Gmail just made it possible to undo sending an email

computer email
(Image credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

From hitting send before an email is ready to forwarding an email meant for a friend to a work colleague, email fails are all too easy to stumble into. It just takes a simple misclick of the mouse! But now, a simple click of the mouse can reel all of that potential embarrassment back in — at least if you're a Gmail user. Google just released a new feature for web-based Gmail that allows emailers to delay sending an email for a pre-set amount of time, ranging from five seconds to 30 seconds, after they've already hit send. In that delay, users have the option to snatch a near faux-pas back from cyberspace.

For anyone who wants to use this tool — which is likely to be just about everyone — the "undo send" feature must be selected manually by clicking on settings and then selecting the option from the general tab. Talk about a life saver.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us