Schedule an Email in Outlook on PC: A Step-by-Step Guide

To schedule an email in Outlook on a Windows PC, compose your message, choose a future send time, and confirm the schedule. In new Outlook, use the arrow beside Send and select Schedule send; in classic Outlook, use Options > Delay Delivery. The exact steps depend on which Outlook app you have, so check the instructions for your version below.

What You’ll Need

Outlook for Windows: This guide covers both new Outlook and classic Outlook. New Outlook has a redesigned interface; classic Outlook has the traditional ribbon and File tab.
An email account set up in Outlook: Scheduling options can vary by account type. If Schedule send is missing in new Outlook, check whether your account or app version supports it, or try classic Outlook’s Delay Delivery option.
The recipient, subject, message, and intended delivery time: Check the date, time, and time zone before confirming. A scheduled email is not a guarantee that the recipient will read it at that time.

Step-by-Step

Identify your Outlook version. Open Outlook and look at the interface. New Outlook has a simplified layout and usually a Settings gear near the top. Classic Outlook has the traditional ribbon, with tabs such as Home, Send/Receive, and File. If the app offers a New Outlook switch, its position can vary by update. You can also search the Windows Start menu for Outlook (new) or Outlook (classic), if both are installed.
Start a new message. Select New mail in new Outlook, or New Email in classic Outlook. Enter the recipient’s address, a clear subject, and the message. If you need to include an attachment, add it now and make sure it has finished uploading or attaching before scheduling.
Review the email before setting its delivery time. Verify the recipient, especially if Outlook has suggested an address from your contacts. Check that the subject and message are complete, the attachment is the correct one, and any links work. Scheduling delays delivery; it does not provide a final review step after the message is queued.
Schedule it in new Outlook. Select the small arrow beside Send, then choose Schedule send. Pick one of the suggested times or choose a custom time if that option appears. Set the date and time you want, then confirm the schedule. If you do not see the arrow or Schedule send, see Troubleshooting below; the feature can depend on the account, app version, and compose window.
Schedule it in classic Outlook. In the open message, select the Options tab, then select Delay Delivery. In the Properties window, find Delivery options and check Do not deliver before. Enter the date and time, close the Properties window, and select Send. The message is held until its delivery time rather than sent immediately. It will normally appear in the Outbox while it is waiting.
Confirm that Outlook accepted the schedule. In new Outlook, look in Drafts for the scheduled message; some versions may show scheduled items in a separate place. In classic Outlook, check the Outbox. Reopen the message only if you need to change it. If it is not where expected, check that you selected Schedule send or Delay Delivery and completed the final confirmation or Send action.
Make a change or cancel if needed. For a scheduled message in new Outlook, open it from Drafts or the scheduled-message location shown by your version, then use the available cancel or edit option. The labels may differ slightly between updates. In classic Outlook, open the message in Outbox, update the delivery time in Options > Delay Delivery, or remove the delivery delay to send it sooner. If you cancel or remove it, verify the message’s status before assuming it has been deleted or sent.

When setting a custom time, consider the recipient’s local time rather than just your own. Outlook may display the scheduled time using your account or computer’s current time-zone settings. If you work across time zones, check the displayed date and time carefully, particularly around daylight-saving changes.

Common Mistakes

Choosing Send instead of Schedule send. In new Outlook, clicking the main Send button sends the email now. Open the arrow menu beside it and select Schedule send to choose a future time.
Forgetting the final Send action in classic Outlook. Setting Do not deliver before only configures a delay. You still need to close the Properties window and select Send so Outlook queues the message.
Picking the wrong date or time. A time that looks right at a glance may be AM instead of PM, or may fall on the wrong day. Read the complete date and time in the confirmation screen before accepting.
Assuming an attachment is included. A file may not have finished attaching, or you may have selected the wrong version. Open or inspect the attachment before scheduling when the contents matter.
Expecting an unsent message to leave the Outbox while Outlook is closed. For classic Outlook, behavior depends on the account. POP or IMAP accounts generally require Outlook to be open and connected at the scheduled time. Microsoft Exchange accounts can often process delayed messages on the server, but if timing is critical, keep Outlook online and confirm the message leaves the Outbox.
Thinking schedule means guaranteed delivery. The schedule controls when Outlook attempts to send. A wrong address, account problem, server issue, or recipient-side filtering can still prevent the email from reaching the inbox.

Tips

Use a specific subject line. A subject such as “Revised meeting agenda for Thursday” is easier to recognize than “Update.” It also helps you find the message quickly if you need to edit or cancel it.
Schedule a little before the real deadline. If someone needs the information before a meeting, choose a time that leaves room for a delay or a correction. Avoid scheduling at the exact minute the recipient needs to act.
Keep a reminder for important emails. A calendar reminder or task can prompt you to check that a high-priority message was sent. This is useful when you are relying on classic Outlook with an account that needs the app open.
Check whether a reply is still appropriate. If the context may change before the scheduled time, consider leaving the message as a draft and sending it manually later. A scheduled message will not automatically update if a meeting time or decision changes.
Use the appropriate version’s controls. New Outlook’s Schedule send and classic Outlook’s Delay Delivery are different features with different storage and account behavior. Do not assume a message scheduled in one version will appear in the same folder in the other.
Mac users should follow Mac-specific instructions. Outlook for Mac has a different interface; its schedule option is generally accessed from the Send menu or arrow beside Send, depending on the version. The Windows ribbon path Options > Delay Delivery is for classic Outlook on Windows.

Troubleshooting

Schedule send is missing in new Outlook. First make sure you are composing a message in the main Outlook window and look for the arrow beside Send. Update Outlook if an update is available, then restart the app. If the option still does not appear, the connected account or app build may not support it. Try classic Outlook if it is installed; account type and organization settings can also affect available features.

The scheduled email is not in Drafts or Outbox. Confirm that the scheduling action completed. In new Outlook, look in Drafts and check for a scheduled-message view if your version provides one. In classic Outlook, look in Outbox, not Sent Items: the message has not been sent yet. If it is in Drafts, it may not have been queued; reopen it and complete the schedule or send steps.

A classic Outlook message is still in Outbox after its scheduled time. Check that Outlook is connected to the internet and not set to Work Offline. For POP or IMAP, leave classic Outlook open and connected until the message sends. For a work or school Exchange account, check the connection and any organization policies; if the message remains stuck, reopen it, confirm its delivery time, and try again. Avoid creating a second copy until you know whether the first message has gone out.

The message went at the wrong time. Check the date, AM/PM setting, and time zone used when scheduling. If it has not sent, edit or cancel it using the controls for your Outlook version. If it has already been sent, Outlook cannot pull it back from the recipient’s mailbox reliably; send a correction if needed.

You cannot edit or cancel the scheduled message. Find the original in Drafts or Outbox, depending on the Outlook version, and open it rather than composing a replacement. If it is locked or already sending, wait briefly, refresh the folder, and check Sent Items before taking action. For a managed work account, contact your organization’s Microsoft 365 administrator if the controls are unavailable or the message remains stuck.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Outlook need to be open for a scheduled email to send?
In new Outlook, a scheduled message for a supported online account is generally handled by the service after you schedule it. In classic Outlook, POP or IMAP accounts generally require Outlook to remain open and connected. Exchange behavior can differ, so keep Outlook online when delivery is important and verify that the message leaves Outbox.

Where do I find a scheduled email in Outlook?
In new Outlook, check Drafts and any scheduled-message view available in your version. In classic Outlook, check Outbox. Once a message has been sent, it should appear in Sent Items, subject to your account’s settings.

Can I change the scheduled time after I set it?
Usually, yes, if the message has not been sent. Open the existing scheduled message and change its delivery time or cancel the schedule, then set a new time. Use the controls in the Outlook version where you scheduled it, and confirm the updated status.

Can I schedule an email to send immediately?
There is no need to schedule it for the current time. Select Send to send it now. In classic Outlook, remove the Do not deliver before setting if you no longer want a delay, then send the message.

Will Outlook send the message if my PC is asleep?
For a supported online account using new Outlook, scheduling is generally handled online once accepted. With classic Outlook and a POP or IMAP account, a sleeping or shut-down PC cannot keep Outlook open to send the message, so leave the computer awake and Outlook connected. For Exchange accounts, server handling may allow the PC to be off, but verify your account’s behavior if the timing is essential.

Can the recipient tell that I scheduled the email?
Typically, the recipient receives a normal email and does not see a schedule label. Scheduling affects when Outlook sends it, not how the message is presented. Delivery, spam filtering, and the recipient’s mail system can still affect when or where it appears.

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

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