Request a Paper Withdrawal
How to ask the chairs to withdraw your submission, cancel a pending request, and what happens after the chair decides
If you need to withdraw a submission — for example, because the paper was accepted at another venue or you've changed direction — submit a withdrawal request from the submission page. Chairs review the request and decide whether to approve it.
Who can request?
Only the submitting author (the person who created the submission) can request a withdrawal. Co-authors should ask the submitting author to do it on their behalf.
Send the Request
- Click "Submissions" in the sidebar and open the paper you want to withdraw
- In the right sidebar under Submission Status, click "Request Withdrawal"
- Enter a short reason for the request — chairs see this when they review
- Click "Send Request"
The chairs are notified by email immediately and the submission page switches to a Withdrawal request pending review state.
While the Request Is Pending
The Submission Status card shows the request along with the reason you typed and when you submitted it. Editing the submission is disabled while the request is pending.
If you change your mind before the chairs have decided, click "Cancel request". The pending request is removed and the original "Request Withdrawal" button comes back — you can submit a new request later if needed.
After the Chair Decides
| Decision | What happens |
|---|---|
| Approved | The submission status changes to WITHDRAWN. You'll see the withdrawal date and the chair's reason on the submission page. |
| Declined | The submission stays under review. The chair's note appears on the submission page so you can see why. |
You'll get an email either way.
Declined is final
Withdrawal requests are one-shot. If a chair declines, you can't submit another request through PaperFox — contact the chairs directly to discuss next steps.