Google is taking a popular “oops” feature out of its experimental “labs” and making it a permanent part of the Web version of Gmail.
The “undo send” feature gives Gmail users anywhere from 10 to 30 precious seconds to claw back an email sent prematurely. Once you hit “send” on a Gmail—by accident or on purpose—a thin yellow bar tells you the message was sent, and gives you the option to either read the message or take it back.
Whether a hastily worded nastygram, an unfortunate “reply all” or a half-written job cover letter sent prematurely, potential damage can be undone. In a world of “no takebacks,” recapturing an already launched missile—ahem, message—before it can be opened is a real enhancement.
“Undo send” will be turned off by default but can be enabled in the “general” tab of Gmail settings as of today. For people who have already been using the “labs” version (which has been available for what feels like years), the setting will be turned on by default.
Again, this is only available for people using Gmail on a website, as opposed to a smartphone app.Google also said the feature was recently added to Inbox, its app that aims to rethink email.
Source: Google Gives Gmail Users the Ability to ‘Undo Send’ – Digits – WSJ