Avoid sending e-mail messages by mistake

Have you ever accidentally sent an e-mail before you were done? Or sent something that you immediately wished you hadn't? I had done this enough—and caused myself enough embarrassment—to think about ways to avoid it the next time. My first attempt was remembering to double-check my e-mail before sending it. This worked for a bit, but failed during busy days. My second attempt was more high tech. I created an Outlook rule that sends my e-mail two minutes after I click Send. That way, I have another barrier to catch e-mail messages that I mistakenly send. I have two minutes to recognize my mistake and delete the message before it goes public. I set up my rule about a month ago, and it's saved me three times. That doesn't sound like a lot, but those were three e-mail messages that would have been embarrassing at best.

The delay can be annoying when I'm having e-mail conversations with people and want to send a quick response. In those cases, I've come to rely more on instant messaging.

To create the rule in Outlook 2003:

1. On the Tools menu, click Rules and Alerts.

2. In the Rules and Alerts dialog box, click New Rule.

3. In the Rules Wizard dialog box, click the Start from a blank rule radio button. Under Step 1, highlight Check messages after sending. Click Next.

4. In Step 1, select defer delivery by a number of minutes. In Step 2, click a number of to set the number of minutes that you would like to delay delivery.

   In the next dialog box, select the number of minutes you would like to delay delivery. I choose 2 minutes. Click OK. Click Next.

5. Select any exceptions to your rule. I didn't choose any, but you might find some that are appropriate. Click Next.

6. In Step 1, give your rule a name. In Step 2, turn on the rule. Click Finish. Click Apply.

Now when you send a message, it will stay in your Outlook Outbox for 2 minutes before being delivered. If you send an e-mail by mistake, go to the Outbox and delete the message before your mistake goes public. Believe me, this may truly save your tail.

—Jason Kozleski

Comments

• Anonymous
  November 06, 2006
  Thank you.. That is a very decent and powerful tip.

• Anonymous
  November 07, 2006
  The comment has been removed

• Anonymous
  November 08, 2006
  I suggest a simple trick. Whem i start to write my emails a put a ";" on TO field. Now if i accidentally try to send the email the outlook return a error message. After finish that i remove the ";" and send the email.

• Anonymous
  November 10, 2006
  Thanks for the helpful suggestions. But there is another way how to get an email back. Not all people read email immediately. So go to the folder sent and click on the email you have sent. Next go to Message and click cancell message. If the sender has not yet opened up the message they will not be able to open it when you cancelled the message

• Anonymous
  November 11, 2006
  I have a bad habit of firing off flaming emails in reaction to someone else's rantings. This will save my bacon!!! This is not overkill - it is a career saver!

• Anonymous
  November 11, 2006
  All seems a bit too techy.  Why not ensure that the LAST thing you do is add the address?  If you hit Send without an address it just won't go.

• Anonymous
  November 13, 2006
  To completely avoid sending an email by mistake, just insure that all composed messages are sent to the Outbox until you are sure you want to send them.  Then, you can review the messages, edit, and delete them if necessary.  This is simply achieved by the following series of clicks:  Tools, Options, Mail Setup (tab), Send/Receive section, uncheck "Send immediately when connected."  This method will prevent you from sending a message you may regret after some further thought.

• Anonymous
  November 15, 2006
  Over the years, I have adopted the following as my personal "email sending process": write the email first, proof read it as many times as needed, then enter/select the recipients the email should be sent to, and click "Send". By specifying the recipients only after you have proof read the email, you guarantee that it can't be sent unintentionally.

• Anonymous
  November 19, 2006
  Thanks for the helpful suggestions. That is a very decent and powerful tip.

• Anonymous
  November 19, 2006
  Thanks it is a real great tool and facility Get's an admin's job easy and job

• Anonymous
  November 28, 2006
  easy trick.. thanks just to point out why this helps people like me better over other solutions mentioned here

1. this works for both new mails and replys. Accidently replying to every one is one common mistake.
2. No extra steps needed to send the message.
3. Catches logical mistakes. for others solutions "By specifying the recipients only after you have proof read the email" -- this saves only accidental sends. Also doesnt work in REPLYs. If one have over looked the content, this doesnt give a chance. "just insure that all composed messages are sent to the Outbox until you are sure you want to send them" - require extra process of sending the mail from outbox. "Why not ensure that the LAST thing you do is add the address?" --- doesnt work for REPLYs

• Anonymous
  December 01, 2006
  "# re: Avoid sending e-mail messages by mistake All seems a bit too techy.  Why not ensure that the LAST thing you do is add the address?  If you hit Send without an address it just won't go." Best tip yet!

• Anonymous
  December 01, 2006
  Thanks it is a real great tool and facility Get's an admin's job easy and job huh?

• Anonymous
  December 27, 2006
  the unsend/recall does not work outside of the existing mail system, such as Exchange.  You can recall unread mail which uses Exchange, for example, but once you send mail to the outside world, forget it.

• Anonymous
  January 08, 2007
  Addressing the email last doesn't work if you're hitting reply or forward in response to an email.  I have accidentally hit reply when I intended to forward the email to someone else with a comment, sent it and...oops.  Not good. It goes so quickly you can't stop or retrieve it. Using the two-minute rule to delay sending, or having the email go to the Outbox first would help eliminate these embarrassing emails, even though it might be annoying at times.

• Anonymous
  February 19, 2007
  I seem to, by accident, occasionally hit the "right" keyboard shortcut that sends emails in an instant - before they're ready.  Although I hate waiting 2 minutes for my emails to be sent - this may save me embarassment.