MC445411: Exchange: Message Recall Option to Disable the Recalling of Read Messages

Updated November 17, 2022: We have updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

Updated October 14, 2022: We have updated the content below to show as intended. Thank you for your patience.

We are releasing a new Message Recall for Exchange Online feature that will recall messages that are flagged as “read” – the classic Message Recall in Outlook doesn’t recall read messages. Before we release the new feature, we want to let you know that tenant admins now have the option to disable the recalling of read messages for your organization.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 59438.

The Outlook for Windows Message Recall feature is extremely popular with users, yet it doesn’t always work so well. Part of the problem is that the recall is client-based, and the recall can only happen if the recipient also uses Outlook. With millions of users with mailboxes in Office 365, we’re now able to improve upon that feature by performing the recall directly in the cloud in Office 365 mailboxes, so it doesn’t matter which email client the recipient uses, the recall takes place in their Office 365 mailbox, and when their client syncs their mail, the message is gone. While there are still some conditions where the recall still won’t happen (like the message being read by the recipient), moving the recall to the cloud significantly improves the recall success rate. Additionally, we’ll now also offer an aggregate message recall status report, to make it simpler to see for whom the recall succeeded and for whom it failed.

When this will happen

The new Message Recall feature will begin rolling out in mid-January 2023 (previously mid-November 2022). The ability to disable the recalling of read messages for your organization is available now.

How this will affect your organization

Once the new Message Recall is rolled out, by default the feature will recall read messages, which is different from how the classic Message Recall feature in Outlook behaves. This change in behavior will be welcomed by many, but it could be confusing for recipients who read a message only to have it disappear from their mailbox shortly thereafter.

While recalling read messages can significantly increase the success rate of recalls, tenant admins concerned about potential user confusion or frustration can disable the ability to recall read messages for their entire organization.

What you need to do to prepare

If you want to accept the default behavior for the new Message Recall to recall read messages, there’s nothing you need to do to prepare. If you want to disable the recalling of read messages for your organization, you can do it either via the EAC or via Remote PowerShell:

1) Via the EAC uncheck the following setting:

EAC > Settings > Mail Flow > Message Recall > Allow users to recall messages read by the recipient

2) Via Remote PowerShell:

Set-OrganizationConfig -RecallReadMessagesEnabled $false

Message ID: MC445411
Published: 2022-10-12
Updated: 2022-11-17
Product: Exchange, Outlook, Power Automate
Cloud instance(s): Worldwide (Standard Multi-Tenant), DoD, GCC, GCC High
Platform: Online, US Instances, World tenant
Status: In development