Mar 23, 2018 - How do I recall a message sent in error in Outlook - Mac version.
Email is one of those programs that you use, and then you realize that you have files dating back from a long time ago. Macworld reader Chris want to take control of the message in Apple’s Mail, specifically the messages he has sent.
I swear I used to be able to control how long my sent mailbox kept old sent messages—I’m sure I set it to 1 month! Now, however, I cannot find any pop-up or drop-down menus (like Junk Mailbox, which I have set to erase after one week). I don’t want all my old Sent messages from 1998!
I don’t recall a way to delete sent messages automatically in Mail. However, you can create a rule that will solve the problem for you:
- Select Mail > Preferences and click the Rules button.
- Click Add Rule.
- Name the rule “Delete Sent Messages” or however you’d like to identify it.
- From the conditions area, choose Date Sent, Is Greater Than, and then enter the number of days. In this example, I used 365 days.
- In the Perform the Following Actions section, choose Delete Message.
- Click OK.
- You’re prompted to apply to existing messages. If you click Apply, this will immediately (and irrevocably) delete all sent message that meet that criteria.
Now, Mail won’t apply this rule after this point, because active rules apply only to your inboxes. However, you can every once in a while select the Sent mailbox in the Mailboxes list and then choose Message > Apply Rules.
You can choose a different tactic if you just want to archive messages locally. Create an archive mailbox in the On This Mac section of the Mailboxes list: hover over On This Mac, click the +, and then name the mailbox. In step 5, choose Move Message and then pick the mailbox you created under On This Mac.
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Have you ever copied text from an email you sent to another email you were about to send?
Have you ever had to send practically the same message to another recipient — instantaneously, if possible? Has an email address ever been outdated and stale for a contact — with a new one readily available? Have you ever sent a message from the wrong account and with the wrong email address in the 'From' header line — say, to unsubscribe from one of those pesky mailing lists at a nitpicking list server? Has an email you sent ever been returned to you for failure of delivery — possibly warranting another try?
There are plenty of reasons you might need to resend an email.
What Resending Emails Means in macOS Mail
In Apple's macOS and OS X Mail, re-using an email you sent (or, indeed, any email) is particularly easy, too.
You can resend messages you sent before, and even emails you received. Before the re-sent email is delivered, you get a chance to edit it (and change the recipient, for instance, or a date).
Resend a Message in Mac OS X Mail
To send a message (it must not even be your own) again in Mac OS X Mail:
- Open the Sent folder in OS X Mail.
- You can also re-send sent messages from other folders.
- You can also resend any email you received (but did not necessarily send); keep in mind that the message you send using this resending process will be from your email address, however, not the original sender.
- Use macOS and OS X Mail search to locate the desired email if you do not spot it instantly; searching by the recipient, for instance, or subject can be helpful.
- Highlight the message you want to re-send.
- Select Message | Send Again from the menu.
- You can also press Command-Shift-D or click on the email you want to re-send in the message list, click the right mouse button and select Send Again from the context menu that has appeared.
- In Mac OS X Mail 1.x, select File | Open As New Message from the menu.
- Edit the message and send it (again) as you would with any new email.
Other Options for Re-Using Text in OS X Mail
If you want to re-use not entire messages but just parts of a text, possibly just words or mere parts of words, macOS lets you set up text snippets. You can use these text snippets (found in Text Replacement settings) in emails you are composing in macOS Mail to great — and productive — effect.
Re-sending also makes it easy to designate and use emails as message templates os macOS Mail: all it takes is saving them to a 'Templates' folder.
On top of that, plug-ins can help; Mail Act-On, for instance, lets you reply with templates.