Gmail gives you 5 seconds to undo a send. You can stretch it to 30

Gmail already lets you stop an email after you hit Send, but the default window is only five seconds. You can raise it to 30 seconds in settings. The change takes under a minute on a computer, and it could save you from an embarrassing or costly message.

How the undo works

When you hit Send, a small box pops up in the bottom left corner of the screen. It says Message sent and offers two options: Undo and View message. If you suddenly spot a typo or remember something you left out, Undo is your chance to stop the email.

The name is a little misleading. Gmail does not pull back an email that has already gone out. It holds the message for a few seconds before sending it. Once an email is out, you cannot claw it back from the recipient's inbox, even if they have not opened it. Because the email was only delayed, the recipient is never told and will not know you unsent it.

How to extend the time

The setting lives in Gmail on a desktop computer. The steps are:

• Open Gmail on desktop and click the gear icon at the top right.
• In the Quick settings panel, choose See all settings.
• On the General page, scroll down to the Undo Send section.
• Pick 10, 20 or 30 seconds in place of the default five.
• Click Save changes at the bottom of the page.

Skipping the last step means the new time will not take effect.

What to keep in mind

Even 30 seconds is short, and it is the longest Gmail allows. It is still enough time for a final read of an especially important message before it goes through.

One trap to avoid: clicking View message before the waiting time ends also ends your chance to unsend the email early. If you think you might need Undo, leave the box alone until you are sure.