Google has added an ‘undo send’ feature to its Gmail service, letting users set ‘cooling off periods’ when an email can be recalled after it is sent.
The feature is already available for the new-look Gmail, known as Inbox, but has now been added to the normal version of Gmail and is available under the general tab in user settings. It needs to be enabled by a user before it will work.
There is a choice of five, 10, 20 and 30 second cool off periods when the email can be recalled. It is a simple ‘enable this’ option.
“Previously a popular feature in Gmail Labs, we’re adding ‘Undo Send’ as a formal setting in Gmail on the web,” said a Google Apps Update post.
“‘Undo Send’ allows people using Gmail to cancel a sent mail if they have second thoughts immediately after sending. The feature is turned off by default for those not currently using the Labs version, and can be enabled from the General tab in Gmail settings.”
Undo Send began as an experimental feature in 2009 when it offered only a five second retrieval period. It was a hit almost immediately and has been a mainstay of many Gmail accounts since it was first introduced.
