Have you ever experienced the frustration of accidentally deleting or discarding an important draft in Gmail? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered with these four simple methods to undo the discard and recover your precious drafts. Officially, Gmail gives you a 30-second window to undo the discard, but what if you miss that? Let’s explore some alternative solutions.
Solution 1: Undo the Discard (within 30 seconds)
If you’re still in the Gmail interface and accidentally click the delete icon or discard button, don’t panic! Within 30 seconds, a pop-up will appear in the corner of your screen, giving you the option to select “undo.” Simply click on it, and your email will be restored to where you left off.
But what if you miss this 30-second window or accidentally click somewhere else? Don’t worry; there’s another solution.
Solution 2: Recover from Another Device
If you’ve synced your Gmail account on multiple devices, like a laptop, PC, or mobile phone, this method might work for you. Quickly switch to your phone or tablet and enable “Airplane mode.” Open your Gmail account and go to the “Drafts” folder. If you’re lucky, you might find your discarded draft there. The syncing process between devices takes some time, so acting swiftly increases your chances of success.
Solution 3: Utilize Google Vaults (Paid Feature)
This method is specifically for those who have access to Google Vaults, a paid feature of Google Workspace (formerly G Suite). By logging into Google Vaults and searching your email address, you can find archived texts, even if they have been deleted from your Gmail account. Google retains everything, including deleted text, in the Google Vaults for your account.
Solution 4: HxD Software (Panacea)
If all else fails and you desperately need to recover your discarded draft, this solution might be your saving grace. It does require a bit of extra effort and the use of HxD software, a freeware Hex and disk editor. The only condition is that you must keep your browser with the Gmail account open and follow a step-by-step process to scan the browser’s memory.
How to Install HxD Software in Windows 10
- Visit the HxD software website and download the latest version (2.5.0.0) for Windows.
- Select your preferred language installer and download it.
- Extract the zip file and run the HxD setup installer. Allow User Access Control (UAC) permissions when prompted.
- Follow the installation wizard instructions, accepting the license agreement and choosing the default options.
- Once the installation is complete, launch the HxD editor.
To recover your discarded draft:
- Keep your Gmail account open in your browser.
- Launch the HxD software and go to “Tools” > “Open main memory.”
- Sort the processes by “Process Name” to find the Chrome browser process.
- To identify the correct process, open the Task Manager on your PC and look for the Chrome process consuming the most memory (Gmail tends to consume a significant amount of memory).
- Right-click on the process and select “Go to details” to find the process ID (PID).
- Note down the ID and go back to the HxD window. Select the identified process ID.
- Press Ctrl + F to search for a unique keyword from your draft email.
- Keep searching until you find your draft email text. Copy and paste the text to a notepad or draft email.
- Congratulations, your discarded draft is recovered!
This method requires some technical know-how, but it can be a lifesaver when you need to retrieve an important draft.
Conclusion
In the worst-case scenario where nothing else works, retyping the draft might be your only option. However, I’m confident that at least one of these four methods will help you recover your discarded drafts in Gmail. Give them a try and let me know which solution saved your efforts. Feel free to reach out to Mr Reviews if you have any questions or need further assistance.
