So, you’ve accidentally sent an email to the wrong person. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. According to Tessian research, over half (58%) of employees say they’ve sent an email to the wrong person.
We call this a misdirected email and it’s really, really easy to do. It could be a simple spelling mistake, it could be the fault of Autocomplete, or it could be an accidental “Reply All”. But, what are the consequences of firing off an email to the wrong person and what can you do to prevent it from happening?
We’ll get to that shortly. But first, let’s answer one of the internet’s most popular (and pressing) questions: Can I stop or “un-send” an email?
We’ve all been there – hastily typing up an email, clicking send, and then realizing with a sudden pit in your stomach that you sent it to the wrong recipient Sending an email to the wrong person happens more often than you might think. According to a recent survey, nearly 40% of professionals admit to making this error
I know I’ve certainly sent my fair share of cringe-worthy emails to unintended recipients Like the time I emailed a risqué meme to my boss instead of my friend Or when I accidentally sent sensitive customer information to a random colleague, We’ve all had our “oops” moments with email,
While sending an email to the wrong person can be mortifying, it doesn’t have to turn into a catastrophe if handled correctly. In this article, I’ll explain why these mistakes happen, how to apologize and retract an erroneous email, and tips to avoid sending messages to the wrong recipient in the future.
Why Sending Emails to the Wrong Person Happens So Often
With the average office worker sending over 120 emails per day, it’s easy to see why sending the occasional email to the wrong recipient occurs Here are some of the most common reasons for this slip-up
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Rushing – When trying to plow through a mountain of emails quickly, you’re more prone to errors like selecting the wrong name from your address book. Slow down and double check recipients before clicking send.
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Too many email threads – Jumping between multiple email chains increases the chances you’ll mix-up recipients between threads. Minimize open threads to avoid confusion.
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Autofill errors – If you start typing a name, your email may automatically populate a suggested recipient. Always verify this is the correct person.
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Reply all issues – Replying “all” to a group email when you should only reply to the sender is a common flub. Pay extra attention to only select “reply” instead of “reply all” when appropriate.
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Distractions – Emailing while distracted by coworkers, your phone, or other tasks divides your attention, leading to mistakes like picking the wrong name from your contacts list. Avoid distractions when emailing important communications.
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Contact name confusion – If your contacts list contains people with the same or similar names, it’s easy to accidentally choose the wrong email address. Double check you have the right recipient before sending.
How to Apologize and Retract an Email Sent to the Wrong Person
Despite your best efforts, chances are you’ll eventually send a message to the wrong recipient. When this happens, it’s important to take action quickly to apologize and retract the erroneous email. Here are some tips on handling the situation professionally:
Act Fast to Retract the Email
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Most email clients like Gmail and Outlook have a short window where you can retract a sent message, usually between 5-30 seconds. If you realize your mistake during this timeframe, retract the email immediately before the recipient sees it.
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Alternatively, some email providers allow you to create an expiration date or password requirement to revoke access to a message. This gives you more time to realize your mistake and retract the email.
Be Quick to Apologize
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If the email cannot be retracted, promptly send an apology message to the unintended recipient acknowledging your mistake and asking them to disregard the message.
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Explain that the email was meant for someone else, so they can understand it was just an innocent error.
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Apologize for any inconvenience or confusion caused.
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Politely ask them to delete the message to protect any sensitive information that was accidentally disclosed.
Resend to the Correct Recipient
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To avoid further confusion, resend the intended email to the right contact, explaining the situation.
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Make it clear what information you are trying to communicate so they have the full details.
Learn from the Mistake
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Take the opportunity to review your contact list and update any outdated or duplicate contacts to prevent future errors.
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Consider adding in more checks before sending emails, like double checking recipients or reading through the message again.
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Stay calm and recognize sending the occasional wrong email is normal. Don’t beat yourself up over an honest mistake.
Sample Email Templates for Retracting an Errant Message
When retracting an email sent to the wrong person, it’s important to respond promptly, politely, and professionally. Here are some sample email templates you can use as a starting point:
Apology Email to Unintended Recipient
Subject: Apologies, Email Sent in Error
Dear [Wrong Recipient],
Regards,
[Your name]
Retraction Email to Intended Recipient
Subject: Resending Correct Email
Dear [Intended Recipient],
Regards,
[Your name]
Follow-up Apology to Wrong Recipient
Subject: Further Apologies
Dear [Wrong Recipient],
Sincere regards,
[Your name]
Tips to Avoid Sending Emails to the Wrong Person
Mistakes happen, but you can take steps to reduce instances of emailing the wrong contact:
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** proofread** – Set aside an extra few seconds before sending to double check recipients.
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Avoid distractions – Don’t email while multitasking. Give messages your full attention.
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Update contacts – Delete or combine any duplicate contacts to avoid confusion.
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Uninstall autofill – This “feature” often suggests the wrong person.
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Color code – Use text or background colors to differentiate certain contacts.
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Limit open threads – Keep only one or two active email conversations at a time.
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Use identifiers – Include the recipient’s company or role if people share a name.
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Confirm new contacts – Verify you have the right email address when emailing someone new.
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Limit use of “reply all” – Only use this when absolutely necessary to avoid mishaps.
What to Do If You Receive an Email Meant for Someone Else
It’s inevitable that at some point, you’ll end up on the receiving end of an email inadvertently sent to you in error. When this happens, it’s important to handle the situation professionally by:
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Informing the sender of their mistake – Reply to let them know they emailed the wrong person so they can take corrective action. Be sure to delete the message after notifying them.
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Maintaining confidentiality – If the errant email contains sensitive information, do not share or act upon it. Simply alert the sender privately of their error.
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Remaining understanding – We all make mistakes. Empathize with the sender’s blunder and move on.
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Providing confirmation – Reply to the sender when requested to confirm you have deleted the message and understand it was sent incorrectly.
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Updating contacts – If it’s a contact mix-up, take the opportunity to update your address book to avoid potential future confusion.
Putting It All Together
Mistakenly sending emails to the wrong recipient is a common workplace slip-up that we all make from time to time. When it happens, don’t panic. Quickly apologize to the unintended recipient, retract the message if possible, resend to the correct contact, and learn from the experience. With caution and preparation, you can minimize the chances of emailing the wrong person and keep your communications professional.
We can avoid being overly critical of ourselves when these slip ups occur, knowing that redirecting emails professionally and owning up to innocent mistakes shows maturity and accountability. A few misdirected messages here and there won’t ruin your reputation as long as you handle the situation politely. We’ve all accidentally sent an email to the wrong person before – so next time it happens, take a breath, follow the advice above, and carry on having learned something.
Recalling messages in Gmail
Again, we have to caveat our step-by-step instructions with an important disclaimer: this option to recall messages in Gmail only works if you’ve enabled the “Delay” function prior to fat fingering an email. The “Delay” function gives you a maximum of 30 seconds to “change your mind” and claw back the email.
Here’s how to enable the “Delay” function.
Step 1: Navigate to the “Settings” icon → click “See All Settings”
Step 2: In the “General” tab, find “Undo Send” and choose between 5, 10, 20, and 30 seconds.
Step 3: Now, whenever you send a message, you’ll see “Undo” or “View Message” in the bottom left corner of your screen. You’ll have 5, 10, 20, or 30 seconds to click “Undo” to prevent it from being sent.
Note: If you haven’t set-up the “Delay” function, you will not be able to “Undo” or “Recall” the message. There’s more information about delaying and recalling emails in Gmail here.
So, what happens if you can’t recall the email? We’ve outlined the top six consequences of sending an email to the wrong person below. “If the email contained sensitive customer, client, or company information and was sent to someone outside of the relevant team or outside of the organization entirely, the incident would be considered a data loss incident or data breach. ”
Recalling messages in Outlook & Office 365
Before reading any further, please note: these instructions will only work on the desktop client, not the web-based version. They also only apply if both you (the sender) and the recipient use a Microsoft Exchange account in the same organization or if you both use Microsoft 365.
In simple terms: You’ll only be able to recall unread emails to people you work with, not customers or clients. But, here’s how to do it.
Step 1: Open your “Sent Items” folder
Step 2: Double-click on the email you want to recall
Step 3: Click the “Message” tab in the upper left-hand corner of the navigation bar (next to “File”) → click “Move” → click “More Move Actions” → Click “Recall This Message” in the dropdown menu
Step 4: A pop-up will appear, asking if you’d like to “Delete unread copies of the message” or “Delete unread copies and replace with a new message”
Step 5: If you opt to draft a new message, a second window will open and you’ll be able to edit your original message
While this is easy enough to do, it’s not foolproof. The recipient may still receive the message. They may also receive a notification that a message has been deleted from their inbox. That means that, even if they aren’t able to view the botched message, they’ll still know it was sent. There’s more information about recalling emails in Outlook here.
Can I Stop or Unsend an Email I Sent by Mistake?
Are you sending an email to the wrong person?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. According to Tessian research, over half (58%) of employees say they’ve sent an email to the wrong person. We call this a misdirected email and it’s really, really easy to do. It could be a simple spelling mistake, it could be the fault of Autocomplete, or it could be an accidental “Reply All”.
How do I send an email if my email address is wrong?
Turn on any automatic pre-sending prompts your email program offers, such as spell check or sending confirmation. Type the full email address or name of the person you want to send an email to in the recipient bar in case your email program automatically inputs the wrong address.
What happens if you send a mistaken email?
How you proceed may depend on how potentially serious the consequences of the mistaken email could be. For example, if you sent a request for time off to the wrong person, it might be enough to simply send a quick apology and redirect the email to the right person.
What should I do if I accidentally send an email?
Take Your Time: Rushing through emails can lead to errors. Slow down and proofread your message before sending it, paying particular attention to the recipients. If you’ve just sent an email to the wrong person and realize your mistake within the first 30 seconds, most email platforms offer an “Unsend” or “Undo” feature.
