Schedule an Email in Outlook: Step-by-Step Guide

To schedule a one-time email in Outlook, write your message, open the menu beside Send, choose Schedule send, and select a delivery time. The steps differ slightly in classic Outlook for Windows, which uses Delay Delivery. You can schedule a message for later, but a repeating email requires a separate automation such as Power Automate.

Before scheduling, confirm the recipient, message, time zone, and intended send date. Outlook’s scheduling feature is useful for sending a reminder during business hours, preparing a message in advance, or avoiding an email arriving in someone’s inbox at an inconvenient time. The message is not delivered until the scheduled time, so leave enough time to review it and know where to find it if you need to change or cancel it.

What You’ll Need

An Outlook account and access to Outlook on the web, new Outlook, or classic Outlook for Windows. The exact controls depend on which version you use.
The recipient’s email address, a subject, and the message you want to send. Add attachments before scheduling if they are needed.
A delivery date and time. Check the time zone shown in Outlook, particularly if you or the recipient are in another region.
For a recurring email rather than a one-time message, access to Power Automate and an account permitted to use its Outlook connector. Work or school administrators may restrict it.

Step-by-Step

Open Outlook and start a message. Sign in to Outlook on the web or open the Outlook app, then choose New mail or New Email. If you have multiple accounts connected, check that the correct account is selected in the From field. Scheduling a message from the wrong mailbox can cause confusion even if the recipient and send time are correct.
Fill in and review the message. Enter the recipients, subject, and body. Add any attachment and wait for it to finish uploading. Check spelling, links, names, and the To, Cc, and Bcc fields. If you are sending to a group, verify that the group address is the right one. A scheduled message is still a normal email; scheduling does not validate its contents or ensure that the recipient’s address is current.
Choose a scheduling method for Outlook on the web or new Outlook. Select the small arrow or dropdown beside Send in the compose window. Choose Schedule send. In some layouts, you may first see options such as Send later; use the scheduling option rather than the main Send button. If the dropdown is missing, make sure the message window is open and that you are not looking at a read-only preview.
Select the delivery date and time. Outlook may offer suggested times as well as a custom option. Choose a suggested time if it suits your needs, or select the option to pick a date and time and enter the details. Check the displayed time and date before confirming. When scheduling across time zones, use the time Outlook displays for your account rather than assuming it will use the recipient’s local time.
Confirm the scheduled send. Choose the final scheduling button, which may be labelled Schedule send or similar. Wait for Outlook to confirm that the message is scheduled. Do not close the compose window before confirming if Outlook is still saving or processing the request. Depending on your Outlook version and account, the message may appear in Drafts or a Scheduled folder; check the message there to verify the time and content.
Use Delay Delivery in classic Outlook for Windows if needed. Open a new email, complete it, and select the Options tab in the message window. In the More Options group, choose Delay Delivery. Under Delivery options, select Do not deliver before, then set the date and time. Close the properties window and choose Send. The message is held in the Outbox until its delivery time. Keep classic Outlook open and connected to the internet for the message to send on time; if the computer is off or Outlook is offline, delivery can be delayed.
Know the Mac difference. In Outlook for Mac, compose the email, then use the dropdown next to Send and choose Schedule Send or Send Later, depending on the version. Pick the date and time and confirm. Labels and placement can vary between the new and legacy Mac interfaces, so look for the send-button menu rather than relying on the classic Windows Options tab instructions.
Change or cancel the message if plans change. Find the scheduled message in Drafts or Scheduled in the web or new Outlook interface. Open it and use the available cancel or edit option; cancellation typically returns it to a draft so you can change the contents or choose another time. In classic Outlook for Windows, open the message in Outbox, change its delivery settings or delete it before the scheduled delivery time. Act before the send time, and confirm the message is no longer queued.
Set up a repeating email with Power Automate, if that is what you mean by automated. Go to Power Automate and choose Create > Scheduled cloud flow. Give the flow a name, set its start date and time, choose the repeat interval, and create it. Add the Office 365 Outlook – Send an email (V2) action, then fill in the To, Subject, and Body fields. Save the flow and use its test or run history features to check it. Set the recurrence time zone deliberately, and review the flow periodically so a changed recipient or message does not keep sending outdated information.

A scheduled send and a recurring automation solve different problems. Outlook’s built-in schedule is best for one message that should go out once. Power Automate is more appropriate for a repeating report or reminder, but it depends on the flow remaining enabled and the account retaining the necessary access.

Common Mistakes

Clicking Send instead of the dropdown. The main button usually sends immediately. Open the arrow menu and select the scheduling command before confirming.
Choosing the wrong time zone or date. A time that looks right on a calendar may be interpreted in the account’s time zone. Check the scheduled date and displayed time, especially when travelling or coordinating across regions.
Assuming a one-time schedule repeats. Schedule send queues one message for one delivery. For a daily, weekly, or monthly email, create and test a Power Automate flow instead.
Forgetting classic Outlook’s Outbox requirement. With Delay Delivery in classic Outlook for Windows, the message waits in Outbox. If Outlook is closed or disconnected at the scheduled time, it may not leave on time.
Editing after the message has already gone. Scheduling is not a recall feature. Once Outlook has sent the message, changing or deleting a copy in Sent Items will not retract it from the recipient’s mailbox.
Leaving an attachment out. Scheduling does not add a file you meant to attach. Check for the attachment before confirming, and make sure the upload has completed.

Tips

Schedule a few minutes ahead for an immediate-looking message. This gives you a small window to spot a typo or cancel, without relying on a last-second edit. Do not treat that window as guaranteed: allow more time if the message is important.
Keep the subject specific. A clear subject makes a scheduled message easier to identify in Drafts, Scheduled, or Outbox when you need to revise it.
Use a calendar reminder for critical sends. Outlook scheduling normally handles delivery without another action from you in web and new Outlook, but a reminder to verify an important message can help catch an incorrect recipient, date, or attachment.
Test recurring flows with a safe recipient. Before automating a message to a large distribution list, run a test to yourself or a small test group. Check the flow’s run history if the email does not arrive.
Consider the recipient’s working hours. If the message is not urgent, schedule it for a reasonable local time. This is a courtesy, not a guarantee of when the person will read it.
Keep the scheduled copy easy to find. Use the account and folder where you expect to manage it. If you switch between Outlook on the web, desktop, and mobile, check the relevant Drafts, Scheduled, or Outbox folder in the account that created the message.

Troubleshooting

The schedule option is missing: Confirm that you are composing a new message and check the arrow beside Send. Update Outlook if appropriate, or try Outlook on the web. Some account types, organizational policies, or app versions may not show the same options. In classic Windows Outlook, use Options > Delay Delivery instead.
The message did not send at the chosen time: In classic Outlook for Windows, check whether it is still in Outbox and whether Outlook was open, online, and connected. In web or new Outlook, check Drafts or Scheduled for the message and look for a warning or sign-in issue. Verify the selected time and account before rescheduling.
You cannot find the scheduled message: Search the mailbox for its subject, then inspect Drafts, Scheduled, and Outbox. Folder names and storage behavior vary by Outlook version and account. Check the account’s Sent Items too if the delivery time has passed.
You need to stop a message quickly: Find and open the queued message before its delivery time, then cancel scheduling or delete it from Outbox as applicable. Confirm that it has returned to a draft or disappeared from the queue. If it has already been sent, contact the recipient with a correction; do not assume deleting it will unsend it.
A Power Automate email did not run: Open the flow’s run history and inspect the failed step. Check that the flow is turned on, its recurrence time zone and start date are correct, and the Outlook connection has not expired. If a work or school account is involved, ask the administrator whether the connector or flow is restricted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I schedule an email in Outlook when my computer is off?
In Outlook on the web and new Outlook, a scheduled message is generally handled by the mailbox service, so your computer does not need to remain on after scheduling. Classic Outlook for Windows Delay Delivery relies on Outlook being open and connected at delivery time. Check which method you used.

Can Outlook send an email automatically every week?
Outlook’s built-in Schedule send is for a single message, not a repeating series. Create a scheduled cloud flow in Power Automate and use the Outlook send-email action for weekly or other recurring messages. Test it and check that the flow stays enabled.

Can I edit a scheduled email?
Usually, yes, if you open it before the scheduled time. Find it in Drafts or Scheduled in web or new Outlook, or in Outbox in classic Outlook for Windows. Cancel or open the queued message, make the change, and schedule or send it again.

Will Outlook send the message if I am offline?
Web and new Outlook scheduling is handled through the online mailbox, but Outlook must successfully save the scheduled message first. With classic Outlook for Windows Delay Delivery, being offline or having Outlook closed can hold the message in Outbox and delay delivery.

Can I cancel an Outlook scheduled email after it sends?
No. You can cancel or remove it only while it is still queued. After delivery, deleting the item from Sent Items does not remove the recipient’s copy. Send a follow-up correction if necessary.

Does scheduled send work with attachments?
Yes, you can attach files before scheduling. Wait for each attachment to finish uploading and verify it is shown on the message before you confirm the scheduled send. For a recurring Power Automate email, configure attachments in the flow action separately.

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

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