How to Schedule an Email in Outlook on Any Device

To schedule an email in Outlook, write your message, open the menu beside Send, choose Schedule send or Send later, then select a date and time. In classic Outlook for Windows, use Options > Delay Delivery instead; the steps and whether Outlook must stay open depend on which Outlook version you use.

Schedule an email in new Outlook or Outlook on the web

New Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web have a scheduling option beside the Send button. The message is sent at the time you select, rather than immediately. The labels can vary slightly as Microsoft updates Outlook, but the basic process is:

Select New mail and address the message.
Write the subject and message, and attach any files you need.
Select the small arrow or dropdown beside Send.
Choose Schedule send or Send later. Pick one of the suggested times, or choose an option to set a custom date and time.
Confirm the time and select the final scheduling button, such as Send or Schedule.

After scheduling, look in Drafts or the scheduled-message area to confirm the email is there; the folder name and location can differ by Outlook version and account. A useful check is to open the message and verify its recipient, subject, and scheduled time. For example, if you compose a note on Monday afternoon and choose Tuesday at 9:00 a.m., Outlook holds it until that scheduled time rather than sending it when you close the compose window.

Use Delay Delivery in classic Outlook for Windows

Classic Outlook for Windows uses a different tool called Delay Delivery. It sets a “Do not deliver before” time for a message. This is not the same interface as Schedule send in new Outlook, so make sure you know which app you have open. Classic Outlook generally has a traditional ribbon and a separate File tab.

Open a new message, enter the recipients, and finish writing the email.
In the message window, open the Options tab.
In the More Options area, select Delay Delivery.
Under Delivery options, select Do not deliver before, then choose the date and time.
Select Close to return to the message, then select Send.

The message is placed in the Outbox until its delivery time. For classic Outlook, the Outlook application needs to be running and connected when the scheduled time arrives for the message to be sent. If the computer is off, Outlook is closed, or the connection is unavailable, delivery may wait until Outlook is running and connected again. This makes classic Delay Delivery less suitable when you need the computer to be shut down at the selected time.

To check or change a delayed message before it goes out, open the Outbox and open the message. You can adjust its delivery setting or send it earlier by removing the delay and selecting Send. The exact controls can vary slightly with ribbon layout, but the setting remains in the message’s Options.

Schedule from Outlook for Mac or a phone

In Outlook for Mac, compose the email and look for the dropdown beside Send. Choose Schedule Send or the equivalent send-later option, set a suggested or custom date and time, and confirm. If you do not see the option, check that Outlook is up to date and consider using Outlook on the web, where the scheduling control is also available. Mac interface details can differ between new and legacy Outlook, so do not expect the classic Windows Delay Delivery ribbon path to appear exactly the same way.

Outlook for iOS and Android may also offer a schedule-send option in the send menu, depending on the app version and account. If it is available, compose the message, open the menu near Send, choose the scheduling option, and confirm a time. If you cannot find it, you can schedule from Outlook on the web or a supported desktop version instead. Mobile menus change more often than the basic compose screen, so check the current app rather than relying on an older screenshot.

What happens to a scheduled email?

For the newer Schedule send experience, Outlook holds the message until the selected time; it is not normally delivered just because you close the browser or quit the app. This is different from classic Outlook for Windows Delay Delivery, which uses the Outbox and requires Outlook to be running and connected at send time. If reliability matters, use the built-in Schedule send option when it is available for your account, and verify that the message appears in the relevant folder after scheduling.

Outlook schedules according to the date and time shown in its interface. Check the displayed time zone, especially when traveling or arranging a message for a colleague in another region. A message scheduled for 9:00 a.m. your local time is not necessarily 9:00 a.m. for the recipient. Outlook does not guarantee that a message will arrive in the recipient’s inbox at that exact minute: internet routing, recipient mail servers, spam filtering, and other delivery factors can introduce delays.

Scheduling also does not make an email confidential or retract it after delivery. Once it has been sent and accepted by the recipient’s mail system, you generally cannot rely on Outlook to pull it back. Treat the scheduled message as a real email: check the address, attachments, and wording before setting it to send.

Choose a sensible send time

Scheduling can help you respect working hours, send a reminder when it is useful, or avoid sending a rushed note late at night. It does not guarantee that a message will be read. Consider the recipient’s time zone and work schedule, and avoid assuming that a particular send time will produce a faster response.

For a routine follow-up: choose a time during the recipient’s likely workday, rather than sending at midnight in their location.
For a deadline reminder: allow enough time for the recipient to act; a reminder sent at the deadline may be too late to help.
For a sensitive or changing topic: consider waiting to review the message before scheduling it. A draft is safer than an automated send if facts may change.
For an international recipient: check the time zone and, if needed, state the relevant deadline with its time zone in the message itself.

For example, if you are in New York and want a message to arrive during a colleague’s morning in London, do not simply choose 9:00 a.m. without checking the displayed time zone and the time difference on that date. Daylight-saving changes do not always happen on the same dates in different regions.

Edit, send now, or cancel a scheduled message

If your plans change, find the scheduled message before its send time. In new Outlook or Outlook on the web, check Drafts and any Scheduled folder or view shown in your account. Open the message to edit it, or use the available send-now or cancel option. In classic Outlook for Windows, check the Outbox and open the delayed message. If the scheduled time has already passed, it may have been sent, so check Sent Items before assuming it can still be stopped.

Editing a scheduled message is a useful safeguard, but do not assume every Outlook version presents the same buttons or stores the message in the same folder. If you cannot locate it, search for the subject and check Drafts, Outbox, Scheduled, and Sent Items. For a message you must prevent from going out, confirm it has been removed from the sending queue rather than relying only on closing the message window.

Common scheduling problems and fixes

The schedule option is missing: check the dropdown beside Send, update Outlook, or try Outlook on the web. Some app versions, account types, or interfaces may not expose the same option.
A classic Outlook message is still in the Outbox: confirm Outlook is open and connected. A delayed message may remain queued if the application was closed or offline when its delivery time arrived.
The message went at an unexpected time: check the time zone shown when scheduling and whether the date crossed a daylight-saving transition.
The recipient says it never arrived: look in Sent Items to confirm it was sent, then check for an incorrect address, a bounce message, or filtering on the recipient’s side. A scheduled send controls when Outlook releases the message, not what happens after that.
An attachment is missing: reopen the scheduled draft or inspect the sent copy. Scheduling does not verify that you attached the right file.

A practical precaution is to schedule a test message to yourself when you are learning a new Outlook interface. That confirms where the scheduled item appears and helps you recognize the confirmation screen, without risking an important email.

When to use a draft or another option

Schedule send is appropriate when the message is ready and should go out at a particular future time. If you are still waiting for approval, figures, or a final attachment, save a draft and set a calendar reminder to review it instead. A reminder gives you a chance to update the content; a scheduled email may send outdated information if circumstances change.

For repeated reminders or automated messages, Outlook’s one-time scheduling control may not meet the need. Depending on your organization’s Microsoft 365 setup, approved workflows or other automation tools may be options, but they require separate configuration and permissions. Do not assume that a delayed message is a recurring send: scheduling one email does not automatically create future copies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I schedule an email in Outlook if my computer is off?
With Schedule send in new Outlook or Outlook on the web, the message is held for its scheduled time and you generally do not need to leave the computer running. Classic Outlook for Windows Delay Delivery requires Outlook to be running and connected when it is due to send.

Where do scheduled emails go in Outlook?
It depends on the Outlook version. Look in Drafts or a Scheduled view for new Outlook and Outlook on the web; delayed messages in classic Outlook for Windows are held in the Outbox until their send time.

Can I change the time after scheduling an email?
Usually, you can open the scheduled message before it is sent and edit or reschedule it. Find it in Drafts, Scheduled, or the Outbox as appropriate for your version, then confirm the revised time.

Can I schedule an email from Outlook on my phone?
Some versions of Outlook for iOS and Android provide a schedule-send option in the menu beside Send. If it is not available in your app, use Outlook on the web or a supported desktop version.

Will a scheduled email arrive exactly at the selected time?
The selected time is when Outlook is set to release the message, not a guarantee of inbox arrival. Mail-server processing, network delays, and spam filtering can affect when the recipient sees it.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

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Sources: Function behaviour and menu paths: Microsoft Support documentation for Excel. Method & sources

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