Need to retract an email? Discover polite and professional ways to say ‘Please disregard my previous email’ and maintain clear communication in the workplace.
Ever hit “Send” on an email, only to instantly regret it when you notice a mistake? That sinking feeling is all too familiar. While we’ve all relied on the classic Please Disregard My Previous Email it can sometimes come off as a bit stiff or awkward.
In this post, I’ll share some better ways to acknowledge and fix email errors, so you can stay professional without losing your personal touch.
Whether it’s just a small typo or a bigger mistake, these tips will help you handle email slip-ups like a pro, making sure you stay confident and graceful.
What To Say Instead of “Please Disregard My Previous Email”
If you’re looking for a friendlier or more casual way to correct an email mistake, here are 10 alternatives to “Please disregard my previous email”:
- Kindly ignore my last message.
- Please consider my previous email as void.
- My apologies, but feel free to disregard my last email.
- Please overlook my earlier communication.
- Forget about my previous email, please.
- My last email is no longer relevant—please disregard it.
- Disregard my previous message, and I apologize for any confusion.
- I’m retracting my previous email—please disregard it.
- Please ignore my last email, and sorry for the mix-up.
- Apologies for the oversight—please ignore my earlier message.
1. Kindly ignore my last message
“Kindly ignore my last message” is a polite and soft way to ask someone to disregard a previous email and Please disregard my previous email.
This phrase works particularly well in professional settings, where it’s important to stay courteous. It acknowledges that something went wrong or has changed, without placing blame or making things uncomfortable.
By adding “kindly,” you’re keeping the tone warm and considerate.
Examples in use:
- Realizing I sent out the wrong meeting agenda, I quickly followed up with, “Kindly ignore my last message; the updated agenda will be sent shortly.”
- After mistakenly forwarding incomplete info, I wrote, “Kindly ignore my last message,” ensuring clarity while maintaining professionalism.
2. Please consider my previous email null and void
“Please consider my previous email null and void” is a direct and formal way to request that someone disregard an earlier message.
This phrase is ideal in settings where precise language is key, like legal or corporate environments. It clearly communicates that the prior email should be treated as if it never happened, avoiding any potential confusion or actions based on outdated or incorrect information.
Examples in use:
- After spotting a major error in my original report, I followed up with, “Please consider my previous email null and void.”
- “Please consider my previous email null and void,” I stated in a follow-up, as new management decisions had overridden earlier instructions.
3. My apologies, but you can disregard my last email
“My apologies, but you can disregard my last email” strikes a balance between an apology and a clear request to disregard the previous message.
This phrase works well when you want to acknowledge a mistake while also guiding the recipient to ignore the incorrect email. It helps maintain transparency and trust in your communication.
Examples in use:
- After sending outdated details to a client, I followed up with, “My apologies, but you can disregard my last email.”
- “My apologies, but you can disregard my last email,” I included in my follow-up, making sure no actions were taken based on incorrect scheduling information.
4. Please overlook my previous communication
“Please overlook my previous communication” is a formal yet polite way to ask someone to disregard a prior message. It’s especially handy in professional situations when you need to correct or update something that was sent earlier. This phrase keeps things professional, acknowledging a mistake while assuring the recipient that it’s being taken care of.
Examples in use:
- Realizing I had sent a premature announcement, I quickly followed up with, “Please overlook my previous communication; the official announcement will come later.”
- “Please overlook my previous communication,” I requested after spotting an error in the pricing details I had sent earlier
5. Ignore my earlier email, please
“Ignore my earlier email, please” is a direct and casual way to ask someone to disregard a previous message.
This phrase works well when you have a familiar relationship with the recipient and prefer to keep things straightforward. It addresses the issue efficiently without the need for much formality, yet it still maintains a polite tone.
Examples in use:
- In a quick follow-up with a colleague, I wrote, “Ignore my earlier email, please; I’ve found the information I was missing.”
- “Ignore my earlier email, please,” I noted after realizing I’d sent a draft instead of the final document to my team.
6. My previous email is no longer relevant; please disregard it
“My previous email is no longer relevant; please disregard it” clearly indicates that the information or situation has changed, making the prior message outdated.
This phrase is particularly helpful in professional settings where things evolve quickly, and it’s crucial to avoid any actions based on outdated info.
Examples in use:
- After the project timeline shifted, I told the team, “My previous email is no longer relevant; please disregard it.”
- “My previous email is no longer relevant; please disregard it,” I clarified to the department after a policy update changed several procedures we had discussed earlier.
7. Please disregard my last message and accept my apologies for any confusion
“Please disregard my last message and accept my apologies for any confusion” not only asks the recipient to ignore the previous email but also adds a sincere apology, showing accountability for the mistake. This approach is especially helpful when the error might have led to misunderstandings or inconvenience, helping you maintain professionalism while acknowledging the issue.
Examples in use:
- After mistakenly giving the wrong deadline, I followed up with, “Please disregard my last message and accept my apologies for any confusion; here are the correct dates.”
- “Please disregard my last message and accept my apologies for any confusion,” I wrote after sending an email with details about a meeting that had already been canceled.
8. I retract my previous email; please disregard it
“I retract my previous email; please disregard it” is a clear and formal way to take back what was communicated earlier and ask for it to be ignored.
This phrase is especially useful in legal, academic, or professional settings where it’s important to make sure a retraction is understood and unambiguous. Please disregard my previous email
Examples in use:
- After sending confidential information to the wrong group, I quickly followed up with, “I retract my previous email; please disregard it.”
- In correcting an official communication error, I wrote, “I retract my previous email; please disregard it,” to ensure compliance with updated regulations.
9. Forget about my last email, please
“Forget about my last email, please” is an informal, direct way to ask someone to Please disregard my previous email
It’s perfect for casual professional relationships or internal team chats where there’s a sense of familiarity, and formality isn’t necessary.
Examples in use:
- After a brief mix-up with the schedule, I clarified with, “Forget about my last email, please; I got the dates mixed up.”
- “Forget about my last email, please,” I quickly typed to a colleague after realizing I had forwarded incomplete information.
10. Please ignore my earlier message and accept my apologies for the oversight
Please ignore my earlier message and accept my apologies for the oversight” is a thoughtful way to ask someone to disregard a previous email while offering a polite apology for the mistake.
This phrase is especially effective in smoothing over any potential frustration caused by the error and helps maintain a courteous, professional relationship.
Examples in use:
- “Please ignore my earlier message and accept my apologies for the oversight,” I wrote after accidentally sending a draft proposal instead of the final version.
- In a follow-up email to correct a financial miscalculation, I included, “Please ignore my earlier message and accept my apologies for the oversight.”
