Email is supposed to make your life easier—until you hit send on a work message and quickly realize you made a mistake. You sit there, helpless, as your email flies off into the ether, out of your grasp. Sure, some email platforms like Gmail have an “undo send” option, but if you haven’t set it up or didn’t notice what went wrong until after it timed out, that’s not at all helpful to you right now. You’ve already accidentally replied all, sent a sloppy message to an important client, or, worst of all, shared something confidential or snarky with the wrong audience.
Don’t panic. Everyone slips up every now and again. You can recover—usually. If you wrote something that’s inappropriate in any context, for example, you’ll have to deal with the consequences.
For those common email slipups, here’s how to easily tell recipients to disregard your previous email, plus some example messages for common scenarios. Sorry, this is for work emails only—we can’t do anything about that embarrassing text you sent your ex.
Delete Previously Used Email Addresses from Gmail Auto-Complete List
Why would you send a message saying “please disregard my previous email”?
There are several instances where its important to email someone asking them to disregard your previous email, such as:
What does “please disregard my previous email” mean?
When individuals write “please disregard my previous email” they mean for the reader to ignore the previous email from the sender. Many senders also provide reasoning for disregarding the previous email to let the reader know why the previous email is unnecessary. Another common item thats included in these types of messages is a statement to the reader to examine the accurate information in the new email. This is useful if a reader has already reviewed the previous email.
Template for a “Please disregard my previous email” message
Here is a template you can use to help you create your own email asking readers to disregard an email:
Dear [recipients last name],
Please disregard my previous email. [Use this sentence to inform readers why they might disregard the previous email]. [Provide a recommendation to readers about their next actions].
I apologize for any confusion or inconvenience this may have caused. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
[Your first and last name]
[Job title]
[Company name]
How to send a message saying “please disregard my previous email”
Review these steps to help you create a message informing readers to disregard a previous email you sent:
1. Start with an opening salutation
Starting your message with an opening salutation can help readers understand who your message is for. If its intended for a single recipient, you might include an opening salutation such as, “Dear Ms. Smith,” or “Good Morning Mr. Wright,” to inform readers theyre the intended reader. If youre writing your message for a group, you might start your message with “Good Morning Sales Team,” or “Hello Marketing Department,” to help readers understand theyre the intended readers if theyre a part of that group.
2. State the intent of the message
The first line of the message is typically a statement informing readers to disregard the previous email. You might include phrases such as “please disregard my previous email” or “please disregard my email sent yesterday.” This helps readers understand the intent of this message. You might also add the reason for disregarding the other email to help readers understand. For example, you might state “please disregard my email sent this morning” followed by “I emailed before adding the correct attachments.” This can help readers understand more about why this email is important.
3. Inform readers on what to do next
After stating the messages intent, its a good idea to inform readers what to do next with your emails. You might recommend recipients delete the outdated email to prevent confusion. If the new email has new or updated information, you might also advise readers to read the new information in the email.
4. Write a closing for your message
Adding a closing statement can help you clarify questions. Sometimes, you might address any confusion or inconveniences that the previous email might have caused readers. A closing statement can also help readers understand that this is the end of the email.
5. Finish the message with a closing salutation
Ending your message with a closing salutation can help impart a final positive impression on readers. You might include a closing salutation such as, “sincerely” or “best regards.” You can also include your name, position and company name, so the recipient knows who the message is from and how they can reach you.
Example of a “Please disregard my previous email” message
Here is an example to help you create your own email:
1. Example email for when you click send before you’re done
It’s hard to stay calm after you accidentally send someone half an email—especially when you planned to revise because it’s filled with typos, excessive exclamation marks, or some wording that can easily be misconstrued.
But don’t spend the next 10 minutes researching email-tracking apps to see whether your recipient has opened the message. Instead, finish the original email quickly, and write the following at the top:
I accidentally hit send before finishing this note, so please disregard my previous email. Sorry for the confusion!
2. Example email for when you accidentally reply all
This mistake usually falls somewhere along a spectrum. On one end, you send something that’s not going to cause a crisis, but is not exactly meant for everyone to read—such as an email to your boss about vacation time. At the opposite (and more serious) end, you send the whole company a snarky comment about a colleague that was only meant for a close friend to see—or something equally disastrous. If you’re firmly on this side of the spectrum, here’s a step-by-step approach to help you recover from more serious work mistakes.
FAQ
How do you say please disregard previous email?
How do you send an ignore email?
- In the message list, select the conversation or any message within the conversation that you want to ignore.
- On the Home tab, in the Delete group, select Ignore . If you are working from an open message, on the Message tab, in the Delete group, select Ignore.
- Select Ignore Conversation.
How do you apologize for not copying emails?
What is kindly disregard?
