Microsoft Outlook: Recall Sent Messages and Recover Deleted Items

There are times (we all have them) when we send an e-mail and immediately realize that it contains an error or is missing important information. You wish you could go back in time and fix it, but it's too late; the message has been sent. Fortunately, Outlook includes a recall feature that allows for a "do over" in the real world.

1. To recall a sent message, begin by locating the message in your sent items folder. 4. Open the e-mail message.
2. From the "Actions" dropdown list in the main menu, select "Recall This Message..."
3. Once selected, the Recall This Message dialog box will appear. It contains three options.

I. Delete unread copies of this message - This option will delete all sent copies of the message that have not been opened.
II. Delete unread copies and replace with a new message - In cases where only an error needs to be corrected, or slight information added, this option will first delete the original sent message, and then it will send a replacement message.
III. Tell me if recall succeeds or fails for each recipient - If checked, the user will receive e-mail confirmation if each individual message was successfully recalled or not. Note: A read message cannot be recalled.

4. Press "OK" to initiate the recall.

RECOVER DELETED ITEMS

How many times have we deleted an e-mail message and then wished we hadn't or needed it later? Now it's okay, because deleted items aren't really gone forever; they can be recovered.

1. To recover deleted items, begin with the Deleted Items folder open.
2. With the folder open, select "Tools" from the main menu and then "Recover Deleted Items..."
3. A new dialog box will appear.
4. Use the tool buttons in the upper left to perform actions:

"Select All" - This button selects all of the deleted items in the list.

"Recover Selected Items" - To Recover Selected Items press this button.

The delete button will Purge Selected Items, meaning that they will be deleted permanently and will not be recoverable.

TIP! - Use Ctrl+Left-Click to select multiple items that are not next to each other.

5. Press the "Recover Selected Items" button to restore items. Restored items will be returned to the Deleted Items folder.