This method is only available for G Suite users, not individual Gmail users.
– It’s complicated for non-business users.
Why Can’t I Delete Mail After Sending in Gmail
1. You didn’t enable the "Undo Send" option in your Gmail settings.
– Fix: Enable the "Undo Send" option in the Gmail settings.
2. Your time period to "Undo Send" is over.
– Fix: Try the other methods mentioned in this article.
3. You’re not a G Suite user, and you can’t use the Vault service to delete sent emails.
– Fix: Try the other methods mentioned in this article.
Additional Tips
– If you mistakenly send an email, the first thing to do is to take a deep breath and calm down. You can recover it using the methods mentioned above if you act quickly.
– You can set up filters to block emails from specific senders to delete automatically when you receive them.
– Always be cautious when sending sensitive information through email, and double-check the email recipient before clicking on "send."
5 FAQs about How to Delete Mail After Sending in Gmail
Q1: How long does the "Undo Send" option last?
A: There are four cancellation time intervals for "Undo Send": 5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds. You can choose one of them in the Gmail settings.
Q2: Can I delete an email after it’s been read?
A: No. You can only delete an email before the recipient reads it.
Q3: If I delete a sent email, will the recipient still receive it?
A: If you delete a sent email, it will not be delivered to the recipient.
Q4: Can I recover a deleted email from Gmail, even if I deleted it permanently?
A: If you deleted an email permanently from Gmail, it’s generally not possible to recover it.
Q5: Is it possible to recover an email after emptying the trash folder in Gmail?
A: No, if you emptied the trash folder in Gmail, you cannot recover any deleted emails.
In Conclusion
Deleting mail after sending it in Gmail might seem impossible, but there are several methods that you can use. The first option is the "undo send" option, which provides you a few seconds to cancel the email after being sent. The other methods, such as using POP server access or Vault Service, require more effort but allow you to recover an email beyond the recovery period of the "Undo Send" option. Always be aware of the sensitive content in your emails and take extra care to double-check your recipient before clicking on the "send" button.