Why does "message recall" fail?

Whether "message recall" works or not is completely dependent on the recipient and not the sender.

Here's a short list of factors that will make a "message recall" fail:

• Recipient is not using Outlook to check email.  (This includes mobile devices, and POP3/IMAP4 clients.)
• Recipient's client does not have "Process requests and responses on arrival" enabled.  To verify that this function is enabled:
  • In Outlook, go to Tools, Options
  • Click "Email Options" in the Preferences tab
  • Click "Tracking Options"
  • Verify that "Process requests and responses on arrival" is checked.
• User read the message before the recall request was sent.  (Or in the event "Process requests and responses" is disabled and the user opens the message before they open the recall-request message.)
• Recipient has a rule that moved the message out of the Inbox.
• Recipient has the "Out of Office Assistant" enabled which responded to the message prior to the recall request.

For more information, see the Microsoft article "How message recall works".