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Yes, you can unsend that text and here's how

<p>Oops, wrong number! D’oh, stupid autocorrect! Gah, why did I think texting my ex was a good idea?!</p> <p>We’ve all had our share of cringe-worthy texts that we regret the moment we send them.</p> <p>In the past, you haven’t had too many options: send a quick apology, hope the other person will gloss over your oversight, or block that contact and delete all evidence of your lapse in judgment. Thankfully, that all ends today.</p> <p><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.onsecondthought.co/" target="_blank">On Second Thought</a><span> </span>is an app that lets you take back your texts after hitting send. It syncs with your usual texting program to let you message everyone on your contact list as usual, just in a different app—and with some nifty “unsend” features that prevent endless embarrassment.</p> <p>The app lets you choose a “grace period” of up to 60 seconds after you hit send when you can delete the message. Even if the other person doesn’t have On Second Thought, you can either recall the text to edit it, or delete it completely. Either way, your almost-recipient will be none the wiser, and you get to save face.</p> <p>If you have a habit of sending unfortunate texts that you regret the next day, On Second Thought has another solution. During periods of time when you don’t quite trust yourself to make great texting decisions – say, when grabbing drinks with that pot-stirring friend who always convinces you to call out your ex – the app can set up a “curfew.”</p> <p>Any texts you try to send during that time will be held until morning. In the morning, when your head is clear, you can decide whether you want to follow through with sending them.</p> <p>The unsend app isn’t available on the Apple App Store yet, but you can<span> </span><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.onsecondthought" target="_blank">download it</a><span> </span>from Google Play.</p> <p><em>Written by Marissa LaLiberte. </em><em>This article first appeared in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/true-stories-lifestyle/science-technology/yes-you-can-unsend-text-and-heres-how" target="_blank">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a rel="noopener" href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRA93V" target="_blank">here’s our best subscription offer</a>.</em></p>

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How to “unsend” an email before anyone notices

<p><em><strong>Lisa Du is director of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://readytechgo.com.au/" target="_blank">ReadyTechGo</a></span>, a service that helps people gain the confidence and skills to embrace modern technology.</strong></em></p> <p>Did you just send that message to Sam W. instead of Sam G.?</p> <p>It may not be too late.</p> <p>If you use Gmail on the web (via a browser such as Safari, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer), you may be able to unsend the message you just sent.</p> <p>Gmail can hold back delivering emails for up to 30 seconds after you have clicked Send. You can "unsend" an email and recover from false recipients, spelling mistakes, a sub-optimal subject and maybe forgotten attachments.</p> <p><strong>First, let's enable the "undo send" function in Gmail</strong></p> <p>To have Gmail hold back delivery of sent messages for a few seconds so you can take them back:</p> <ul> <li>Click the <em>Settings</em> gear in Gmail.</li> <li>Select <em>Settings</em> from the menu that appears.</li> <li>Go to the <em>General</em> tab.</li> <li>Make sure <em>Enable undo send</em> is selected for <em>Undo Send:</em>.</li> <li>Click <em>Save</em> Changes.</li> </ul> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="205" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/38048/in-text-one_500x205.jpg" alt="In Text One (5)"/></p> <p><strong>Change the time before a message is delivered with "undo send" enabled in Gmail</strong></p> <p>You have at least 5 seconds to unsend the email by default and up to 30 seconds. To increase the time before the email gets delivered:</p> <ul> <li>Click the<em> Settings</em> gear in your Gmail's toolbar.</li> <li>Choose <em>Settings</em> from the menu that has come up.</li> <li>Open the<em> General</em> category.</li> <li>Pick the desired time to undo message delivery for S<em>end cancellation period</em>: __seconds under <em>Undo Send:.</em></li> <li>Click <em>Save</em> Changes.</li> </ul> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="155" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/38049/in-text-two_500x155.jpg" alt="In Text Two (6)"/></p> <p><strong>Unsend an email with Gmail</strong></p> <ul> <li>To take back an email shortly after you have sent it in Gmail:</li> <li>Make sure <em>Undo Send</em> is enabled (see above).</li> <li>After having sent an email in Gmail:</li> <li>Click <em>Cancel</em> immediately (if background sending is not enabled), click <em>Undo</em> when it appears or press z.</li> </ul> <p>Many thanks to ReadyTechGo reader Ian Adair for this great Gmail tip!</p> <p>If you have a tech tip of your own, feel free to share in the comments below.</p>

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